stream-react-native

name	stream-react-native
description	Use when creating, building, or integrating Stream Chat, Stream Video, or Stream Feeds in React Native Community CLI or Expo apps - new RN/Expo Chat / Video / Feeds apps from scratch, existing-app integration, stream-chat-react-native, stream-chat-expo, @stream-io/video-react-native-sdk, @stream-io/feeds-react-native-sdk, useCreateFeedsClient, StreamFeeds, StreamFeed, activity feed, timeline feed, notification feed, for-you feed, useFeedActivities, useActivityComments, reactions, comments, follows, migration/setup, migrate or upgrade an SDK version, upgrade stream-chat-react-native to v9, v8 to v9, bump Stream version, channel list, message list, MessageComposer, attachment picker, image/file attachments, media picker, audio messages, threads, thread list, video call, livestream, audio room, ringing, CallContent, ParticipantView, React Navigation, Expo Router, theming, offline support, push notifications, and Chat / Video / Feeds UI customization. Not for Moderation review UI.
license	See LICENSE in repository root
compatibility	Supports new or existing React Native CLI and Expo apps running Stream Chat RN or Stream Video RN with React Native New Architecture. The `getstream` CLI is the default credentials and requested demo-data path; pasted API key and token are accepted as fallback.
metadata	{"author":"GetStream"}
allowed-tools	Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep, WebFetch(domain:getstream.io), WebFetch(domain:raw.githubusercontent.com), Bash(ls *), Bash(find . *), Bash(grep *), Bash(sips *), Bash(cat package.json), Bash(cat app.json), Bash(cat app.config.js), Bash(cat app.config.ts), Bash(cat babel.config.js), Bash(cat metro.config.js), Bash(command -v getstream), Bash(getstream *), Bash(npm view *), Bash(npm install *), Bash(yarn add *), Bash(pnpm add *), Bash(curl -Ls https://getstream.io/chat/docs/sdk/react-native/llms.txt), Bash(curl -Ls https://getstream.io/chat/docs/react-native/llms.txt), Bash(curl -Ls https://getstream.io/video/docs/react-native/llms.txt), Bash(curl -Ls https://getstream.io/activity-feeds/docs/react-native/llms.txt), Bash(npx create-expo-app@latest *), Bash(npx create-expo-app *), Bash(npx @react-native-community/cli@latest init *), Bash(npx expo install *), Bash(npx expo prebuild *), Bash(npx expo start *), Bash(npm run *), Bash(yarn *), Bash(pnpm *), Bash(npx pod-install *), Bash(cd ios && pod install)

Stream React Native - skill router + execution flow

Rules: Read RULES.md once per session. Every non-negotiable React Native Chat, Video, and Feeds rule is stated there.

This file is the single entrypoint: intent classification, product selection, project detection, and module pointers for Stream Chat React Native, Stream Video React Native, and Stream Feeds React Native work.

---

Step 0: Intent classifier (mandatory first - never skip)

Before any tool call, decide the track from the user's input alone. Do not probe the filesystem first.

