cometchat

name	cometchat
description	Entry-point for CometChat integration in any React, React Native, Angular, Android, Flutter, or iOS project — web (React/Next.js/React Router/Astro), React Native (Expo/bare), Angular (12-15), native Android (V5 stable, V6 beta), Flutter (V5 stable, V6 beta), and native iOS (V5 stable). Detects the framework, gathers requirements through an interactive conversation, and writes production-quality integration code.
license	MIT
allowed-tools	executeBash, readFile, fileSearch, listDirectory, AskUserQuestion
metadata	{"author":"CometChat","version":"3.0.0","tags":"cometchat dispatcher entry react nextjs react-router astro expo react-native angular android flutter ios chat"}

Use this skill when

The user wants to add CometChat to any kind of project. Trigger phrases:

• /cometchat
• "add cometchat", "integrate cometchat", "add chat to my app"
• "add messaging", "add chat ui", "add in-app chat"

This is the entry point for every framework. Do NOT invoke framework-specific skills directly — this dispatcher detects the framework first and routes to the right ones.

Supported frameworks:

Family	Frameworks
Web	React (Vite/CRA), Next.js, React Router v6/v7, Astro
React Native	Expo (managed + Expo Router), bare RN CLI
Angular	Angular 12-15 (Angular CLI / NgModule)
Android	V5 stable (Java + Kotlin Views) / V6 beta (Compose + Kotlin Views)
Flutter	V5 stable (GetX-based, cometchat_chat_uikit:^5.2) / V6 beta (Bloc-based, cometchat_chat_uikit:^6.0.0-beta)
iOS	V5 stable (Swift; SwiftUI + UIKit hosting; CometChatUIKitSwift:~> 5.1)

The web family loads @cometchat/chat-uikit-react + @cometchat/chat-sdk-javascript. The RN family loads @cometchat/chat-uikit-react-native + @cometchat/chat-sdk-react-native. The Angular family loads @cometchat/chat-uikit-angular + @cometchat/chat-sdk-javascript. The Android family loads com.cometchat:chat-uikit-android:5.x (V5) or com.cometchat:chatuikit-{compose,kotlin}-android:6.x (V6) from Maven Central. The Flutter family loads cometchat_chat_uikit:^5.2 (V5; pair with cometchat_calls_uikit:^5.0 for calls) or cometchat_chat_uikit:^6.0.0-beta (V6; calls fold into the same package) from the Cloudsmith Dart pub-hosted registry. The dispatcher decides which set after Step 1's detection.

How v3 works

v3 skills are interactive and conversational. You don't just detect the framework and dump code. You have a conversation with the developer to understand their project, their use case, and exactly where chat should go — THEN you write code that fits.

Pattern skills (loaded from your context, not via Skill()):

• cometchat-core (web) / cometchat-native-core (RN) / cometchat-angular-core (Angular) / cometchat-android-{v5,v6}-core (Android) / cometchat-flutter-{v5,v6}-core (Flutter) — init, login, provider chain, env vars, anti-patterns
• cometchat-components (web) / cometchat-native-components (RN) / cometchat-angular-components (Angular) / cometchat-android-v5-components or cometchat-android-v6-{compose,kotlin}-components (Android) / cometchat-flutter-v6-components (V6 only — V5 splits into -conversations/-messages/-users-groups) — component catalog, props, composition
• cometchat-placement (web) / cometchat-native-placement (RN) / cometchat-angular-placement (Angular) / cometchat-android-v5-placement or cometchat-android-v6-{compose,kotlin}-placement (Android) / cometchat-flutter-v6-placement (V6 only) — WHERE to put chat
• One per-framework skill (cometchat-{react,nextjs,react-router,astro}-patterns, cometchat-native-{expo,bare}-patterns, cometchat-angular-patterns, the v5/v6 Android sub-tree, or the Flutter v5/v6 sub-tree) — framework-specific details

Key principle: ask, don't assume. Every piece of information you need from the user should be asked explicitly. Don't guess the route path, don't guess where the trigger button goes, don't guess the auth system.

Steps

Step 1 — Detect framework + map the project

First, check if .cometchat/config.json exists:

npx @cometchat/skills-cli config show --json

If config exists with previous answers, tell the user:

"I see you've set up CometChat before. Using your saved config: Framework: {framework}, App: {appId}, Intent: {intent}. Want to continue with these, or start fresh?"

If no config, run detection:

npx @cometchat/skills-cli detect --json

The JSON output includes framework (one of reactjs, nextjs, react-router, astro, expo, react-native, angular, android, flutter, ios, or null), framework-specific fields (router, expo_mode, react_native_version, android_version, flutter_version, env_prefix), and a compatibility.supported flag. If supported is false, stop and surface the warnings.

Android — android_version is load-bearing. When framework === "android", the detect output includes android_version: "v5" | "v6" | null. The cohort selects which V5 or V6 pattern set to load — V5 (live, chat-uikit-android:5.x, Java + Kotlin Views) and V6 (beta, chatuikit-{compose,kotlin}-android:6.x) are different SDKs with different APIs. Treat them as separate routing targets even though both live under --family android.

If android_version is null, the project is greenfield (no cometchat dep yet). Ask the user via AskUserQuestion:

"Which CometChat Android UI Kit do you want to use? V5 is the live SDK (recommended for production today). V6 is beta (Compose + Kotlin Views split, future-facing)."

Save the choice into .cometchat/config.json under android_version so subsequent /cometchat runs don't re-ask.

Flutter — flutter_version is load-bearing too. When framework === "flutter", the detect output includes flutter_version: "v5" | "v6" | null. V5 is GetX-based (cometchat_chat_uikit:^5.2); V6 is Bloc-based (cometchat_chat_uikit:^6.0.0-beta2). The two cohorts have different state-management primitives, different barrel exports, and different theme APIs — never mix them. Same --family flutter install ships both sets; routing picks the right one.

If flutter_version is null, ask via AskUserQuestion:

"Which CometChat Flutter UI Kit do you want to use? V5 is the live SDK (GetX-based, recommended for production today). V6 is beta (Bloc-based, future-facing)."

Save the choice into .cometchat/config.json under flutter_version.

Then read the project yourself — this is critical.

For web frameworks (reactjs, nextjs, react-router, astro):

• package.json — name, dependencies, scripts
• The source directory structure — list all directories under src/ or app/
• Find the router: createBrowserRouter, app/ directory, pages/, react-router.config.ts, astro.config.*
• Find the layout: App.tsx, layout.tsx, root.tsx, Layout.astro
• Find the nav: components with "nav", "header", "sidebar" in name
• Find existing pages/routes: list them so you can reference them later

For React Native (expo, react-native):

• package.json — name, RN version, all dependencies, scripts
• Entry file — index.js or App.{tsx,jsx} or app/_layout.tsx (Expo Router)
• Navigation — look for @react-navigation/native, @react-navigation/stack, @react-navigation/bottom-tabs, or expo-router
• Existing screens — list all files under screens/, src/screens/, app/, or wherever routes live
• Existing nav structure — read the root navigator to see stack vs tab vs drawer layout

For Angular (angular):

• package.json — name, @angular/core version (12-15 supported), all @angular/* deps
• angular.json — workspace config; identify the project name + sourceRoot
• Root NgModule — usually src/app/app.module.ts; check imports + declarations + schemas
• Routing — src/app/app-routing.module.ts or root RouterModule.forRoot([...]); list all routes
• Layout — src/app/app.component.{ts,html}; identify nav, sidebar, header components
• Existing pages/components — list under src/app/pages/, src/app/components/, or wherever the project organizes them
• Environment files — src/environments/environment.ts (and .prod.ts); credentials live here, NOT in .env

For Android (android):

• settings.gradle (or .kts) — module list; usually :app plus optional library modules
• Root build.gradle (or .kts) — top-level plugins, repositories, classpath versions
• App build.gradle (or .kts) — dependencies (this is where the cometchat dep lives), Android plugin, applicationId, minSdk/targetSdk/compileSdk, buildConfigField entries
• AndroidManifest.xml — root <application> class, permissions, <activity> entries, deep links
• Source dirs: app/src/main/java/<pkg>/ (Java) and/or app/src/main/kotlin/<pkg>/ (Kotlin)
• For V6 stack split: presence of androidx.compose.ui:ui or compose.material3 in deps signals Compose; otherwise Kotlin Views (XML layouts under app/src/main/res/layout/). Many V6 projects have both — ask the user which surface chat lands in.
• gradle.properties and local.properties — credentials live here as cometchat.appId=... / cometchat.region=... / cometchat.authKey=..., exposed to code as BuildConfig fields via buildConfigField in the app build.gradle. NOT in .env.
• Application class (e.g. MyApp extends android.app.Application) — init goes in onCreate(). Note the class FQN; you'll wire CometChatUIKit.init(this, settings, callback) here.

For Flutter (flutter):

• pubspec.yaml — package name + Dart SDK constraint + Flutter SDK constraint + dependencies: (this is where cometchat_chat_uikit lives)
• For V5: a typical project has BOTH cometchat_chat_uikit:^5.2 AND cometchat_calls_uikit:^5.0 if calls are needed. V6 folds calls into the single cometchat_chat_uikit:^6.0.0-beta2 package (no separate calls package).
• lib/ — Dart source. The app entry is lib/main.dart (the void main() => runApp(...) site); init goes in main() or in a top-level Stateful/State.initState().
• lib/<config>.dart (or similar) — credentials. There is NO Flutter .env convention — credentials are typically defined as const Dart values in a config file, OR injected at compile time via --dart-define=COMETCHAT_APP_ID=... flags read inside Dart with String.fromEnvironment. NOT a .env file at runtime.
• android/app/build.gradle and ios/Runner/Info.plist — platform-specific config (FCM service registration, Push capabilities, microphone/camera Info.plist entries for calls). Flutter projects DO have these subdirs but they're configured Flutter-side; do not run the native skill flows.
• For V5 vs V6: V5 uses GetX (get in deps); V6 uses flutter_bloc + equatable. Their controllers, observers, and theming are different — match the integration code to the detected cohort.

For iOS (ios):

• <App>.xcodeproj and/or <App>.xcworkspace — Xcode project / workspace. The .xcworkspace is preferred when CocoaPods is in use (open it, NOT the .xcodeproj).
• Podfile (CocoaPods) — pin pod 'CometChatUIKitSwift', '~> 5.1' and run pod install. Look for platform :ios, '13.0' (or higher) — V5 needs iOS 13+.
• Package.swift (Swift Package Manager) — dependencies: block adds https://github.com/cometchat/cometchat-uikit-ios. Both SPM and CocoaPods are supported; check which the project uses.
• App entry — <App>App.swift (SwiftUI) or AppDelegate.swift + SceneDelegate.swift (UIKit). Init goes in @main struct App.init() (SwiftUI) or application(_:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:) (UIKit).
• Info.plist — for calls add NSMicrophoneUsageDescription + NSCameraUsageDescription; for push add the APNs entitlement and a BackgroundModes entry with remote-notification (and voip for VoIP push).
• Credentials: NO .env at runtime. Use a Secrets.swift const enum/struct (gitignored) or an *.xcconfig file with COMETCHAT_APP_ID = ... exposed as Build Settings. The skill teaches both.
• Mixed-stack apps (SwiftUI + UIKit): the kit ships UIKit UIViewControllers and exposes them via UIViewControllerRepresentable for SwiftUI hosting. Identify which surface chat lands in (SwiftUI screen vs UIKit nav stack) and follow the matching pattern.

Store this mental map — you'll use it throughout the conversation.

