React Chat is presently in alpha and is not meant to be a viable substitute to delicate native chat frameworks.
React Chat currently does not support pagination of messages or rooms, hence might have performance issues when loading huge volume of chat data. Handles for pagination such as scroll pagination will be added soon.
React Chat is an extensible set of presentational chat components for mobile-first ReactJS web applications. It facilitates simple messaging interactions on-the-go.
React Chat is inspired by the designs at GiftedChat, Slack, WhatsApp and Telegram.
Besides this README, you may find documentation of the design and behaviours of components in Storybook.
Examples and demos will be provided through Storybook and the Examples page in the future. This is a work in progress.
React Chat requires at least React 16.3.0
as a peer dependency.
To install using npm
:
npm install @hliejun/react-chat
To install using yarn
:
yarn add @hliejun/react-chat
To opt-in to alpha versions, please explicitly state the version.
Check on the latest version here.
React Chat comprises of:
-
ChatList
-
ChatRoom
ChatList
is a component used for interacting with a list of chat rooms or message groups. As a presentational component, it exposes the handles for various tasks such as displaying chat rooms, refreshing the view, filtering the list and more.
For instance, you can invoke ChatList
with the following:
import { ChatList } from '@hliejun/react-chat';
class MyContainer extends React.Component {
// ...
render = () => {
//...
const { rooms } = this.state;
//...
return (
<ChatList
onItem={this.segueToChatRoom}
rooms={this.parseRooms(rooms)}
title='Chats'
/>
);
};
// ...
parseRooms = (rooms) => {
// Fetch and parse data into shape of room objects
};
segueToChatRoom = (id) => {
// Navigate to chat room of id when room is selected
};
}
The following table indicates the props
that ChatList accepts.
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
className |
string |
Style classes passed down from container component |
hideAvatar |
bool |
Flag to opt out from showing Avatar in ListItem |
hideChevron |
bool |
Flag to opt out from showing chevron indicator as affordance to segueing |
hideTitleBar |
bool |
Flag to opt out from showing the TitleBar |
isLoading |
bool |
Flag to display loading animations while the ChatList is not readily populated |
layout |
see AppContext | Styling enumeration to match ChatRoom layout |
liveSearch |
bool |
Flag to indicate the intended search behaviour |
menuActions |
see Actions | Action handlers and metadata to populate chat ListItem menu |
onAvatar |
func |
Handler for interaction with the Avatar in a ListItem |
onInfo |
func |
Handler for interaction with the identity Avatar in TitleBar |
onItem |
func |
Handler for selecting a ListItem of a specific room |
onMenu |
func |
Handler for prompting the ListItem menu of a specific room |
onRefresh |
func |
Handler for initiating a fetch or reload to repopulate the ChatList |
onResult |
func |
Handler for selecting a search ListItem in the search results pane |
onSearch |
func |
Handler for search or filter logic to fetch or reload searchResults |
Placeholder |
React element |
Component to fill the body when rooms is empty |
rooms |
see Rooms | Collection of objects specifying the metadata of a room |
searchHint |
string |
Placeholder for empty search field |
searchPlaceholder |
React element |
Placeholder for empty search results body |
searchResults |
see Search | Collection of objects describing the outcome of onSearch |
selectedId |
string |
Unique identifier of the list item that is currently active |
sizing |
see AppContext | Device and sizing enumeration for layout responsiveness |
subtitle |
string |
Subtitle to display on TitleBar |
theme |
see AppContext | Theme enumeration for styling constituent components |
title |
string |
Title to display on TitleBar |
user |
see Users | Object containing metadata of a user or a user profile |
ChatRoom
is a component used for interacting with a chat group, room, conversation, etc. Regardless of the room size, it offers generic handles for various messaging tasks such as typing, sending, searching, deleting, copying and more.
You can use ChatRoom
this way:
import { ChatRoom } from '@hliejun/react-chat';
class MyContainer extends React.Component {
// ...
render = () => {
//...
const { input, messages, room, userId, users } = this.state;
const { id, name } = room;
//...
return (
<ChatRoom
inputValue={input}
messages={this.parseMessages(messages)}
onInput={this.parseInput}
onSend={this.sendMessage}
roomId={id}
roomName={name}
userId={userId}
users={users}
/>
);
};
// ...
parseMessages = (messages) => {
// Fetch and parse data into shape of message objects
};
parseInput = (nextInput) => {
// Input control to parse HTML string into desirable values
// ...