Signals -> track

Signal in user input	Track
"Build/create/scaffold a new React Native app", "create an Expo app", "new Stream Chat RN app", "new Stream Video RN app", "new Stream Feeds RN app", empty directory + React Native/Expo Chat / Video / Feeds	A - New app
"Upgrade/migrate/bump a Stream SDK version", "upgrade stream-chat-react-native to v9", "migrate Chat RN to the new SDK", "v8 to v9", "bump Stream Video/Feeds", "Feeds v2 -> v3"	M - Migrate / upgrade
"Add/integrate Stream Chat into this app", "wire Chat RN", "set up stream-chat-expo", "add a video call", "wire Stream Video", "set up @stream-io/video-react-native-sdk", "add an activity feed", "wire Stream Feeds", "set up @stream-io/feeds-react-native-sdk", "change/customize this Chat / Video / Feeds UI"	B - Existing app
React Native, Expo, Expo Router, stream-chat-react-native, stream-chat-expo, @stream-io/video-react-native-sdk, @stream-io/feeds-react-native-sdk, Stream Chat RN, Stream Video RN, Stream Feeds RN, Chat React Native, Video React Native, Feeds React Native, migration	C - Reference lookup if the user only asks how/docs; otherwise B - Existing app
Explicit product/runtime token: Chat React Native, Chat Expo, Video React Native, Video Expo, Feeds React Native, Feeds Expo	C - Reference lookup
Words "docs" or "documentation" around Stream Chat, Stream Video, or Stream Feeds React Native / Expo work	C - Reference lookup
"How do I {X} in React Native/Expo?", "What does {SDK component/hook/prop} do?"	C - Reference lookup
"Audit/review/check an existing Stream Video integration against best practices", "is my video app production-ready?", "what am I missing before launch?"	C - Reference lookup (read-only) - run the Integration best-practices audit in references/VIDEO-REACT-NATIVE.md
"Install Stream packages", "set up Chat RN", "set up Video RN", "set up Feeds RN", "wire auth/token flow" with no broader feature request	D - Bootstrap / setup
Stream Moderation review UI or any other non-Chat / non-Video / non-Feeds Stream RN product	Reject bundled scope and route to live docs only if the user wants docs
Bare /stream-react-native with no args	List the tracks briefly and wait

Disambiguation flow

If the request is ambiguous between wiring code and reference lookup, ask one short question and wait:

Do you want me to wire this into the project, or just map the React Native SDK pattern and files?

If the user wants a new app but did not name Expo or RN CLI, default to Expo because it is the shortest successful path. Use RN CLI when the user asks for it or when native project constraints require it.

Product classifier (after track is known)

Identify the product from the user's input or detected packages. Tracks A, B, and D all need the product before continuing; Track C selects the matching reference pair.

Product signal	Product	References
stream-chat-react-native, stream-chat-expo, channel, message, MessageComposer, thread, attachment, offline support	Chat	references/CHAT-REACT-NATIVE.md + references/CHAT-REACT-NATIVE-blueprints.md
@stream-io/video-react-native-sdk, video call, livestream, audio room, ringing, CallContent, ParticipantView, screenshare, picture in picture	Video	references/VIDEO-REACT-NATIVE.md + references/VIDEO-REACT-NATIVE-blueprints.md
@stream-io/feeds-react-native-sdk, useCreateFeedsClient, StreamFeeds, StreamFeed, activity feed, timeline feed, notification feed, for-you feed, useFeedActivities, useActivityComments, reactions, comments, follows, follow / unfollow, activity composer, activityWithStateUpdates	Feeds	references/FEEDS-REACT-NATIVE.md + references/FEEDS-REACT-NATIVE-blueprints.md
Two or more products in one app (chat alongside a video call, feeds + chat, feeds + video, etc.)	Combined	Load only the reference pairs for the products in scope. Nest the providers (e.g. <StreamVideo> inside <OverlayProvider><Chat> inside <StreamFeeds>); do not place them as siblings. See RULES.md and the manifest-selected /video/docs/react-native/advanced/chat-with-video.md for the Chat + Video interop notes

If the request is ambiguous between products, ask one short question and wait:

Are you wiring Stream Chat (channels, messages), Stream Video (calls, livestream, audio rooms), or Stream Feeds (activity feed, timeline, comments, reactions, follows)? Or more than one in the same app?

Scope rejection

This skill bundles Chat, Video, and Feeds React Native. If the user asks for Stream Moderation review UI or another non-bundled Stream RN product, say:

The React Native skill currently bundles Chat, Video, and Feeds references. I can help with any combination of those here, or switch to live docs for other products.

Do not invent missing React Native Moderation API details from memory.

After classification

• Tracks A, B, D -> run Project signals, then continue in builder.md and sdk.md. Run credentials.md before writing Chat, Video, or Feeds connection code or creating requested demo data.
• Track M -> Read migrate.md first; it fetches the live upgrade guide before any edit. Run Project signals for lane / package-manager / New-Architecture detection, but skip credentials, provisioning, and the scaffold path - it edits an existing project.
• Track C -> skip credentials and project probes if the product + runtime are explicit. Only run a read-only probe if RN CLI vs Expo is ambiguous and the answer affects the guidance.