Compatibility baselines (the CLI enforces these):

• Web: react@<18 → upgrade required; nextjs@<13 → warning; astro@<4 → warning
• RN: react-native@<0.70 → upgrade required; expo@<49 → upgrade required
• Angular: @angular/core@<12 → upgrade required; @angular/core@>=16 → warning (skill is verified against v15)
• Android V5: minSdk@<21 → upgrade required; minSdk@<24 → warning; AGP@<7.0 → warning
• Android V6: minSdk@<28 → upgrade required (V6 raised the floor from API 23 to API 28); Kotlin@<1.9 → warning; for Compose stack, Compose BOM@<2024.x → warning
• Flutter V5: Dart SDK <2.17 → upgrade required; Flutter <2.5 → warning; Android minSdk 24 (Flutter platform default) when V5 is in use
• Flutter V6: Dart SDK <2.17 → upgrade required; Flutter <2.5 → warning; Android minSdk 26 REQUIRED (cometchat_calls_sdk in V6 raised the floor)
• iOS V5: iOS deployment target <13 → upgrade required; Swift <5.0 → upgrade required; Xcode 15+ requires ENABLE_USER_SCRIPT_SANDBOXING = NO in Build Settings (or the post_install Podfile hook)

Pattern skills not installed?

The dispatcher routes to web pattern skills (cometchat-{core,components,placement,*-patterns}), RN pattern skills (cometchat-native-{core,components,placement,*-patterns}), or Angular pattern skills (cometchat-angular-{core,components,placement,patterns}) based on the detected framework. If the matching set isn't loaded — i.e. the user has only the dispatcher in .claude/skills/, OR they installed only @cometchat/skills (web) but the project is RN/Angular, OR vice versa — install the missing package yourself. Do NOT stop and ask the user to run the npx command manually — that turns a 0-step recovery into a 2-step recovery for no benefit.

To check whether the pattern skills are loaded, attempt to read cometchat-core/SKILL.md (web), cometchat-native-core/SKILL.md (RN), or cometchat-angular-core/SKILL.md (Angular) from your loaded skills context. If the read fails, the package isn't installed — run the installer.

If framework is expo or react-native AND cometchat-native-core is NOT loaded:

npx @cometchat/skills-native add

If framework is reactjs, nextjs, react-router, or astro AND cometchat-core is NOT loaded:

npx @cometchat/skills add

If framework is angular AND cometchat-angular-core is NOT loaded:

npx @cometchat/skills add --family angular

If framework is android AND neither cometchat-android-v5-core nor cometchat-android-v6-core is loaded:

npx @cometchat/skills add --family android

This installs both V5 and V6 skill sets — the dispatcher's Step 4 routing picks the correct one based on android_version.

If framework is flutter AND neither cometchat-flutter-v5-core nor cometchat-flutter-v6-core is loaded:

npx @cometchat/skills add --family flutter

Same shape as Android — installs both V5 and V6 skill sets; routing picks the right one based on flutter_version.

If framework is ios AND cometchat-ios-core is NOT loaded:

npx @cometchat/skills add --family ios

iOS only ships V5 today (no V6 beta yet), so there's no version-detection step — the install command lands the single iOS skill set.

After the install completes, tell the user:

"I just installed the {family} pattern skills into your workspace. Please re-run /cometchat to continue — your config is saved in .cometchat/config.json and credentials in .env, so the next run picks up at code generation without re-asking the questions you've already answered."

Why re-run rather than continue in this session: Claude Code (and most coding agents) snapshot the skill set at session start and do NOT hot-reload SKILL.md mid-session. Even though the install writes the new skill files into .claude/skills/, your in-context skill set is the snapshot. Continuing would mean writing code from training memory — which the skills explicitly forbid (this is the same failure mode that produced the UIKitSettingsBuilder and getLoggedinUser casing bugs at v2.2.0). The re-run is the only safe path.

Non-default IDE — pass --ide. The default installer target is claude (.claude/skills/). If the dispatcher's own SKILL.md was loaded from a different location, pass the matching flag:

Dispatcher loaded from	Install command
.claude/skills/cometchat/SKILL.md (default)	npx @cometchat/skills add
.agents/skills/cometchat/SKILL.md (Replit / Cursor / Copilot / Cline / Codex)	npx @cometchat/skills add --ide replit
.cursor/skills/cometchat/SKILL.md (legacy Cursor path)	npx @cometchat/skills add --ide cursor
.kiro/skills/cometchat/SKILL.md	npx @cometchat/skills add --ide kiro

You can usually infer the IDE from where the dispatcher itself was loaded. If uncertain, default to claude. (Same logic applies to @cometchat/skills-native for RN projects.)

Do NOT attempt to write web UI Kit code into an RN project (CSS imports + <a href> + document.* fail at runtime) or RN UI Kit code into a web project (react-native-gesture-handler, @gorhom/bottom-sheet, native bubble components have no browser equivalents). Likewise, never use the React UI Kit (@cometchat/chat-uikit-react) in an Angular project — it's a different package (@cometchat/chat-uikit-angular) with NgModule imports, kebab-case selectors, content-projection slots, and no React reconciler. And never mix V5 and V6 skill sets within Android or Flutter — the artifact coordinates, package names, state-management primitives (V5 GetX vs V6 Bloc on Flutter; V5 Java/Views vs V6 Compose+Kotlin on Android), and theme system differ; the skills target one cohort each.

Step 2 — Set up credentials (onboarding)

CRITICAL: All onboarding happens via CLI commands. NEVER send the user to a browser or dashboard for credential copy-pasting. The CLI handles signup, login, app creation, and credential writing — all from the terminal — for every framework.

If config has appId set, verify credentials are in .env and skip to Step 3.

Otherwise check:

npx @cometchat/skills-cli auth status --json

If status is "logged-in", skip to Step 2b.5 (fetch dashboard profile).

If status is "logged-out", ask:

Use AskUserQuestion:

• question: "Let's set up CometChat. Do you have an account?"
• header: "Account"
• multiSelect: false
• options:
  1. label: "Create a new account", description: "Free signup — I'll handle it right here, no browser needed."
  2. label: "Sign in to existing account", description: "Log in and pick one of your apps."
  3. label: "I'll paste credentials myself", description: "I already have my App ID, Region, and Auth Key."

Option 1 → Step 2b. Option 2 → Step 2a. Option 3 → Step 2d.

Step 2a — Sign in (existing account, browser flow)

npx @cometchat/skills-cli auth login

This command:

1. Generates a short-lived session via the CLI auth API.
2. Opens https://app.cometchat.com/login?sessionId=<hex> in the user's default browser.
3. Polls the auth API every 5 seconds for up to 15 minutes.
4. When the user finishes signing in, the dashboard marks the session authenticated. The next poll receives the bearer token and stores it in the OS keychain.
5. Prints ✓ Logged in as <email> (backend: keychain-macos).

Let the CLI block — do NOT background it, do NOT race it with other prompts.

Terminal error handling (surface verbatim, stop, do not retry silently):

• ACCESS_DENIED — user clicked Deny in the dashboard.
• EXPIRED — 15-minute window elapsed.
• TIMEOUT — max polls exhausted before user authorized.
• ABORTED — user Ctrl-C'd the CLI.
• NETWORK — couldn't reach the auth host.
• ALREADY_AUTHENTICATED — this session was already consumed. Re-run auth login to mint a fresh session.

After success, verify via auth status --json and proceed to Step 2b.5.

Step 2b — Sign up (new account, browser flow)

npx @cometchat/skills-cli auth signup

Same polling flow as Step 2a, but the CLI opens the signup URL. The browser handles email, name, password, verification email, role, industry. The CLI never sees any of those values.

No role / name / verification-code questions in the chat. The dashboard owns that flow now; skipping it keeps the user's password and verification code out of the transcript.

Error codes match Step 2a. After success, verify via auth status --json and proceed to Step 2b.5.

Step 2b.5 — Fetch the user's dashboard profile

The dashboard's signup flow (/auth/signup → /choose-role → /choose-intent) collects the user's name, email, role, and product intent during browser onboarding — none of those values touch the CLI. Now that the bearer token is in the keychain, fetch them via cometchat auth me so the rest of this skill can:

• Greet the user by name in subsequent steps
• Skip the placement-intent question (Step 3a) when meta.intent === "exploring" (the user already told the dashboard they're just exploring)
• Tailor explanation depth by meta.role (frontend developer → UI examples; engineering manager → architecture trade-offs)

npx @cometchat/skills-cli auth me --json

Response shape:

{
  "status": "logged-in",
  "email": "[e-mail]",
  "name": "Your Name",
  "role": "frontend",
  "other_role": null,
  "intent": "building",
  "last_app": {
    "id": "27xxxxx",
    "name": "my-marketplace-chat",
    "region": "us",
    "industry": "online_marketplaces",
    "technology": "react",
    "product": "support"
  }
}

Field meanings (from the dashboard's signup screens — see /Users/swapnil/Downloads/customer-dashboard-main/src/components/auth/Welcome/):

• role: "frontend" / "backend" / "fullstack_engineer" / "startup_founder" / "product_leader/manager" / "engineering_leader/manager" / "others" (when others, other_role carries the freeform value)
• intent: "building" / "evaluating" / "exploring" (this is the dashboard's intent — distinct from Step 3a's placement_intent which asks about app archetype)
• last_app: most-recently-created app on the user's account (or null if they have none). The dashboard's /create-app and /select-product screens write industry, technology, product into the app's metadata — we surface them here so Step 2c can pre-fill region/industry instead of asking again.

Store the response in working memory. Reference these fields downstream:

• Step 2c (new app): if last_app is non-null, default --region and --industry to the values from last_app and only ask the user to confirm — do NOT re-prompt from scratch.
• Step 3a: if meta.intent === "exploring", skip the placement-intent question and route straight to the "Just exploring" branch (one route/screen with <CometChatConversations /> and cometchat-uid-1 pre-logged-in).
• Step 5 explanations: if meta.role === "frontend", lead with concrete component composition + CSS examples; if meta.role === "engineering_leader/manager", lead with placement architecture trade-offs (where state lives, what gets cached, how routing fits the project's pattern).
• Greeting: if meta.name is non-null, greet by name in any user-facing message during the rest of the flow ("Got it, Swapnil — let's pick an app").

Failure modes — each is non-blocking; degrade to the original generic flow:

• status: "logged-out" → bearer expired between Step 2a/b and now (rare). Re-run auth login and retry.
• status: "auth-required" → 401 from server. Same fix.
• status: "error" → network or unexpected. Skip silently, proceed to Step 2b.6 (will ask role + intent there).
• name is null → no greeting (don't ask, the dashboard will collect it on next browser visit).
• role is null → ask in Step 2b.6 (this is the case for accounts that signed up via auth signup from the CLI — they never saw the dashboard's /choose-role screen).
• intent is null → ask in Step 2b.6.
• last_app is null → ask region/industry normally in Step 2c.

After this step, proceed to Step 2b.6.

Step 2b.6 — Backfill role + intent if missing

The dashboard's /choose-role and /choose-intent screens collect two profile fields used to tailor the rest of the integration:

• role shapes the depth and angle of code explanations in Step 5
• intent decides whether Step 3a's placement question is needed (exploring short-circuits to a single screen)

If auth me returned non-null values for both, skip this step entirely and go to Step 2c — the dashboard already collected them, do not re-ask.

If either is null (typical for accounts created via cometchat auth signup rather than the dashboard browser flow), ask the user. The options below mirror the dashboard exactly so that anyone who later visits the dashboard sees consistent terminology.

If role === null — AskUserQuestion:

• question: "What's your role? (We'll tailor explanations to match.)"

• header: "Role"

• multiSelect: false

• options (label → store as role value):

  Label	role value
  Frontend Developer	frontend
  Backend Developer	backend
  Fullstack Developer	fullstack_engineer
  Founder	startup_founder
  Product Manager	product_leader/manager
  Engineering Manager	engineering_leader/manager
  Other	others

  If the user picks Other, follow up with a free-form AskUserQuestion for other_role (single short text field; store the freeform value in other_role).

If intent === null — AskUserQuestion:

• question: "What brings you to CometChat?"

• header: "Intent"

• multiSelect: false

• options (use the dashboard's exact wording):

  Label	Description shown under the label	intent value
  I'm building	Integrating chat into my app now.	building
  I'm evaluating	Comparing options for my team.	evaluating
  I'm exploring	Just looking around for now.	exploring

Store the answers in working memory under the same keys (role, other_role, intent) as if they had come from auth me. Downstream steps (3a + 5) treat dashboard-supplied and CLI-collected values identically.