// When done parsing, reload ChatRoom with new input state
// Pure components will not reload if unaffected by input
this.setState({
input: parsedInput
});
};
sendMessage = (input) => {
// Call API to submit message
};
}
The following table indicates the props
that ChatRoom accepts.
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
attachOptions |
see Media | Action handlers for media attachments |
className |
string |
Style classes passed down from container component |
hideAvatar |
bool |
Flag to opt out from showing Avatar in Message item |
inputData |
see Media | Object describing attached media due for posting |
inputHint |
string |
Placeholder for input field |
inputValue |
string |
HTML-formatted string for rendering into input field |
layout |
see AppContext | Styling enumeration describing layout of messages |
liveSearch |
bool |
Flag to indicate the intended search behaviour |
menuActions |
see Actions | Action handlers and metadata to populate chat Message menu |
messages |
see Messages | Collection of objects representing Message content |
onAttach |
func |
Handler for attaching media to input |
onAvatar |
func |
Handler for interaction with the Avatar in a Message |
onContent |
func |
Handler for selecting a message Content |
onInfo |
func |
Handler for interaction with the identity Avatar in TitleBar |
onInput |
func |
Handler for intercepting and updating input field value |
onMenu |
func |
Handler for prompting the content Menu of a specific message |
onRefresh |
func |
Handler for initiating a fetch or reload to repopulate the Message list |
onResult |
func |
Handler for selecting a search ListItem in the search results pane |
onReturn |
func |
Handler for interacting with the return button to perform a segue |
onSearch |
func |
Handler for search or filter logic to fetch or reload searchResults |
onSend |
func |
Handler for submitting input value |
roomAvatar |
string |
Link to room avatar image |
roomId |
string |
Unique identifier of the room for actions contextual to the room |
roomName |
string |
Name or title of the chat room |
searchHint |
string |
Placeholder for empty search field |
searchPlaceholder |
React element |
Placeholder for empty search results body |
searchResults |
see Search | Collection of objects describing the outcome of onSearch |
sizing |
see AppContext | Device and sizing enumeration for layout responsiveness |
subtitle |
string |
Subtitle to display on TitleBar |
theme |
see AppContext | Theme enumeration for styling constituent components |
userId |
string |
Unique identifier of the current user |
users |
see Users | Indexed collection of objects containing metadata of all users involved in the chat room |
(WIP) Here are the PropTypes declaration for menu actions for the respective components.
{/* ListItem Menu Actions */}
menuActions: PropTypes.arrayOf(PropTypes.shape({
action: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
icon: PropTypes.string,
label: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
type: PropTypes.oneOf([
'archive',
'delete',
'info',
'pin',
'star',
'unread'
]).isRequired
}))
{/* Message Menu Actions */}
menuActions: PropTypes.arrayOf(PropTypes.shape({
action: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
icon: PropTypes.string,
label: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
type: PropTypes.oneOf([
'copy',
'delete',
'forward',
'info',
'pin',
'reply'
]).isRequired
})),
(WIP) Here are the PropTypes declaration for app context options.
{/* Layout */}
layout: PropTypes.oneOf([
'aligned',
'staggered'
])
{/* Sizing */}
sizing: PropTypes.oneOf([
'desktop',
'mobile',
'tablet'
])
{/* Theme */}
theme: PropTypes.oneOf([
'dark',
'light'
])
(WIP) Here are the PropTypes declaration for messages.