---

Step 0.5: Credentials, token, and demo data (tracks A, B, D only)

Use credentials.md once per session before writing code that connects to Stream Chat, Stream Video, or Stream Feeds.

It resolves:

• Stream API key
• user id and display name
• user token or token provider plan
• optional demo data, only when requested, via Stream CLI calls (Chat: UpdateUsers, GetOrCreateChannel, SendMessage; Video and Feeds do not require seed data because calls are ephemeral and activities can be posted at runtime)

For Track A, it is acceptable to scaffold the app first if the runtime or target directory must be resolved before credentials. Do not render a connected Chat, Video, or Feeds UI until credentials or a token-provider plan are resolved.

---

Project signals (tracks A/B/D - once per session; Track C on demand only)

Read-only local probe. Use it to detect empty/new workspace, RN CLI vs Expo, New Architecture hints, navigation setup, and existing Stream packages.

bash -c 'echo "=== PACKAGE ==="; test -f package.json && grep -oE "\"(stream-chat-react-native|stream-chat-expo|@stream-io/video-react-native-sdk|@stream-io/feeds-react-native-sdk|@stream-io/react-native-webrtc|@stream-io/react-native-callingx|react-native|expo|@react-navigation/[^\"]+|expo-router|react-native-reanimated|react-native-worklets|react-native-teleport|@op-engineering/op-sqlite)\": *\"[^\"]*\"" package.json 2>/dev/null; echo "=== EXPO ==="; find . -maxdepth 2 \( -name "app.json" -o -name "app.config.js" -o -name "app.config.ts" -o -path "./app/_layout.*" \) -print 2>/dev/null; echo "=== NATIVE ==="; find . -maxdepth 2 \( -name "ios" -o -name "android" \) -type d -print 2>/dev/null; echo "=== CONFIG ==="; find . -maxdepth 2 \( -name "babel.config.js" -o -name "metro.config.js" \) -print 2>/dev/null; echo "=== EXPO_SDK ==="; node -e "try{console.log(require(\"./node_modules/expo/package.json\").version)}catch(e){try{console.log(require(\"./package.json\").dependencies.expo)}catch(e){console.log(\"-\")}}" 2>/dev/null; echo "=== EMPTY ==="; test -z "$(ls -A 2>/dev/null)" && echo "EMPTY_CWD" || echo "NON_EMPTY"'

Hold the result in conversation context. Do not re-run unless the user changes directory, packages are installed, or the project shape changes.

Use the result to produce a one-line status, for example:

• Empty workspace detected - defaulting to Expo new app unless the user asked for RN CLI
• Expo app detected - stream-chat-expo absent - Expo Router present - ready for Chat setup
• Expo app detected - Expo SDK 56+ - apply RULES.md > Expo Router SDK 56+ rule (no @react-navigation/*)
• Expo app detected - @stream-io/video-react-native-sdk absent - ready for Video setup
• Expo app detected - @stream-io/feeds-react-native-sdk absent - ready for Feeds setup
• RN CLI app detected - ios/android present - stream-chat-react-native installed - checking provider placement
• RN CLI app detected - both @stream-io/video-react-native-sdk and stream-chat-react-native installed - Chat + Video interop applies
• Expo app detected - @stream-io/feeds-react-native-sdk and stream-chat-expo installed - nest StreamFeeds + Chat providers (no sibling mounts)
• No RN/Expo app detected in a non-empty directory - create a new app in a child directory or ask before reusing this directory

If there is no RN/Expo project and Track A applies, scaffold one through builder.md > 2. New app scaffold. If Track B/D applies in a non-RN directory, ask before creating a child app because that changes project ownership.

---

Module map

Track	Module(s)
A - New app	builder.md + sdk.md + llms.txt docs lookup + product references (Chat / Video / Feeds)
B - Existing app	builder.md + sdk.md + llms.txt docs lookup + product references (Chat / Video / Feeds)
C - Reference lookup	sdk.md + references/DOCS.md + relevant product reference files
D - Bootstrap / setup	builder.md + sdk.md + llms.txt docs lookup
M - Migrate / upgrade	migrate.md + references/DOCS.md (live upgrade guide) + product reference for the migrated SDK

---

Reference layout

Shared React Native and Expo patterns live in sdk.md.