Note: These answers are not yet persisted back to the dashboard /me endpoint — they only live for the current session. A follow-up will add a cometchat auth me --update mode that PATCHes them server-side so the next session won't re-ask. Until then, the user may be asked again in a fresh session.

After this step, proceed to Step 2c.

Step 2c — Pick or create an app

Run this immediately — do NOT ask the user to go to any dashboard:

npx @cometchat/skills-cli provision list --json

If the user has existing apps, show them and ask which to use:

"I found these CometChat apps on your account:

1. my-marketplace-chat (us) — Developer plan
2. test-app (eu) — Developer plan

Which one should I use, or should I create a new one?"

For an existing app, fetch credentials and wire everything in one call. Pass --framework from Step 1 detection (one of reactjs, nextjs, react-router, astro, expo, react-native):

npx @cometchat/skills-cli provision setup \
  --app-id "<selected-appId>" --framework "<framework>" --json

This creates/updates the env file with the correct prefix AND writes .cometchat/config.json in one step. Output is compact: { appId, region, framework, envFile, configPath } — no authKey echoed back.

If no apps exist (or user wants new), collect:

1. App name — suggest <project-name>-chat from package.json name

2. Region — if Step 2b.5 returned last_app.region, default to that value and ask only "Use the same region as your <last_app.name> app (<region>)? [Y/n]". Otherwise AskUserQuestion:

   • question: "Which region for your CometChat app?"
   • header: "Region"
   • options: US (recommended), EU, India

   Region key mapping (CLI expects lowercase):

   Label	--region value
   US	us
   EU	eu
   India	in

3. Industry — if Step 2b.5 returned last_app.industry, default to that value and ask only "Same industry as your previous app (<industry>)? [Y/n]". Otherwise AskUserQuestion:

   • options: SaaS / Business, Marketplace, Social / Community, Other (or finer-grained from the table below)

Industry key mapping:

Label	--industry value
SaaS / Business	saas_businesses
Marketplace	online_marketplaces
Social / Community	community_and_social
Healthcare	healthcare
Dating	dating
Education	online_education
Events / Streaming	events_and_streaming
Sports / Gaming	sports_and_gaming
Team Communication	team_comms_and_workflows
On-demand Services	on_demand_services
Other	other

Confirm before creating, then:

npx @cometchat/skills-cli provision setup \
  --name "<name>" --region "<region>" --industry "<industry_key>" \
  --framework "<framework>" --json

The authKey is written to the env file but is NOT echoed to stdout, so credentials don't appear multiple times in the transcript.

Tell the user: "Your CometChat account and app are ready. Credentials saved to <envFile>. Let's set up the integration."

Step 2d — Paste keys manually

Tell the user which env vars to set based on the detected framework:

Framework	Env file	Variables
reactjs (Vite)	.env	VITE_COMETCHAT_APP_ID, VITE_COMETCHAT_REGION, VITE_COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY
nextjs	.env.local	NEXT_PUBLIC_COMETCHAT_APP_ID, NEXT_PUBLIC_COMETCHAT_REGION, NEXT_PUBLIC_COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY
react-router	.env	VITE_COMETCHAT_APP_ID, VITE_COMETCHAT_REGION, VITE_COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY
astro	.env	PUBLIC_COMETCHAT_APP_ID, PUBLIC_COMETCHAT_REGION, PUBLIC_COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY
expo (managed + Expo Router)	.env	EXPO_PUBLIC_COMETCHAT_APP_ID, EXPO_PUBLIC_COMETCHAT_REGION, EXPO_PUBLIC_COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY
react-native (bare CLI)	.env	COMETCHAT_APP_ID, COMETCHAT_REGION, COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY (paired with react-native-dotenv)
angular	src/environments/environment.ts	cometchat: { appId, region, authKey } (TypeScript object — Angular does NOT use .env)
android	local.properties (gitignored) → BuildConfig	cometchat.appId, cometchat.region, cometchat.authKey in local.properties; expose to code via buildConfigField "String", "COMETCHAT_APP_ID", "\"...\"" in app/build.gradle. Code reads BuildConfig.COMETCHAT_APP_ID.
flutter	lib/cometchat_config.dart (or --dart-define flags)	A const Dart class with appId, region, authKey. Add lib/cometchat_config.dart to .gitignore so the file isn't committed. For CI, use --dart-define=COMETCHAT_APP_ID=... and read via String.fromEnvironment('COMETCHAT_APP_ID') instead. Flutter does NOT load .env at runtime.
ios	Secrets.swift (gitignored) or *.xcconfig Build Settings	A const enum/struct in Secrets.swift: enum Secrets { static let appId = "..."; static let region = "..."; static let authKey = "..." }. Add Secrets.swift to .gitignore. For CI, define them in an .xcconfig file (COMETCHAT_APP_ID = ...) and read via Bundle.main.object(forInfoDictionaryKey: "COMETCHAT_APP_ID") after exposing them in Info.plist. iOS does NOT load .env at runtime.

"Grab your credentials from https://app.cometchat.com → Your App → API & Auth Keys. Create the env file above and tell me when done."

Bare RN extra step. Bare RN doesn't ship a public-env-prefix convention — pair the env file with react-native-dotenv:

npm install --save-dev react-native-dotenv

and add the plugin to babel.config.js:

module.exports = {
  presets: ["module:@react-native/babel-preset"],
  plugins: [["module:react-native-dotenv"]],
};

Then import { COMETCHAT_APP_ID, COMETCHAT_REGION, COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY } from "@env"; in the provider.

iOS — write to Secrets.swift or an .xcconfig, NOT .env. iOS has no runtime .env lookup. The CLI's provision setup --framework ios writes a .env only as a credentials handoff. During Step 5, migrate values into one of:

1. Secrets.swift const enum (preferred for local dev):

   // Secrets.swift  (add to .gitignore)
   enum Secrets {
     static let cometchatAppID  = "<APP_ID>"
     static let cometchatRegion = "<REGION>"
     static let cometchatAuthKey = "<AUTH_KEY>"   // dev only
   }
   

   Use as: UIKitSettings().set(appID: Secrets.cometchatAppID).set(region: Secrets.cometchatRegion).set(authKey: Secrets.cometchatAuthKey).build().
2. .xcconfig Build Settings (preferred for CI; secrets stay out of source files):

   // Secrets.xcconfig  (add to .gitignore; reference from project Build Settings)
   COMETCHAT_APP_ID = <APP_ID>
   COMETCHAT_REGION = <REGION>
   COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY = <AUTH_KEY>
   

   Expose as Info.plist entries ($(COMETCHAT_APP_ID) etc.) and read via Bundle.main.object(forInfoDictionaryKey: "COMETCHAT_APP_ID") as? String.

Never read .env at runtime in iOS. The handoff .env exists only so the integration agent can find the values during initial setup.

Flutter — write to a Dart const file, NOT .env. Flutter has no runtime .env lookup. The CLI's provision setup --framework flutter writes a .env only as a credentials handoff. During Step 5, migrate values into one of:

1. Dart const file (preferred for local dev, simpler):

   // lib/cometchat_config.dart  (add to .gitignore)
   class CometChatConfig {
     static const String appId = '<APP_ID>';
     static const String region = '<REGION>';
     static const String authKey = '<AUTH_KEY>';   // dev only
   }
   

   Then in main.dart:

   import 'cometchat_config.dart';
   final settings = (UIKitSettingsBuilder()
         ..appId = CometChatConfig.appId
         ..region = CometChatConfig.region
         ..authKey = CometChatConfig.authKey
         ..subscriptionType = CometChatSubscriptionType.allUsers)
       .build();
   

2. --dart-define flags (preferred for CI; secrets never hit the repo):

   const appId = String.fromEnvironment('COMETCHAT_APP_ID');
   const region = String.fromEnvironment('COMETCHAT_REGION');
   const authKey = String.fromEnvironment('COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY');
   

   Run with flutter run --dart-define=COMETCHAT_APP_ID=... --dart-define=COMETCHAT_REGION=... --dart-define=COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY=....

Never read .env at runtime in Flutter. The handoff .env exists only so the integration agent can find the values during initial setup.

Android — write to local.properties + expose via BuildConfig. Android has no runtime .env lookup; credentials are injected at compile time as BuildConfig fields. The CLI's provision setup --framework android writes a .env as a credentials handoff — you (the agent) must during Step 5 mirror those values into:

1. local.properties (project root, gitignored):

   cometchat.appId=<APP_ID>
   cometchat.region=<REGION>
   cometchat.authKey=<AUTH_KEY>   # dev only — omit / use auth tokens in production
   

2. app/build.gradle (or .kts) — read those properties and surface them via buildConfigField:

   def localProps = new Properties()
   def localPropsFile = rootProject.file('local.properties')
   if (localPropsFile.exists()) localProps.load(new FileInputStream(localPropsFile))
   
   android {
     defaultConfig {
       buildConfigField "String", "COMETCHAT_APP_ID",   "\"${localProps['cometchat.appId'] ?: ''}\""
       buildConfigField "String", "COMETCHAT_REGION",   "\"${localProps['cometchat.region'] ?: ''}\""
       buildConfigField "String", "COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY", "\"${localProps['cometchat.authKey'] ?: ''}\""
     }
     buildFeatures { buildConfig true }
   }
   

3. Application code reads BuildConfig.COMETCHAT_APP_ID etc. — never hardcoded strings, never read from .env at runtime.

Angular — write to src/environments/environment.ts, NOT .env. Angular bundles environment.ts into the build at compile time; there is no runtime .env lookup. Insert (or extend) the cometchat block:

// src/environments/environment.ts
export const environment = {
  production: false,
  cometchat: {
    appId: "<APP_ID>",
    region: "<REGION>",
    authKey: "<AUTH_KEY>",   // dev only — omit from environment.prod.ts
  },
};

Then import { environment } from "../environments/environment"; and access environment.cometchat.appId in the init service. The CLI's provision setup --framework angular writes a .env as a credentials handoff — you (the agent) must migrate the values into environment.ts during Step 5. Never read .env from Angular runtime code.

After they confirm, verify:

npx @cometchat/skills-cli config init --json

Never log the Auth Key

After writing credentials, don't echo the Auth Key back in the transcript. Confirm as ✓ Wrote <PREFIX>COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY (hidden).

Step 3 — Interactive requirements gathering

This is the core of v3. A multi-step conversation that gathers everything you need before writing a single line of code.

3a. "What are you building?"

If config has intent set, confirm it and move on.

If meta.intent === "exploring" from Step 2b.5 (the user already told the dashboard during signup that they're just exploring), skip the rest of Step 3 entirely and route to the "Just exploring" branch — scaffold the minimal integration in Step 5 (one route/screen showing <CometChatConversations /> with cometchat-uid-1 pre-logged-in). Do not ask the placement-intent question; the user has already said "show me the simplest thing."

Otherwise, use AskUserQuestion:

• question: "What kind of app are you building?"
• header: "Your app"
• multiSelect: false
• options:
  1. label: "Messaging app", description: "Chat is the main feature — like Slack, Discord, WhatsApp, or Telegram."
  2. label: "Marketplace or platform", description: "Buyers and sellers communicate — like Airbnb, eBay, OfferUp, or Depop."
  3. label: "SaaS or productivity", description: "Team chat or support chat inside a product — like Notion, Intercom, or Linear."
  4. label: "Social or community", description: "User profiles with messaging — like a dating app or community forum."
  5. label: "Support or helpdesk", description: "Customer-to-agent communication."
  6. label: "Just exploring", description: "Quick demo — fastest path to see chat working."

If "Just exploring": skip the rest of Step 3 and scaffold the minimal integration in Step 5 — one route/screen showing <CometChatConversations /> with cometchat-uid-1 pre-logged-in.

3b. Show what you recommend and why

The recommendation table differs by family because the placement vocabulary is different (web has routes/drawers/widgets; RN has screens/tabs/sheets):

Web family (reactjs, nextjs, react-router, astro):

Intent	What you'll set up
Messaging app	A dedicated messages page at a route you choose. Two-pane: conversation list + active chat.
Marketplace	A "Chat with seller" drawer on your product page + an inbox page at /messages.
SaaS / dashboard	A chat modal triggered from your navbar + a full messages page.
Social / community	A full messenger page with tabs: Chats, Calls, Users, Groups.
Support	A floating widget bubble in the bottom-right corner.