{/* Messages */}
messages: PropTypes.arrayOf(PropTypes.shape({
data: PropTypes.shape({
coordinates: PropTypes.shape({
lat: PropTypes.string,
lng: PropTypes.string
}),
galleryId: PropTypes.string,
markdown: PropTypes.string,
metadata: PropTypes.object,
source: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
type: PropTypes.oneOf([
'audio',
'file',
'gif',
'image',
'link',
'location',
'markdown',
'pdf',
'video'
]).isRequired
}),
eventContent: PropTypes.element,
eventName: PropTypes.string,
isDelivered: PropTypes.bool,
isLoading: PropTypes.bool,
isRead: PropTypes.bool,
messageId: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
senderId: PropTypes.string,
text: PropTypes.string,
timeStamp: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
type: PropTypes.oneOf([
'event',
'media',
'system',
'text'
]).isRequired
})).isRequired
(WIP) Here are the PropTypes declaration for media-related objects.
{/* Attach Options */}
attachOptions: PropTypes.arrayOf(PropTypes.shape({
action: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
icon: PropTypes.string,
label: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
type: PropTypes.oneOf([
'audio',
'file',
'gif',
'image',
'link',
'location',
'markdown',
'pdf',
'video'
]).isRequired
}))
{/* Input Data */}
inputData: PropTypes.shape({
coordinates: PropTypes.shape({
lat: PropTypes.string,
lng: PropTypes.string
}),
galleryId: PropTypes.string,
markdown: PropTypes.string,
metadata: PropTypes.object,
source: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
type: PropTypes.oneOf([
'audio',
'file',
'gif',
'image',
'link',
'location',
'markdown',
'pdf',
'video'
]).isRequired
})
(WIP) Here are the PropTypes declaration for rooms.
{/* Rooms */}
rooms: PropTypes.arrayOf(PropTypes.shape({
avatar: PropTypes.string,
description: PropTypes.string,
id: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
name: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
status: PropTypes.oneOf([
'archive',
'pin',
'star',
'new'
]),
subtitle: PropTypes.string,
timeStamp: PropTypes.string
})).isRequired
(WIP) Here are the PropTypes declaration for search results.
{/* Search Results */}
PropTypes.arrayOf(PropTypes.shape({
avatar: PropTypes.string,
description: PropTypes.string,
id: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
name: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
timeStamp: PropTypes.string
}))
(WIP) Here are the PropTypes declaration for user(s).
{/* User */}
user: PropTypes.shape({
avatar: PropTypes.string,
description: PropTypes.string,
email: PropTypes.string,
id: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
name: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
phone: PropTypes.string,
website: PropTypes.string
})
{/* Users */}
users: PropTypes.objectOf(PropTypes.shape({
avatar: PropTypes.string,
description: PropTypes.string,
email: PropTypes.string,
id: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
name: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
phone: PropTypes.string,
website: PropTypes.string
})).isRequired
(WIP) Formats and variants off CSS classes.
(WIP) Code Design, Linters, Storybook, RollUp, AppContext, Classnames. DOMPurify.
Summary of upcoming TODOs:
Features
- Animations
- Children buttons in TitleBar
- Dividers
- Expose child components for use
- Media preview
- Message markdown
- Message replies
- Refresh
- Scroll pagination
- Themes and abstract colors usage
Performance
- Recycle views
- Reduce bundle size with UglifyJS
- Split bundles for selective import
- Switch to PureComponent(s)
- Trim style classes
Code Quality
- Add Jest tests
- Refactor all stories
- Switch to SCSS for stories
Documentation
- Add example screenshots
- Complete README
- Complete Storybook
- Examples with ChatKit
Maintenance
- Setup issues
This project is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for copyright credits to the respective sources. The following people and resources have helped this project greatly in one way or another:
Throttling without Lodash
Author: Jhey Tompkins
Web: Throttling and Debouncing in Javascript
Default to Polymer SVG Icons
Author: PolymerElements and David Francisco
Repo (polymerelements): https://github.com/PolymerElements/iron-icons
Repo (dmfrancisco): https://github.com/dmfrancisco/react-icons
Web URL Regex
Author: Diego Perini
Gist: https://gist.github.com/dperini/729294
SASS Mixins
Authors: Richard Torres and Engage Interactive
Repo (engageinteractive): https://github.com/engageinteractive/core
Gist (richardtorres314): https://gist.github.com/richardtorres314/26b18e12958ba418bb37993fdcbfc1bd
SASS Material Colors
Author: minusfive
Repo: https://github.com/minusfive/sass-material-colors
(WIP) Issues and contact.