Product-specific setup, docs lookup, gotchas, and UI blueprints live under references/:

• llms.txt docs lookup (Chat, Video, Feeds): references/DOCS.md
• Chat setup/reference: references/CHAT-REACT-NATIVE.md
• Chat screen/component blueprints: references/CHAT-REACT-NATIVE-blueprints.md
• Video setup/reference: references/VIDEO-REACT-NATIVE.md
• Video screen/component blueprints: references/VIDEO-REACT-NATIVE-blueprints.md
• Feeds setup/reference: references/FEEDS-REACT-NATIVE.md
• Feeds screen/component blueprints: references/FEEDS-REACT-NATIVE-blueprints.md
• iOS simulator verification (fast run/screenshot loop): references/SIMULATOR-VERIFICATION.md

If the requested product file is not bundled yet, say so plainly and only switch to live docs if the user asks.

---

Docs-first triggers (consult docs before building)

The bundled blueprints cover the common scaffold path only - root providers, auth gate, fresh-app scaffold, channel list, channel/message screen, threads (and the Video/Feeds equivalents). For anything that customizes or extends that path, the live llms.txt-selected page is the source of truth for the current API and recommended pattern. Fetch it before writing code.

Docs-first applies when the request hits any of these:

• UI customization / theming / component overrides - themes, design tokens, replacing a slot (message bubble, composer, call controls, participant tile, activity row), custom render props.
• Cookbook recipes - typing indicators, message actions, reactions UI, attachment handling, mentions, search, link previews, etc.
• Advanced guides - push notifications, offline support, PiP, ringing, screenshare, broadcasting, video filters, Chat+Video interop, notification/For-You feeds, polls, moderation.
• Migration / version upgrades.
• Any exact API, prop, hook, or component detail not already in the bundled blueprints.

Mechanism (mirrors the stream-react skill):

match -> run the references/DOCS.md manifest lookup -> WebFetch (or curl -Ls) the selected .md page -> implement to match. On fetch failure, hand to the stream-docs skill; if neither resolves the API, stop and ask the user - never build customization, cookbook, or advanced features from memory.

Enforced by RULES.md > Package version and docs discipline.

---

Styling-depth flag: matching a provided design

Orthogonal to the track above: if a request carries a target appearance - an attached screenshot, a Figma frame, or "make it look like WhatsApp / iMessage / Slack / <app>" - do not treat it as a set-a-few-colors task. Before writing UI code, run references/design-matching.md: it decomposes the reference region by region and plans every difference as one of three axes - theming (the Theme object), layout (WithComponents slot overrides + props), or functional (props / config / SDK hooks) - then verifies region-by-region against the reference. Implement every region, the composer included; a region left at the SDK default is a FAIL, not a "known cosmetic gap."

This runs in addition to (not instead of) the DOCS.md lookup: fetch the manifest-selected theming/customization pages to confirm exact theme paths and component names. A plain request with no target appearance does not trip this flag - build from the blueprints as usual.

---

Track A - New app

Full detail: builder.md - use the new-app path.

Phase	Name	What you do
A1	Detect	Run Project signals. Empty workspace is valid for Track A.
A2	Choose lane and product	Default to Expo if unspecified; use RN CLI when requested. Confirm product (Chat, Video, Feeds, or any combination).
A3	Scaffold	Create the app with current framework tooling; do not explain full RN/Expo environment setup.
A4	Install + wire	Use the manifest-selected Installation docs for each product, verify npm dist-tags, install package and peers, then wire providers and first UI.
A5	Verify	Confirm install, root providers, permissions (Video: camera/mic), auth, and first rendered Chat / Video / Feeds screen.

---

Track B - Existing app

Full detail: builder.md - use the existing-project path.