React Native family (expo, react-native):

Intent	What you'll set up
Messaging app	A dedicated "Messages" bottom tab. Conversations list → tap a conversation → message thread.
Marketplace	A "Chat with seller" button on the product screen that opens a modal with the message thread. Plus an "Inbox" stack screen for all conversations.
SaaS / productivity	A "Chat" stack screen accessible from the nav or a header button. Optionally a bottom sheet for quick replies.
Social / community	A "Messages" bottom tab with conversations list + message thread. Plus a "Message" button on user profile screens that opens a modal.
Support	A modal triggered from a "Help" or "Support" button in the header or settings.

When explaining, reference the ASCII diagrams from cometchat-placement (web) or cometchat-native-placement (RN) so the user can visualize.

Ask: "Does this sound right, or do you want a different approach?" Let them override.

3c. Ask where things should go

Show the user their actual project structure — list the pages/routes/screens you found in Step 1. Then ask placement-specific questions appropriate to the family.

Web — Route placement (messaging, social):

"I found these pages in your project:

• / (home)
• /about
• /products
• /profile

Where should the messages page live?"

Default: /messages. Let user type a custom path.

Web — Drawer placement (marketplace):

"Which page should have the 'Chat' button that opens the drawer? I found these pages: ..."

Read the picked page. Look for existing buttons, actions, or interactive elements. Ask whether to wire to the existing button or add a new one.

Web — Modal placement (SaaS):

"Where should the 'Open chat' button go? I found these components that look like navigation: ..."

Web — Widget placement (support):

"Should the widget appear on all pages, or only specific ones?"

RN — Bottom tab placement (messaging, social):

"I found these bottom tabs in your navigator at App.tsx:

• Home
• Profile
• Settings

Where should the 'Messages' tab go? (At the end, or pick a position.)"

RN — Stack screen placement (saas, marketplace inbox):

"I found these stack screens in your root navigator: ...

What should I call the chat screen? Default: MessagesScreen."

RN — Modal placement (marketplace, support):

"Which screen should have the 'Chat' button that opens the modal? I found these screens: ..."

Read the picked screen. Look for existing buttons. Ask whether to wire to it or add a new one.

RN — BottomSheet placement (quick reply, support):

"Bottom sheets slide up from below. Should the sheet be:

1. Draggable (user can dismiss by swiping down) — uses @gorhom/bottom-sheet
2. Fixed overlay — uses CometChat's built-in CometChatBottomSheet

Which one?"

Combinations (marketplace = drawer/modal + inbox): ask both questions in sequence — they're separate components wired into separate places.

Expo Router projects — adapt screen names to file paths:

• Stack screen → app/messages.tsx (or the path the user picks)
• Bottom tab → file under app/(tabs)/messages.tsx + update app/(tabs)/_layout.tsx
• Modal → app/(modals)/chat.tsx with presentation: "modal" in the parent _layout.tsx

3d. Detect and ask about authentication

Read the project's package.json and source files. Look for auth.

Web auth libraries:

• next-auth / @auth/core → NextAuth
• @clerk/nextjs / @clerk/clerk-react → Clerk
• @supabase/supabase-js + auth usage → Supabase Auth
• firebase / firebase/auth → Firebase Auth
• passport → Passport.js
• jsonwebtoken / jose → Custom JWT

RN auth libraries:

• firebase / @react-native-firebase/auth → Firebase Auth
• @clerk/clerk-expo / @clerk/clerk-react-native → Clerk
• @supabase/supabase-js + auth usage → Supabase Auth
• react-native-auth0 → Auth0
• aws-amplify + auth module → AWS Cognito
• @react-native-google-signin/google-signin → Google Sign-In (usually paired with something above)
• expo-auth-session / expo-secure-store → Expo Auth Session (custom)

None detected → no auth.

Report what you found and ask:

If auth detected:

"I see you're using [NextAuth / Firebase Auth / etc.]. Here's how CometChat will work with it:

• Development (now): I'll use CometChat's Auth Key for quick testing with pre-seeded users (cometchat-uid-1 through uid-5).
• Production (later): Your server will mint per-user auth tokens via the CometChat REST API. I can set this up now or later (see cometchat-production / cometchat-native-production).

Start with dev mode for now? You can upgrade to production auth anytime by choosing 'Set up production auth' from the menu."

If no auth detected:

"I don't see an authentication system in your project yet. For now, I'll set up CometChat with a hardcoded test user (cometchat-uid-1).

When you add auth later, run /cometchat again and choose 'Set up production auth' to connect them."

3e. Ask about user mapping (if auth detected)

If the user has auth AND wants to set up production mode now:

"How should your app's users map to CometChat users?

1. Use your existing user ID as the CometChat UID (simplest)
2. Generate a separate CometChat UID and store it alongside your user record
3. Let me just set up dev mode for now"

If they share an example, validate it's CometChat-compatible (alphanumeric, underscores, hyphens — no spaces or special chars; max 100 chars). Firebase UIDs, Clerk user IDs, Supabase UUIDs, and Auth0 sub claims are all CometChat-compatible by default.

3f. Confirm the plan

This is critical. Show EXACTLY what you'll do before doing it. The plan format differs by framework.

Web example (Next.js, marketplace):

"Here's what I'll create:

New files:

• app/providers/CometChatProvider.tsx
• app/messages/page.tsx
• app/components/ChatDrawer.tsx
• .env.local

Files I'll modify:

• app/products/[id]/page.tsx — add ChatDrawer trigger
• app/layout.tsx — wrap with CometChatProvider
• app/components/Navbar.tsx — add 'Messages' link

Dependencies: @cometchat/chat-sdk-javascript, @cometchat/chat-uikit-react

Auth mode: Development (Auth Key). Proceed? [y/n]"

RN example (Expo Router, messaging):

"Here's what I'll create:

New files:

• providers/CometChatProvider.tsx
• app/(tabs)/messages.tsx
• .env

Files I'll modify:

• app/_layout.tsx — wrap with the four-wrapper chain
• app/(tabs)/_layout.tsx — add the Messages tab
• index.js — import 'react-native-gesture-handler' at line 1 (if missing)

Dependencies (via npx expo install): @cometchat/chat-uikit-react-native, @cometchat/chat-sdk-react-native, react-native-gesture-handler, react-native-reanimated, react-native-safe-area-context, react-native-screens, @react-native-async-storage/async-storage, @react-native-community/netinfo, react-native-video, react-native-image-picker, react-native-document-picker, react-native-vector-icons, react-native-fs

Auth mode: Development (Auth Key). Proceed? [y/n]"

Bare RN variant — same as Expo, except npm install instead of npx expo install, plus:

• Run cd ios && pod install
• Patch ios/<Name>/Info.plist, android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml for permissions
• Add ios/<Name>/PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy (Apple Privacy Manifest)
• Patch android/build.gradle for the async-storage Maven repo (v3+)

Wait for explicit confirmation. If the user says no or wants changes, go back to the relevant question and re-ask.

Step 4 — Reference pattern skills

All skills are already loaded in your context as .claude/skills/ files. Do NOT use the Skill() tool. Read and follow them directly.

For web frameworks:

1. cometchat-core — initialization, provider, CSS, anti-patterns
2. cometchat-components — component catalog, composition patterns
3. Framework-specific:
   • reactjs → cometchat-react-patterns
   • nextjs → cometchat-nextjs-patterns
   • react-router → cometchat-react-router-patterns
   • astro → cometchat-astro-patterns
4. cometchat-placement — placement pattern for the chosen approach

For React Native:

1. cometchat-native-core — init, login, four-wrapper provider chain, env vars, anti-patterns
2. cometchat-native-components — component catalog
3. Framework-specific:
   • expo (managed + Expo Router) → cometchat-native-expo-patterns
   • react-native (bare CLI) → cometchat-native-bare-patterns
4. cometchat-native-placement — placement pattern (stack/tab/modal/bottom-sheet/embed)

For Angular:

1. cometchat-angular-core — init via UIKitSettingsBuilder, APP_INITIALIZER pattern, CUSTOM_ELEMENTS_SCHEMA, env config in environment.ts, login order, anti-patterns
2. cometchat-angular-components — component catalog (kebab-case selectors, [input] callbacks vs (output) events, content-projection slots, NgModule imports)
3. angular → cometchat-angular-patterns — module organization, lazy-loading the chat module, environment file editing, providers
4. cometchat-angular-placement — placement pattern (route, modal, drawer, embedded panel)

For Android — branches by android_version:

If android_version === "v5":

1. cometchat-android-v5-core — Gradle deps, UIKitSettings.UIKitSettingsBuilder, CometChatUIKit.init() in Application.onCreate(), login, theme requirements (CometChatTheme.DayNight → Material 2 parent)
2. cometchat-android-v5-components — View classes (CometChatConversations, CometChatMessageList, CometChatMessageComposer, …), setUser/setGroup, listener setters (setOnItemClick, setOnSendButtonClick), thread-mode rule (setParentMessage(long) on list, setParentMessageId(long) on composer)
3. cometchat-android-v5-placement — Activity, Fragment, BottomSheet placement, navigation
4. cometchat-android-v5-customization — CometChatTextFormatter, message templates, CometChatMessageEvents.addListener, DataSource decorators
5. cometchat-android-v5-extensions — registrar (PollsExtension, StickerExtension, SmartRepliesExtension extending ExtensionsDataSource) vs decorator pattern; never construct decorators directly

If android_version === "v6", additionally branch by UI stack (Compose vs Kotlin Views — ask the user if both are present):

1. cometchat-android-v6-core — Gradle deps for chatuikit-{compose,kotlin}-android:6.x + chatuikit-core, init, login, message sending
2. cometchat-android-v6-events — CometChatEvents SharedFlows + sealed event classes
3. Compose stack → cometchat-android-v6-compose-{components,placement,theming,customization} — Composables, CometChatTheme { ... }, BubbleFactory, slot lambdas
4. Kotlin Views stack → cometchat-android-v6-kotlin-{components,placement,theming,customization} — custom View classes, setOnItemClick, BubbleFactory abstract class, setBubbleFactories
5. cometchat-android-v6-builder-settings — UIKitSettingsBuilder knobs (calling, presence, etc.)

Both V5 and V6 share cometchat-android-{v5,v6}-{features,extensions,push,production,testing,troubleshooting} for cross-cutting concerns.

For Flutter — branches by flutter_version:

If flutter_version === "v5":

1. cometchat-flutter-v5-core — pubspec deps, UIKitSettings.UIKitSettingsBuilder, CometChatUIKit.init(), login, GetX-based controller pattern, subscriptionType requirement, theme caching rule, listener lifecycle
2. cometchat-flutter-v5-conversations / -messages / -users-groups / -calls — widget-by-widget catalog (V5 splits its component catalog across these four skills)
3. cometchat-flutter-v5-theming — CometChatThemeHelper, CometChatColorPalette, CometChatSpacing, CometChatTypography, dark mode
4. cometchat-flutter-v5-customization — DataSource, DataSourceDecorator, CometChatMessageTemplate, CometChatTextFormatter, slot views
5. cometchat-flutter-v5-events — CometChatMessageEvents.addListener, CometChatGroupEvents, CometChatUserEvents, CometChatCallEvents, CometChatUIEvents
6. cometchat-flutter-v5-push — FCM/APNs/VoIP setup; CometChatNotifications.registerPushToken() is the public surface (sample-app PNRegistry is a wrapper users copy)
7. cometchat-flutter-v5-production — server-minted auth tokens, ProGuard, release builds
8. cometchat-flutter-v5-troubleshooting — pubspec resolution, GetX errors, runtime crashes

If flutter_version === "v6":

1. cometchat-flutter-v6-core — pubspec deps (single cometchat_chat_uikit:^6.0.0-beta2 package), UIKitSettingsBuilder, init, login, message sending. The enableCalls/CallingConfiguration() knobs live in cometchat-flutter-v6-calls.
2. cometchat-flutter-v6-components — full Bloc-driven widget catalog
3. cometchat-flutter-v6-conversations / -messages / -users-groups / -calls — per-widget deep dives
4. cometchat-flutter-v6-features — feature catalog
5. cometchat-flutter-v6-placement — route, modal sheet, embedded widget — where chat lives in the app
6. cometchat-flutter-v6-theming — CometChatThemeHelper, CometChatColorPalette (V6 names), CometChatThemeMode
7. cometchat-flutter-v6-customization — BubbleFactory<T>, CometChatMessageTemplate, text formatters, slot widgets
8. cometchat-flutter-v6-events — Bloc-based event streams, listener registration
9. cometchat-flutter-v6-production — server-minted auth tokens, ProGuard
10. cometchat-flutter-v6-troubleshooting — pubspec, Bloc, theme cache

For projects migrating from V5 to V6, ALSO load cometchat-flutter-v6-migration — V5→V6 breaking changes (GetX → Bloc, theme API rewrite, BuilderSettings removal, callMain entry-point removal).

For iOS — single cohort (V5 only today):

1. cometchat-ios-core — Installation (CocoaPods + SPM), UIKitSettings, CometChatUIKit(uiKitSettings:) constructor init, login (.success / .onError switch — NOT Swift's standard Result.failure), AppDelegate vs SwiftUI App-struct init sites, anti-patterns
2. cometchat-ios-components — Component catalog: CometChatConversations, CometChatUsers, CometChatGroups, CometChatGroupMembers, CometChatMessageHeader/List/Composer, CometChatIncomingCall/OutgoingCall/OngoingCall/CallButtons/CallLogs, CometChatSearch, CometChatReactionList, CometChatThreadedMessageHeader. Build a MessagesVC by composing header + list + composer (the kit does NOT ship a pre-built CometChatMessages UIViewController).
3. cometchat-ios-placement — Navigation controller, modal, tab bar, embedded view — where chat lives. Mixed SwiftUI + UIKit hosting via UIViewControllerRepresentable.
4. cometchat-ios-customization — Custom message templates, text formatters, DataSource/Decorator pattern, custom views.
5. cometchat-ios-theming — CometChatTheme color tokens, CometChatTypography.setFont(name:), dark mode.
6. cometchat-ios-features — Feature catalog: calls, polls, reactions, AI, extensions.
7. cometchat-ios-production — Server-minted auth tokens, user management.
8. cometchat-ios-push — APNs + VoIP, CallKit integration, token lifecycle.
9. cometchat-ios-troubleshooting — SPM/CocoaPods errors, Xcode build issues, Info.plist gotchas, runtime crashes.

Step 5 — Write the integration

Execute the confirmed plan. The order of operations is the same for every framework, but the file names + provider shape differ.

Web — common steps:

1. CometChatProvider — follow the framework skill's provider pattern. Use the correct env var prefix. Module-level initialized guard. Mount at the level agreed in Step 3f.
2. Chat component(s) — follow the placement skill's pattern.
3. Wire into existing project — READ each file before modifying. Add the route, nav link, drawer/modal trigger.
4. CSS import — add once at the root level per framework conventions.
5. Environment variables — write the env file with the correct prefix.
6. Install dependencies:

   npm install @cometchat/chat-sdk-javascript @cometchat/chat-uikit-react
   

React Native — common steps:

1. Entry file (index.js / App.tsx / app/_layout.tsx) — verify import "react-native-gesture-handler"; is line 1. Not line 2, not after another import. Non-negotiable.

2. CometChatProvider — follow cometchat-native-core § 6. Module-level initialized guard. Module-level loginInFlight promise for login concurrency.

3. Four-wrapper chain — wrap the app's root in this exact order:

   <GestureHandlerRootView style={{ flex: 1 }}>
     <SafeAreaProvider>
       <CometChatThemeProvider>
         <CometChatProvider>
           {/* navigator / Expo Router <Stack> */}
         </CometChatProvider>
       </CometChatThemeProvider>
     </SafeAreaProvider>
   </GestureHandlerRootView>
   

4. Chat screen(s) — follow cometchat-native-placement's pattern.

5. Every <CometChatMessageList> MUST pass hideReplyInThreadOption={true} (see hard rules).

6. Wire into existing project — READ each file before modifying.

7. Environment variables — write .env with the correct prefix (EXPO_PUBLIC_ for Expo, bare for react-native).

8. Install dependencies:

   Expo managed:

   npx expo install @cometchat/chat-uikit-react-native @cometchat/chat-sdk-react-native \
     react-native-gesture-handler react-native-reanimated react-native-safe-area-context \
     react-native-screens @react-native-async-storage/async-storage \
     @react-native-community/netinfo react-native-video react-native-image-picker \
     react-native-document-picker react-native-vector-icons react-native-fs
   

   Bare RN:

   npm install @cometchat/chat-uikit-react-native @cometchat/chat-sdk-react-native \
     react-native-gesture-handler react-native-reanimated react-native-safe-area-context \
     react-native-screens @react-native-async-storage/async-storage \
     @react-native-community/netinfo react-native-video react-native-image-picker \
     react-native-document-picker react-native-vector-icons react-native-fs
   cd ios && pod install && cd ..
   

   Reanimated plugin (both): verify react-native-reanimated/plugin is the LAST entry in babel.config.js plugins array. Metro cache is sensitive to plugin order.

9. Native config (bare RN only):

   • ios/<Name>/Info.plist — add NSCameraUsageDescription, NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription, NSMicrophoneUsageDescription
   • android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml — add CAMERA, RECORD_AUDIO, READ_MEDIA_IMAGES, READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permissions
   • ios/<Name>/PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy — add the 3 required API codes (C617.1, CA92.1, 35F9.1) — matching the kit's own SampleApp manifest. Add E174.1 (DiskSpace) only if your app does explicit free-space checks. See cometchat-native-bare-patterns.
   • android/build.gradle — async-storage Maven repo if v3+

   Expo managed — all of this goes in app.json under plugins and ios.infoPlist / android.permissions. See cometchat-native-expo-patterns.

iOS — common steps:

1. Migrate credentials to Secrets.swift or an .xcconfig — if provision setup wrote a .env (iOS handoff), do the migration documented in Step 2d above. Confirm the secrets file is in .gitignore.
2. Add the kit dep:
   • CocoaPods: add pod 'CometChatUIKitSwift', '~> 5.1' to Podfile → pod install. Open the .xcworkspace (NOT .xcodeproj). For Xcode 15+, set ENABLE_USER_SCRIPT_SANDBOXING = NO in Build Settings (or add the post_install Podfile hook that does this for every pod target).
   • SPM: in Xcode → File → Add Package Dependencies → https://github.com/cometchat/cometchat-uikit-ios (latest 5.x). Or add the package URL to your Package.swift if you're an SPM-only app.
3. Init in your app entry point — UIKit: in AppDelegate.application(_:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:). SwiftUI: in @main struct App.init(). The init takes a UIKitSettings and a Result<Bool, Error> completion: CometChatUIKit(uiKitSettings: settings) { result in switch result { case .success: ... case .failure(let error): ... } }. The explicit .init(...) form (CometChatUIKit.init(uiKitSettings: ...) { ... }) compiles identically in Swift and is what the kit's sample apps use — both are fine. Note that this completion uses Swift's standard Result.failure, NOT the kit's .onError enum which only appears in login/logout callbacks (see step 4).
4. Login order — CometChatUIKit.login(uid:) (dev) or .login(authToken:) (production). The login callback uses .success / .onError cases (NOT Swift's standard Result.failure).
5. Place chat in your app — for UIKit nav stacks, push your composed MessagesVC (header + list + composer). For SwiftUI, wrap each kit UIViewController in a UIViewControllerRepresentable. The kit does NOT ship a pre-built CometChatMessages or CometChatConversationsWithMessages — compose your own.
6. Info.plist permissions — for calls add NSMicrophoneUsageDescription + NSCameraUsageDescription. For push add the APNs entitlement + a BackgroundModes entry (remote-notification, plus voip for VoIP push).
7. Verify — xcodebuild -workspace <App>.xcworkspace -scheme <App> -configuration Debug build (CocoaPods) or -project <App>.xcodeproj -scheme <App> ... (SPM). Skip xcodebuild test and xcodebuild run-app — those need a simulator and longer compile time than CI usually permits.

Flutter — common steps:

1. Migrate credentials to a Dart const file or --dart-define — if provision setup wrote a .env (Flutter handoff), do the migration documented in Step 2d above. Confirm lib/cometchat_config.dart is in .gitignore if you go the const-file route.
2. Add the cometchat dep to pubspec.yaml and run flutter pub get:
   • V5: cometchat_chat_uikit: ^5.2.14 (and cometchat_calls_uikit: ^5.0.15 if calls are needed). Both packages live on the Cloudsmith Dart pub registry, so you'll also need a --hosted-url flag in your CI scripts: dart pub add cometchat_chat_uikit:^5.2.14 --hosted-url https://dart.cloudsmith.io/cometchat/cometchat/.
   • V6: cometchat_chat_uikit: ^6.0.0-beta2 (single package — calls fold in).
3. Imports — V5 has TWO barrels. For chat-only V5 apps, only the chat barrel is needed: import 'package:cometchat_chat_uikit/cometchat_chat_uikit.dart';. For V5 + calls, ADD a second import: import 'package:cometchat_calls_uikit/cometchat_calls_uikit.dart'; — the calls barrel does NOT re-export the chat barrel, so chat widgets aren't reachable through it alone. V6 has ONE barrel: import 'package:cometchat_chat_uikit/cometchat_chat_uikit.dart';.
4. Init in main.dart — CometChatUIKit.init(uiKitSettings: settings, onSuccess: ..., onError: ...). V5 and V6 share the same init signature (callback-style); the difference is what comes after — V5 wires GetX controllers; V6 wires BlocProviders. Always set subscriptionType: CometChatSubscriptionType.allUsers on the builder.
5. Place chat in your app — Flutter routing is in code (Navigator.push/go_router/etc.). Wire chat screens into your app's existing navigation. V6 has a dedicated placement skill for route/modal/embed patterns; V5 covers the same ground inside its per-widget skills.
6. AndroidManifest + Info.plist — for calls, add the platform permissions (microphone, camera, modify-audio-settings on Android; NSMicrophoneUsageDescription + NSCameraUsageDescription on iOS). For push, register the FCM service / configure APNs entitlements per cometchat-flutter-{v5,v6}-push (V5) or the troubleshooting skill (V6).
7. Verify — flutter analyze first (catches Dart compile + import errors), then flutter build apk --debug (Android) or flutter build ios --debug --no-codesign (iOS). The build catches dep-resolution / native-config issues.

Android — common steps:

1. Migrate credentials to local.properties + BuildConfig — if provision setup wrote a .env (Android handoff), do the migration documented in Step 2d above. Confirm local.properties is in .gitignore (it is by default in ng new-style scaffolds and Android Studio templates, but verify).
2. Add the cometchat dep to app/build.gradle (or .kts):
   • V5: implementation 'com.cometchat:chat-uikit-android:5.+'
   • V6 Compose: implementation 'com.cometchat:chatuikit-compose-android:6.+' (plus compose-bom if not already present)
   • V6 Kotlin Views: implementation 'com.cometchat:chatuikit-kotlin-android:6.+'
   • Both V6 stacks: add both chatuikit-compose-android AND chatuikit-kotlin-android (plus chatuikit-core if the kit splits it out)
3. Theme parent (V5 only) — Application theme must inherit from CometChatTheme.DayNight (which itself parents on Theme.MaterialComponents.DayNight.NoActionBar). Inheriting from Theme.AppCompat.* or Theme.Material3.* causes UnsupportedOperationException at inflate time. V6 doesn't share this requirement — Compose has its own CometChatTheme { } block; Kotlin Views uses style attrs.
4. Init in Application.onCreate() — CometChatUIKit.init(this, settings, callback). Wire login(uid, callback) inside the init success callback. Application class must be registered in AndroidManifest.xml via <application android:name=".MyApp" …>.
5. Place chat in your app — V5: Activity / Fragment with the View classes (CometChatConversations etc.). V6 Compose: Composable screens via NavHost. V6 Kotlin Views: same Activity/Fragment shape as V5 but with V6 View classes.
6. AndroidManifest permissions — INTERNET is mandatory; for calls add RECORD_AUDIO, CAMERA, MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS, BLUETOOTH_CONNECT (API 31+).
7. ProGuard/R8 — for release builds, add -keep class com.cometchat.** { *; } to proguard-rules.pro to prevent stripping.
8. Verify — ./gradlew :app:assembleDebug (or app:assembleDebug from project root) catches Gradle/AGP/dependency issues; the kit's compile-time annotation processors surface schema errors here.