Phase	Name	What you do
B1	Detect	Run Project signals and inspect existing app structure before editing. Note any existing Chat / Video / Feeds packages.
B2	Preserve	Keep Expo/RN CLI lane, package manager, navigation stack, and auth architecture. If the user asks to upgrade/migrate an SDK version, that is Track M -> migrate.md, not a Track B edit.
B3	Integrate	Use llms.txt lookup for the requested area, then load only the Chat / Video / Feeds reference/blueprint sections needed.
B4	Verify	Confirm the requested Stream Chat / Video / Feeds flow builds and renders in the existing app.

---

Track C - Reference lookup

Load only the relevant files for the requested product:

• llms.txt manifest lookup rules -> references/DOCS.md
• Shared lifecycle / auth / provider / runtime patterns -> sdk.md
• Chat RN setup and gotchas -> references/CHAT-REACT-NATIVE.md
• Chat RN screen/component structure -> references/CHAT-REACT-NATIVE-blueprints.md
• Video RN setup and gotchas -> references/VIDEO-REACT-NATIVE.md
• Video RN screen/component structure -> references/VIDEO-REACT-NATIVE-blueprints.md
• Feeds RN setup and gotchas -> references/FEEDS-REACT-NATIVE.md
• Feeds RN screen/component structure -> references/FEEDS-REACT-NATIVE-blueprints.md
• Audit an existing Video integration against best practices -> the Integration best-practices audit section in references/VIDEO-REACT-NATIVE.md (read-only review; produce findings before changing any code)

If the user asks for exact API details not bundled here, use references/DOCS.md to fetch the right manifest and selected markdown page. If implementation still needs source-level confirmation, inspect the installed package under the target app's node_modules after dependencies are installed. Do not use machine-specific documentation paths.

---

Track D - Bootstrap / setup

Use when the user wants package install and shared wiring more than a full feature build. Branch by product:

• detect RN CLI vs Expo
• use llms.txt lookup for the matching product's Installation docs and verify current npm dist-tags
• install the correct package and required peers (Chat: stream-chat-react-native or stream-chat-expo; Video: @stream-io/video-react-native-sdk; Feeds: @stream-io/feeds-react-native-sdk + @react-native-community/netinfo)
• Chat-specific wiring: add Reanimated/Worklets Babel plugin as the last plugin, wrap the entry point with GestureHandlerRootView, place OverlayProvider and Chat, wire useCreateChatClient or the app's backend token provider
• Video-specific wiring: declare camera/mic permissions, add Expo config plugins where applicable, create StreamVideoClient and mount StreamVideo
• Feeds-specific wiring: call useCreateFeedsClient (returns undefined while connecting), mount <StreamFeeds client={client}> once near the app root, and (typically) wrap an OwnFeedsContextProvider that creates the user + timeline feeds and the self-follow
• stop before product-specific UI if the user only asked for setup

---

Track M - Migrate / upgrade a version

Full detail: migrate.md - Read it first; it fetches the live upgrade guide before any edit. Docs-driven and read-only until the guide is fetched - never migrate from memory (RULES.md > Package version and docs discipline). Skip credentials, provisioning, and scaffold; preserve the project's runtime lane, package manager, and lockfile.

Phase	Name	What you do
M1	Detect	Run Project signals + read package.json/lockfile: which Stream packages, their from -> to versions, runtime lane, package manager, and RN/Expo New-Architecture status.
M2	Fetch the guide	From the product manifest (references/DOCS.md) fetch the matching upgrade guide (known entry point: Chat RN v8 -> v9). Hard gate on failure -> stream-docs -> stop and ask.
M2.5	Prerequisites	Clear RN-specific blockers first: New Architecture requirement, new native/peer deps (e.g. react-native-teleport for Chat v9), native rebuild.
M3	Apply	Bump only the targeted packages (each at its own target; bump the lane's Chat wrapper), apply every documented breaking change, ground each symbol in installed node_modules/stream-chat-react-native-core source, grep for renamed symbols, do native config + keyboard cleanup.
M4	Verify	tsc --noEmit -> Metro bundle -> native build -> simulator/device smoke of the core flow. No next build; a green tsc is not a render.
M5	Summarize	Packages bumped, breaking changes applied, native/New-Arch changes, files touched, manual follow-ups. Offer (don't auto-run) the next step.