Angular — common steps:

1. Migrate credentials into environment.ts — if provision setup wrote a .env (Angular fallback), extend src/environments/environment.ts with a cometchat: { appId, region, authKey } block. Mirror in environment.prod.ts WITHOUT the authKey (production uses server-minted auth tokens — see cometchat-angular-production).
2. Add CUSTOM_ELEMENTS_SCHEMA to the NgModule that hosts CometChat templates — kit atom components (<cometchat-avatar>, <cometchat-status-indicator>, etc.) are LitElement web components, not Angular standalone modules. Without the schema, Angular throws Can't bind to '...' since it isn't a known property of 'cometchat-...'.
3. Init service + APP_INITIALIZER — follow cometchat-angular-core § 1-3. UIKitSettingsBuilder().setAppId().setRegion().setAuthKey().build(), then CometChatUIKit.init(settings) returns a Promise — chain login. Wire as APP_INITIALIZER so init completes before any component renders.
4. Import the right NgModule(s) — for the chat-hosting module, add the kit modules from @cometchat/chat-uikit-angular (e.g. CometChatConversations, CometChatMessages) to imports: []. cometchat-angular-components documents the module name vs. component name pairing.
5. Wire chat into existing project — READ each file before modifying. Add the route, nav link, modal trigger.
6. Theming — inject CometChatThemeService to control palette/typography. See cometchat-angular-theming.
7. Install dependencies:

   npm install @cometchat/chat-uikit-angular @cometchat/chat-sdk-javascript
   

Step 5 — common to ALL frameworks

After the framework-specific work above, every integration ends the same way:

10. Update config.json — save all the choices in one call:

    npx @cometchat/skills-cli config save \
      --intent "<intent>" \
      --placement "<type>" \
      --placement-path "<path>" \
      --auth-mode "<mode>" --json
    

    Pass only the fields you have — config save accepts any subset.

11. Record state so Phase B commands work — DO NOT SKIP. Every Phase B command (info, status, doctor, verify, uninstall, apply-theme, apply-feature, add-widget, add-user-mgmt, production-auth) reads .cometchat/state.json to know what the integration looks like. Without this step, every one of them reports "not integrated in this project" even though the code is there.

    Pass every file you wrote (owned) and every existing file you patched:

    npx @cometchat/skills-cli state record \
      --framework "<framework>" \
      --placement "<type>" \
      --placement-path "<path>" \
      --auth-mode "<mode>" \
      --files-owned "<comma-list of new files>" \
      --files-patched "<comma-list of path:patch_id pairs>" \
      --json
    

    • --files-owned — comma-separated list of every NEW file you wrote (provider, drawer, inbox page, screen). The CLI computes SHA-256 checksums for each so it can detect drift later.
    • --files-patched — comma-separated path:patch_id pairs for every EXISTING file you modified. patch_id can be any stable label — v3/<filename> is a reasonable default.

    If this call errors (CLI flag mismatch, missing --framework, etc.), surface the error and retry. A completed Phase A with a missing state.json is worse than a visible error — the user discovers the breakage later when they try to add a feature or run diagnostics.

Exception — "Just exploring" / demo mode (web only):

npx @cometchat/skills-cli apply --experience 1 --framework <detected>
npx @cometchat/skills-cli verify --json
npx @cometchat/skills-cli install

For RN demo mode, scaffold the minimal integration directly — there's no apply template path for RN.

Step 6 — Verify + show result

Run a TypeScript check to verify the code compiles:

npx tsc --noEmit

Angular projects: prefer npx ng build --configuration development (Angular's compiler validates templates, NgModule shape, and DI graph — tsc alone misses template type errors).

Android projects: run ./gradlew :app:assembleDebug (or gradlew.bat :app:assembleDebug on Windows). The Gradle build catches dependency-resolution errors (wrong cometchat coords), Kotlin/Java compile errors (wrong method signatures), BuildConfig field errors (missing buildConfigField declarations), and AndroidManifest issues. Do NOT start an emulator or run the app — keep verification to the build step.

Flutter projects: run flutter analyze (catches Dart compile + null-safety + import errors), then flutter build apk --debug for Android-side verification (or flutter build ios --debug --no-codesign for iOS-side). Skip flutter run — it starts an emulator/device session that can't be observed from CI.

iOS projects: run xcodebuild -workspace <App>.xcworkspace -scheme <App> -configuration Debug -destination 'generic/platform=iOS' build (CocoaPods) or the -project variant (SPM). The build catches CocoaPods/SPM dep-resolution errors, Swift compile errors, missing Info.plist keys, and signing-config issues. Do NOT run xcodebuild test or boot a simulator.

Do NOT run npx @cometchat/skills-cli verify — it checks for CLI-generated .cometchat/state.json that's authored by cometchat apply, not by AI integration. Use tsc (or ng build / ./gradlew :app:assembleDebug / flutter analyze / xcodebuild build for Angular / Android / Flutter / iOS) instead.

RN extra: do not start Metro automatically — let the user do that in their own terminal. Metro blocks the terminal and cannot be meaningfully observed from here.

Surface any common issues:

Web:

• Module not found: @cometchat/chat-uikit-react → install didn't complete
• CSS variable warnings → CSS import not at root or wrong path

RN:

• Cannot find module '@cometchat/chat-uikit-react-native' → install didn't complete
• JSX element 'GestureHandlerRootView' has no corresponding closing tag → wrapper chain partially applied
• Property 'hideReplyInThreadOption' does not exist on type '...' → older UI Kit types installed; on RN make sure @cometchat/chat-uikit-react-native@^5 is resolved (the prop exists from v5 onwards)

Then:

Web result message:

"CometChat is integrated! Here's what was set up:

• <list of new + patched files> ✓
• Provider + CSS wired ✓
• Dependencies installed ✓

Run npm run dev (or ng serve for Angular) and open the app:

• Vite (reactjs): http://localhost:5173
• Next.js: http://localhost:3000/chat
• React Router v7: http://localhost:5173/chat
• Astro: http://localhost:4321/chat
• Angular: http://localhost:4200"

RN result message:

"CometChat is integrated! Here's what was set up:

• <list of new + patched files> ✓
• Provider + four-wrapper chain ✓
• import 'react-native-gesture-handler' verified at line 1 ✓
• Dependencies installed ✓
• hideReplyInThreadOption={true} on MessageList ✓

Next steps:

Expo managed:

1. npx expo start --clear
2. Open the app in Expo Go (if no native modules) or a dev build

Bare RN:

1. npm start -- --reset-cache
2. In another terminal: npm run ios or npm run android"

Common ending — what you'll see on first load (every framework):

---

Pre-seeded test data — chat works immediately, no dashboard setup needed:

Every CometChat app ships with 5 pre-created test users (cometchat-uid-1 through cometchat-uid-5), a "Hello" test group, and sample messages between them. Your integration is logged in as cometchat-uid-1 by default, so on first load the conversation list is already populated — you'll see existing 1:1 threads and the test group with message history. Open any conversation and reply; round-trip is ~50ms. Receipts, typing indicators, presence, and reactions all work out of the box.

Want to see real-time delivery between two users? Open the integration in two browser windows (or two simulators on RN), and temporarily change the login UID in your provider — cometchat-uid-2 in one window, cometchat-uid-1 in the other. Messages from one arrive live in the other without refresh.

The dashboard at https://app.cometchat.com is useful later for creating real users, configuring extensions, and viewing analytics — but you don't need it to confirm the integration is working.

What would you like to do next?"

Step 7 — Iteration menu

Use AskUserQuestion. The option set differs by family — RN has two extra options (push notifications + testing) that don't apply to web.

Web — 8 canonical options:

• question: "What would you like to do next?"
• header: "Next step"
• multiSelect: false
• options:
  1. label: "Customize look and feel (themes)", description: "Pick a preset (slack, whatsapp, imessage, discord, notion) or set brand colors."
  2. label: "Add a feature", description: "Browse ~35 features — calls, reactions, polls, AI, and more."
  3. label: "Customize a component", description: "Custom bubbles, headers, composer actions, details views — I'll read the docs and write it."
  4. label: "Add a floating chat widget", description: "An overlay button + drawer on top of your existing app."
  5. label: "Set up production auth", description: "Replace the dev Auth Key with a server-side token endpoint. Read cometchat-production skill."
  6. label: "Set up user management", description: "Server endpoints for creating, updating, deleting CometChat users."
  7. label: "Run diagnostics", description: "Check for drift, missing env vars, broken imports."
  8. label: "I'm done", description: "Exit."

RN — 10 canonical options:

• question: "What would you like to do next?"
• header: "Next step"
• multiSelect: false
• options:
  1. label: "Customize look and feel (themes)", description: "Colors, typography, dark mode — edit CometChatThemeProvider."
  2. label: "Add a feature", description: "Calls, reactions, polls, extensions, AI agent — browse the catalog."
  3. label: "Customize a component", description: "Custom bubbles, headers, message composer actions, empty states."
  4. label: "Add another placement", description: "Add a modal chat, a bottom sheet, or another tab — without touching the existing integration."
  5. label: "Set up push notifications", description: "APNs + FCM setup, CometChat dashboard config, client registration, tap-to-deep-link. Required for production."
  6. label: "Set up production auth", description: "Replace the dev Auth Key with a server-minted auth token. Read cometchat-native-production skill."
  7. label: "Set up user management", description: "Server endpoints for creating, updating, deleting CometChat users."
  8. label: "Set up testing", description: "Jest + React Native Testing Library setup, mocks for the UI Kit / SDK, E2E with Detox or Maestro."
  9. label: "Troubleshoot an issue", description: "Metro cache, pod install, iOS privacy manifest, push notifications, native module linking."
  10. label: "I'm done", description: "Exit."

For theme customization: read the framework-appropriate theming skill and write the customization code.

For adding features: read the framework-appropriate features skill. Features fall into six buckets:

• default — already enabled by the UI Kit, no action needed.
• extension — pure boolean toggle. Run cometchat apply-feature <id> (web/RN with state.json) or cometchat apply-feature <id> --app-id <X> (native cohorts: iOS / Android / Flutter / Angular). Hits the dashboard API; no browser visit required.
• ai-feature — smart-replies, conversation-summary, conversation-starter. Run cometchat apply-feature <id> --openai-key sk-... (add --app-id <X> for native). The CLI sets the OpenAI key on the app's AI settings, then flips the toggle in one call.
• dashboard-only — third-party API keys / multi-field config (Giphy, Stipop, Tenor, Chatwoot, Intercom, Disappearing Messages, Message Shortcuts). The CLI returns manual-action-required and prints the dashboard path — these genuinely need the user to configure third-party credentials.
• package-install — calls. Run npm install @cometchat/calls-sdk-javascript (or the framework's calls SDK).
• component-swap — rich-text-formatting. Run cometchat apply-feature rich-text-formatting.

Ask which feature, look it up in packages/registry/v6/features/catalog.json (or run cometchat features info <id>) to learn its bucket, then execute the right recipe. Never tell the user to "open the dashboard and flip a toggle" for an extension or ai-feature — that's what cometchat apply-feature <id> does for them.

For component customization: read the customization + components skills, then write the customization code directly. Ask the user what they want to customize, read the relevant component's props from the catalog, propose changes.

For production auth: read the framework-appropriate production skill. It's interactive — ask the user about their auth system and generate the server-side token endpoint for their backend.

For push notifications (RN only): read cometchat-native-push. Structured 12-section walkthrough.

For testing (RN only): read cometchat-native-testing. Ask the user whether they want unit tests (Jest + RNTL), E2E (Detox vs Maestro), or both.

For troubleshooting (RN): read cometchat-native-troubleshooting and match the symptom to a triage table. (Web: option 7 "Run diagnostics" runs cometchat doctor against .cometchat/state.json.)

Re-rendering the menu after each action

After every Phase B action completes, you MUST re-invoke AskUserQuestion with the exact same option set (web: 8 options, RN: 10) — same question, header, multiSelect: false, same labels and descriptions, verbatim. This gives the user arrow-key selection in their terminal.

Do NOT:

• Present the options as a prose bullet list — forces typed answers, worse UX.
• Invent new options based on what the user just did. The canonical set doesn't change between iterations.
• Skip the menu and ask freeform "What's next?" — always route through AskUserQuestion.
• Drop options or add new ones. The user expects the same choices every time, even if some are redundant with what they just did (they may want to do the same kind of action twice).

The iteration loop is the whole point of Phase B. Re-rendering the canonical menu via AskUserQuestion after every action is how the user controls the session.

Hard rules

Always (every framework)

• Ask, don't assume. Every integration decision should be confirmed.
• Always run detect first. Do not assume the framework.
• Always use npx @cometchat/skills-cli for CLI commands.
• NEVER replace existing project files unless the user chose demo mode.
• ALWAYS read existing files before modifying them.
• ALWAYS show the plan (Step 3f) and get confirmation before writing.
• Every <CometChatMessageList> must pass hideReplyInThreadOption={true} unless the user has explicitly opted into thread support and you've built the thread screen too. Without it, tapping a message shows a "Reply in Thread" action that leads to a broken (undefined) thread view.
• NEVER build a custom search UI. The UI Kit ships <CometChatSearch> — full dual-scope search across conversations + messages with built-in filter chips, pagination, and result highlighting. Any request involving "search", "find messages", "search conversations" MUST use the built-in component (and showSearchBar / onSearchBarClicked on CometChatConversations for web; hideSearch={false} for RN). Do NOT create custom search bars, hand-rolled result lists, or filter UIs.
• For component names and props, use the framework-appropriate *-components skill or docs MCP — never invent from training data.
• After writing code, record state in .cometchat/state.json (Step 5 step 11) so the iteration menu can detect the integration in a future session.
• NEVER use the Skill() tool to load CometChat skills. They're already in your context as .claude/skills/ files. Just read and follow them directly.

Web only

• CSS import goes once at the root level per framework conventions. The framework skill (cometchat-{react,nextjs,react-router,astro}-patterns) tells you exactly where.
• For drawer / widget animations, animate right / left, NEVER transform / translate-*. A transform on a CometChat-containing element creates a new containing block that re-anchors absolutely-positioned overlays (emoji picker, action sheet, reactions, thread panel) to the transformed element instead of the viewport. Tailwind utilities translate-x-*, -translate-x-*, scale-*, rotate-*, transform-* are also banned for this reason. See cometchat-placement § 10.

React Native only

• import "react-native-gesture-handler" must be line 1 of the entry file. Not line 2. Not after another import. This is non-negotiable.
• All four wrappers are required, in this order: GestureHandlerRootView → SafeAreaProvider → CometChatThemeProvider → CometChatProvider. Omitting any of them breaks gestures, safe areas, theming, or login state — and it fails silently in dev.
• Login API is CometChatUIKit.login({ uid }) or CometChatUIKit.login({ authToken }) — same method, different object key. There is no loginWithAuthToken. Passing a bare string like login("cometchat-uid-1") silently fails on RN.

Angular only

• CUSTOM_ELEMENTS_SCHEMA is required in any NgModule that hosts CometChat components. Kit atom elements (<cometchat-avatar>, <cometchat-status-indicator>, <cometchat-badge>, etc.) are LitElement web components, not Angular standalone modules — without the schema Angular throws Can't bind to '...'. The schema goes in the module's schemas: [CUSTOM_ELEMENTS_SCHEMA] array, not in imports.
• Credentials live in src/environments/environment.ts, NOT .env. Angular bundles environment.ts at compile time; there is no runtime .env lookup. The CLI's provision setup --framework angular writes a .env only as a credentials handoff — migrate the values into environment.ts (and environment.prod.ts minus the authKey) during integration.
• Init runs through APP_INITIALIZER, not a wrapper component. Angular has no React-style provider tree — CometChatUIKit.init(settings) must complete before any chat component renders. Wire it as { provide: APP_INITIALIZER, useFactory, deps: [...], multi: true } in the root module.
• Login API is CometChatUIKit.login({ uid }) (object form), NOT a bare string. Same shape as the React Native UI Kit. Calling CometChatUIKit.login("cometchat-uid-1") silently fails on Angular too — always pass the credentials object: login({ uid }) for dev, login({ authToken }) for production.
• Events are [onX] Input callbacks, not (onX) Output bindings. The Angular UI Kit declares almost no @Output — events like onSendButtonClick, onAccept, onItemClick are @Input() callback functions. Writing (onAccept)="handleAccept()" silently no-ops or fails template type checking.
• [messagesRequestBuilder] is plural. [messageRequestBuilder] (singular) on <cometchat-message-list> silently no-ops — the input doesn't exist.
• Match the kit's auxilaryButtonView typo on <cometchat-message-composer> (missing first 'i'). The corrected spelling auxiliaryButtonView does not exist in the kit and silently no-ops.
• CometChatThemeService is the v4 theme entry point, NOT the legacy v3 CometChatTheme class. Inject the service; access themeService.theme for palette/typography control.

Android only

• Never mix V5 and V6 artifacts. chat-uikit-android:5.x and chatuikit-{compose,kotlin}-android:6.x are different SDKs with different package paths, theme systems, and APIs. The dispatcher routes by android_version; treat the cohort as a hard switch.
• V5 app theme must inherit from CometChatTheme.DayNight — the kit itself parents on Theme.MaterialComponents.DayNight.NoActionBar (Material 2). Using Theme.AppCompat.* or Theme.Material3.* triggers UnsupportedOperationException: Failed to resolve attribute at inflate time. V6 has no equivalent rule — Compose uses CometChatTheme { … }, Kotlin Views uses kit-defined style attrs.
• Init in Application.onCreate(), not in an Activity. CometChatUIKit.init(context, settings, callback) must complete before any chat View / Composable inflates. Wire login(...) inside the init success callback. The <application android:name=".MyApp"> registration in AndroidManifest.xml is non-negotiable.
• Credentials live in local.properties + BuildConfig, NOT .env. Android has no runtime .env lookup; surface secrets via buildConfigField and read BuildConfig.COMETCHAT_APP_ID etc. in code. The CLI's provision setup --framework android writes a .env only as a credentials handoff — migrate during integration.
• INTERNET permission is mandatory. Without it, the SDK silently fails to connect — no error, no symptom except missing data.
• V5 thread-mode method asymmetry. CometChatMessageList uses setParentMessage(long) (no Id suffix). CometChatMessageComposer uses setParentMessageId(long). Different methods on different classes — the same value, two names. Never use setParentMessageId on the list.
• V5 extensions: registrar vs decorator. setExtensions(...) accepts registrars (PollsExtension, StickerExtension, SmartRepliesExtension — extending ExtensionsDataSource). NEVER add *ExtensionDecorator instances directly — they extend DataSourceDecorator and won't compile in a List<ExtensionsDataSource>. The decorator chain is built by the registrar's enable() method internally.
• V6 Kotlin Views — setOnItemClick, NOT setOnItemClickListener. The kit doesn't expose *Listener-suffixed setters; use the bare callback name. Same for other V6 setters — check the actual View class before guessing.
• V6 reaction list takes baseMessage, not message. CometChatReactionList(baseMessage = ...) (Compose) or reactionList.setBaseMessage(...) (Kotlin Views). The bare message param/setter doesn't exist in V6.
• Push notifications: CometChatNotifications.registerPushToken/unregisterPushToken is the only public surface. Sample-app helpers like CometChatVoIP, FCMService, FCMMessageDTO are NOT exported from chatuikit-* artifacts — they live in the master sample apps. Copy the pattern; don't import them as kit classes.
• R8/ProGuard rule for release. Add -keep class com.cometchat.** { *; } to proguard-rules.pro. Without it, release builds strip kit classes and crash with ClassNotFoundException.

Flutter only

• Never mix V5 and V6 packages. cometchat_chat_uikit:^5.2 (V5, GetX-based, calls in a separate cometchat_calls_uikit:^5.0 package) and cometchat_chat_uikit:^6.0.0-beta2 (V6, Bloc-based, calls bundled in) are different SDKs with different state-management primitives, theme APIs, and barrel exports. The skills target one cohort each — pick V5 for production, V6 for beta evaluation, never both.
• V5 has TWO barrels; V6 has ONE. V5 chat widgets (CometChatConversations, CometChatMessageList, CometChatMessageComposer) are reachable ONLY through package:cometchat_chat_uikit/cometchat_chat_uikit.dart. The calls package barrel re-exports cometchat_uikit_shared + cometchat_sdk + cometchat_calls_sdk but NOT cometchat_chat_uikit — using only the calls import will fail to resolve chat widgets. V6 ships a single package, so the chat barrel covers both chat AND calls.
• subscriptionType is required on UIKitSettingsBuilder. Omitting it silently disables presence and typing-indicator events — no error is thrown, just no presence updates. Always set ..subscriptionType = CometChatSubscriptionType.allUsers (or ..forFriends / ..forRoles).
• CometChatUIKit.login(uid) takes a String, not an object. Both V5 and V6 use the bare-string form for dev login. For production: CometChatUIKit.loginWithAuthToken(token, ...).
• Cache theme values in didChangeDependencies(), not build(). CometChatThemeHelper.getColorPalette(context) allocates and resolves tokens on every call — running it in build() causes jank during keyboard animations and theme changes.
• Listener IDs must be unique + removed in dispose(). Hardcoded listener IDs collide across screens; missing dispose() removal leaks listeners across navigations. Use a per-instance ID and remove it on teardown.
• Credentials live in a Dart const file or --dart-define, NOT .env. Flutter doesn't read .env at runtime; the CLI's provision setup --framework flutter writes a .env only as a credentials handoff — migrate during Step 5.
• ComponentToggles and CallScreenOverlay do not exist in V6. Per-widget feature flags (e.g. disableReactions, hideReplyInThreadOption) replace v5's BuilderSettings. In-call UI is CometChatOngoingCall widget + CometChatDisplayIncomingCallOverlay, not an overlay class with .show().
• AI widget availability varies across V6 betas. Some AI widgets (CometChatAIAssistantChatHistory, CometChatAIConversationSummary) are exported in 6.0.0-beta2; others may not be. If an import errors with "undefined name", the symbol isn't in that beta. Drive AI features via dashboard-enabled extensions for the most stable path — the kit surfaces AI replies/summaries inside the existing message list and composer regardless.
• V6 conversations slot signatures are asymmetric. subtitleView / leadingView / titleView take (BuildContext, Conversation) (two-arg). trailingView and listItemView take just (Conversation) (single-arg). Match the source — guessing one shape across all four breaks template type-checking. See cometchat-flutter-v6-conversations for the example.
• PNRegistry is sample-app code, not a kit API. The kit's only public push surface is CometChatNotifications.registerPushToken(token, providerId, platform) and unregisterPushToken(). Use the kit API directly, or copy the sample-app PNRegistry helper into your project.

iOS only

• No CometChatMessages / CometChatConversationsWithMessages / CometChatDetails exist. These look like "pre-built composite UIViewControllers" but the kit doesn't ship them. Build your own MessagesVC by composing CometChatMessageHeader + CometChatMessageList + CometChatMessageComposer (sample app: SampleApp/View Controllers/CometChat Components/MessagesVC.swift). Same for details — compose your own.
• Init completion uses Swift's standard Result<Bool, Error> (case .success / case .failure), NOT the kit's .success/.onError enum that only appears in login/logout callbacks. The CometChatUIKit(uiKitSettings:) and CometChatUIKit.init(uiKitSettings:) forms are identical in Swift; both compile and the kit's sample apps use the explicit .init form.
• Login result switches on .success / .onError — NOT Swift's .failure. The kit ships its own Result-shaped enum for login callbacks. Add @unknown default: break to silence the compiler warning.
• App theme parent is irrelevant on iOS — but pod-side: Xcode 15+ requires ENABLE_USER_SCRIPT_SANDBOXING = NO in Build Settings (or the post_install Podfile hook). Without it, the resource-bundle build phase silently fails and assets/strings load empty at runtime.
• pod 'CometChatUIKitSwift', '~> 5.1', NOT ~> 5.0 — the binary target ships at 5.1.x (5.1.12 at last verification); the older pin would resolve to a stale subrelease.
• CometChatLocalize.set(key:value:) does not exist. Public API is locale-only: set(locale: Language) / set(locale: String). Override individual keys via your app's Localizable.strings instead.
• CometChatTypography.setFont(name:) is a class func, not a settable fontFamily property. CometChatTypography.fontFamily = "Avenir" does not compile.
• CometChatGroupMembers() takes zero args; pass the group via set(group:). There is no CometChatGroupMembers(group:) initializer.
• CometChatCallButtons(width:height:) requires explicit dimensions; there is no zero-arg initializer.
• CometChatThreadHeader does NOT exist — the real class is CometChatThreadedMessageHeader.
• Avatar cornerRadius is a CGFloat on a CometChatCornerStyle struct — there is no .circle enum case. For a circular avatar, set a value larger than half the dimension.
• hideSearch defaults to true on CometChatUsers / CometChatGroups / CometChatConversations (inherited from CometChatListBase). To SHOW the built-in search bar, set vc.hideSearch = false — the search bar is hidden out of the box, which catches developers expecting it to render automatically.
• Open the .xcworkspace, not the .xcodeproj, when CocoaPods is in use. Opening the bare project skips the Pods workspace and Build Settings will show "no such module 'CometChatUIKitSwift'" at compile time.

Error handling

If the CLI's --json output includes human_message / suggestion fields, show those to the user. Then show the raw error in parentheses for debuggability. If retryable: false, do NOT offer a retry.

For RN: if a command errors (e.g., pod install fails, npx expo install fails), surface the raw error output and consult cometchat-native-troubleshooting for the relevant triage table before retrying. Don't loop silently.

If the user's project is bare RN with ios/ and android/ but no package.json scripts for ios/android (common when React Native was added incrementally to an existing native app), flag that and pause. Writing integration code won't help if the app can't build.

Optional: docs MCP

For deeper component customization:

claude mcp add --transport http cometchat-docs https://www.cometchat.com/docs/mcp

Not required for integration or Phase B CLI flows.

Skill routing reference

Web family

Skill	When to load
cometchat-core	Always — before any integration code
cometchat-components	Always — before writing component code
cometchat-placement	When integrating — for placement patterns
cometchat-react-patterns	framework = reactjs
cometchat-nextjs-patterns	framework = nextjs
cometchat-react-router-patterns	framework = react-router
cometchat-astro-patterns	framework = astro
cometchat-theming	When customizing themes
cometchat-features	When adding features
cometchat-customization	When writing custom formatters, events, request-builder filters
cometchat-production	When setting up production auth
cometchat-troubleshooting	When diagnosing problems

React Native family

Skill	When to load
cometchat-native-core	Always — before any integration code
cometchat-native-components	Always — before writing component code
cometchat-native-placement	When integrating — for placement patterns
cometchat-native-expo-patterns	framework = expo (managed + Expo Router)
cometchat-native-bare-patterns	framework = react-native (bare CLI)
cometchat-native-theming	When customizing themes
cometchat-native-features	When adding features
cometchat-native-customization	When writing custom text formatters, events, request-builder filters, or DataSource decorators
cometchat-native-production	When setting up production auth or user management
cometchat-native-push	When setting up push notifications
cometchat-native-testing	When adding tests
cometchat-native-troubleshooting	When diagnosing problems

Angular family

Skill	When to load
cometchat-angular-core	Always — before any integration code
cometchat-angular-components	Always — before writing component code
cometchat-angular-placement	When integrating — for placement patterns (route, modal, drawer, embed)
cometchat-angular-patterns	framework = angular — module organization, lazy loading, environment files
cometchat-angular-theming	When customizing themes (CometChatThemeService)
cometchat-angular-features	When adding features (calls, polls, reactions, AI, extensions)
cometchat-angular-customization	When writing custom views via content projection, <ng-template> slots, DataSource decorators
cometchat-angular-production	When setting up production auth (server-minted auth tokens) or user management
cometchat-angular-troubleshooting	When diagnosing problems (build errors, schema errors, Zone.js issues)

Android V5 family (live — chat-uikit-android:5.x)

Skill	When to load
cometchat-android-v5	Dispatcher entry — android_version === "v5"
cometchat-android-v5-core	Always — Gradle deps, UIKitSettings.UIKitSettingsBuilder, init/login, theme parent
cometchat-android-v5-components	Always — View class catalog (CometChatConversations, CometChatMessageList, …)
cometchat-android-v5-placement	When integrating — Activity / Fragment / BottomSheet placement
cometchat-android-v5-theming	When customizing themes — colors.xml, theme attrs, dark mode
cometchat-android-v5-features	When adding features — calls, reactions, polls, AI, extensions
cometchat-android-v5-customization	When writing custom Views, message templates, CometChatTextFormatter, event listeners
cometchat-android-v5-extensions	When working with extensions (PollsExtension / StickerExtension registrars + custom decorator pattern)
cometchat-android-v5-production	When setting up production auth (server-minted auth tokens) or user management
cometchat-android-v5-push	When setting up push notifications (FCM, token lifecycle, deep-link)
cometchat-android-v5-testing	When adding tests (Espresso, Robolectric, mocking the kit/SDK)
cometchat-android-v5-troubleshooting	When diagnosing problems (Gradle, manifest, ProGuard, lifecycle)

Android V6 family (beta — chatuikit-{compose,kotlin}-android:6.x)

Skill	When to load
cometchat-android-v6	Dispatcher entry — android_version === "v6"
cometchat-android-v6-core	Always — Gradle deps, init, login, message sending
cometchat-android-v6-events	Always — CometChatEvents SharedFlows + sealed event classes
cometchat-android-v6-builder-settings	When configuring UIKitSettingsBuilder (calling, presence, etc.)
cometchat-android-v6-features	When adding features — calls, reactions, polls, AI agent, extensions
cometchat-android-v6-extensions	When working with extensions / DataSource interfaces
cometchat-android-v6-production	When setting up production auth or user management
cometchat-android-v6-push	When setting up push notifications
cometchat-android-v6-testing	When adding tests (Espresso, Compose UI tests, Robolectric, mocking)
cometchat-android-v6-troubleshooting	When diagnosing problems (Gradle, Compose runtime, R8, BuildConfig)
cometchat-android-v6-compose-components	UI stack = Compose — Composable component catalog
cometchat-android-v6-compose-placement	UI stack = Compose — NavHost, modal, bottom sheet placement
cometchat-android-v6-compose-theming	UI stack = Compose — CometChatTheme { … }, LocalColorScheme/LocalTypography
cometchat-android-v6-compose-customization	UI stack = Compose — BubbleFactory, slot lambdas, custom Composables
cometchat-android-v6-kotlin-components	UI stack = Kotlin Views — custom View class catalog
cometchat-android-v6-kotlin-placement	UI stack = Kotlin Views — Activity / Fragment / BottomSheet placement
cometchat-android-v6-kotlin-theming	UI stack = Kotlin Views — style attrs, colors.xml, dark mode
cometchat-android-v6-kotlin-customization	UI stack = Kotlin Views — custom Views, BubbleFactory abstract class, setBubbleFactories

Flutter V5 family (live — cometchat_chat_uikit:^5.2)

Skill	When to load
cometchat-flutter-v5	Dispatcher entry — flutter_version === "v5"
cometchat-flutter-v5-core	Always — pubspec deps, init/login, GetX patterns, theme caching, listener lifecycle
cometchat-flutter-v5-conversations	When integrating — CometChatConversations widget
cometchat-flutter-v5-messages	When integrating — CometChatMessages, CometChatMessageList, CometChatMessageComposer, CometChatMessageHeader, threads
cometchat-flutter-v5-users-groups	When integrating — CometChatUsers, CometChatGroups, CometChatGroupMembers
cometchat-flutter-v5-calls	When adding voice/video — CometChatCallButtons, CometChatIncomingCall, CometChatOutgoingCall, CometChatOngoingCall, CometChatCallLogs
cometchat-flutter-v5-theming	When customizing themes — CometChatThemeHelper, CometChatColorPalette, dark mode
cometchat-flutter-v5-customization	When writing custom bubbles, templates, formatters, slot views, DataSource decorators
cometchat-flutter-v5-events	When subscribing to SDK events (CometChatMessageEvents, etc.)
cometchat-flutter-v5-production	When setting up production auth (server-minted tokens) and ProGuard
cometchat-flutter-v5-push	When setting up FCM / APNs / VoIP push
cometchat-flutter-v5-troubleshooting	When diagnosing problems (pubspec, GetX, Pod errors, runtime crashes)

Flutter V6 family (beta — cometchat_chat_uikit:^6.0.0-beta2)

Skill	When to load
cometchat-flutter-v6	Dispatcher entry — flutter_version === "v6"
cometchat-flutter-v6-core	Always — pubspec deps, init/login, message sending
cometchat-flutter-v6-components	Always — Bloc-driven widget catalog
cometchat-flutter-v6-conversations	When integrating CometChatConversations (Bloc, request builder, callbacks)
cometchat-flutter-v6-messages	When integrating CometChatMessages, list/header/composer composition
cometchat-flutter-v6-users-groups	When integrating CometChatUsers/CometChatGroups/CometChatGroupMembers
cometchat-flutter-v6-calls	When adding voice/video — incoming/outgoing/ongoing screens
cometchat-flutter-v6-features	When adding features — calls, polls, reactions, AI, extensions
cometchat-flutter-v6-placement	When deciding placement — route, modal sheet, embedded widget
cometchat-flutter-v6-theming	When customizing themes — CometChatThemeHelper, CometChatColorPalette, light/dark schemes
cometchat-flutter-v6-customization	When writing bubble factories, message templates, text formatters, slot widgets
cometchat-flutter-v6-events	When subscribing to Bloc-based event streams
cometchat-flutter-v6-production	When setting up production auth and external-backend recipes
cometchat-flutter-v6-troubleshooting	When diagnosing problems (pubspec, Bloc, theme cache, build errors)
cometchat-flutter-v6-migration	When migrating from V5 — GetX → Bloc, theme API rewrite, breaking changes

iOS family (V5 stable — CometChatUIKitSwift:~> 5.1)

iOS only ships V5 today; no V6 beta yet. When V6 lands, this section will fork like Android and Flutter do.

Skill	When to load
cometchat-ios	Dispatcher entry — framework === "ios"
cometchat-ios-core	Always — Installation (CocoaPods + SPM), UIKitSettings builder, CometChatUIKit(uiKitSettings:) constructor init, login order
cometchat-ios-components	Always — UIViewController + SwiftUI view catalog, custom MessagesVC composition pattern
cometchat-ios-placement	When integrating — UINavigationController, modal, tab bar, embedded view, SwiftUI hosting
cometchat-ios-theming	When customizing themes — CometChatTheme color tokens, CometChatTypography.setFont(name:), dark mode
cometchat-ios-customization	When writing custom message templates, formatters, DataSource decorators, custom views
cometchat-ios-features	When adding features — calls, polls, reactions, AI, extensions
cometchat-ios-production	When setting up production auth (server-minted auth tokens) and user management
cometchat-ios-push	When setting up APNs + VoIP push, CallKit
cometchat-ios-troubleshooting	When diagnosing problems — SPM/CocoaPods errors, Xcode build issues, Info.plist, runtime crashes