Authentication

Create users, log in with Auth Key or Auth Token, check login status, and log out using the CometChat React Native SDK.

AI Integration Quick Reference

// Check existing session
const user = await CometChat.getLoggedinUser();

// Login with Auth Key (development only)
CometChat.login("cometchat-uid-1", "AUTH_KEY").then(user => console.log("Logged in:", user));

// Login with Auth Token (production)
CometChat.login("AUTH_TOKEN").then(user => console.log("Logged in:", user));

// Logout
CometChat.logout().then(() => console.log("Logged out"));

Create users via: Dashboard (testing) | REST API (production) Test UIDs: cometchat-uid-1 through cometchat-uid-5

After initializing the SDK, the next step is to authenticate your user. CometChat provides two login methods — Auth Key for quick development, and Auth Token for production — both accessed through the login() method.

How It Works

Before You Log In

Create a User

A user must exist in CometChat before they can log in.

• During development: Create users from the CometChat Dashboard. Five test users are already available with UIDs cometchat-uid-1 through cometchat-uid-5.
• In production: Call the Create User REST API when a user signs up in your app.

You can also create users from the client side using createUser() (development only):

TypeScript

let authKey: string = "AUTH_KEY";
let uid: string = "user1";
let name: string = "Kevin";

let user: CometChat.User = new CometChat.User(uid);
user.setName(name);

CometChat.createUser(user, authKey).then(
  (user: CometChat.User) => {
    console.log("User created:", user);
  },
  (error: CometChat.CometChatException) => {
    console.log("Error:", error);
  }
);

JavaScript

let authKey = "AUTH_KEY";
let uid = "user1";
let name = "Kevin";

let user = new CometChat.User(uid);
user.setName(name);

CometChat.createUser(user, authKey).then(
  (user) => {
    console.log("User created:", user);
  },
  (error) => {
    console.log("Error:", error);
  }
);

createUser() with Auth Key is for development only. In production, create users server-side via the REST API. See User Management for full details.

Check for an Existing Session

The SDK persists the logged-in user’s session locally. Before calling login(), always check whether a session already exists — this avoids unnecessary login calls and keeps your app responsive.

const user = await CometChat.getLoggedinUser();
if (user) {
  // User is already logged in — proceed to your app
}

If getLoggedinUser() returns null, no active session exists and you need to call login().

Login with Auth Key

Auth Key login is the simplest way to get started. Pass a UID and your Auth Key directly from the client.

Auth Keys are meant for development and testing only. For production, use Auth Token login instead. Never ship Auth Keys in client-side code.

TypeScript

const UID: string = "cometchat-uid-1";
const authKey: string = "AUTH_KEY";

CometChat.getLoggedinUser().then(
  (user: CometChat.User) => {
    if (!user) {
      CometChat.login(UID, authKey).then(
        (user: CometChat.User) => {
          console.log("Login Successful:", { user });
        },
        (error: CometChat.CometChatException) => {
          console.log("Login failed with exception:", { error });
        }
      );
    }
  },
  (error: CometChat.CometChatException) => {
    console.log("Some Error Occurred", { error });
  }
);

JavaScript

const UID = "cometchat-uid-1";
const authKey = "AUTH_KEY";

CometChat.getLoggedinUser().then(
  (user) => {
    if (!user) {
      CometChat.login(UID, authKey).then(
        (user) => {
          console.log("Login Successful:", { user });
        },
        (error) => {
          console.log("Login failed with exception:", { error });
        }
      );
    }
  },
  (error) => {
    console.log("Some Error Occurred", { error });
  }
);

Alternatively, you can use the async/await syntax:

const UID = "cometchat-uid-1";
const authKey = "AUTH_KEY";

try {
  const loggedInUser = await CometChat.getLoggedinUser();
  if (!loggedInUser) {
    const user = await CometChat.login(UID, authKey);
    console.log("Login Successful:", { user });
  }
} catch (error) {
  console.log("Login failed with exception:", { error });
}

Parameter	Description
UID	The UID of the user to log in
authKey	Your CometChat Auth Key

On success, the Promise resolves with a User object containing the logged-in user’s details.

Login with Auth Token

Auth Token login keeps your Auth Key off the client entirely. Your server generates a token via the REST API and passes it to the client.

1. Create the user via the REST API when they sign up (first time only).
2. Generate an Auth Token on your server and return it to the client.
3. Pass the token to login().

TypeScript

const authToken: string = "AUTH_TOKEN";

CometChat.getLoggedinUser().then(
  (user: CometChat.User) => {
    if (!user) {
      CometChat.login(authToken).then(
        (user: CometChat.User) => {
          console.log("Login Successful:", { user });
        },
        (error: CometChat.CometChatException) => {
          console.log("Login failed with exception:", { error });
        }
      );
    }
  },
  (error: CometChat.CometChatException) => {
    console.log("Some Error Occurred", { error });
  }
);

JavaScript

const authToken = "AUTH_TOKEN";

CometChat.getLoggedinUser().then(
  (user) => {
    if (!user) {
      CometChat.login(authToken).then(
        (user) => {
          console.log("Login Successful:", { user });
        },
        (error) => {
          console.log("Login failed with exception:", { error });
        }
      );
    }
  },
  (error) => {
    console.log("Some Error Occurred", { error });
  }
);

Alternatively, you can use the async/await syntax:

const authToken = "AUTH_TOKEN";

try {
  const loggedInUser = await CometChat.getLoggedinUser();
  if (!loggedInUser) {
    const user = await CometChat.login(authToken);
    console.log("Login Successful:", { user });
  }
} catch (error) {
  console.log("Login failed with exception:", { error });
}

Parameter	Description
authToken	Auth Token generated on your server for the user

On success, the Promise resolves with a User object containing the logged-in user’s details.

Logout

Call logout() when your user logs out of your app. This clears the local session.

TypeScript

CometChat.logout().then(
  (loggedOut: Object) => {
    console.log("Logout completed successfully");
  },
  (error: CometChat.CometChatException) => {
    console.log("Logout failed with exception:", { error });
  }
);

JavaScript

CometChat.logout().then(
  () => {
    console.log("Logout completed successfully");
  },
  (error) => {
    console.log("Logout failed with exception:", { error });
  }
);

Alternatively, you can use the async/await syntax:

try {
  await CometChat.logout();
  console.log("Logout completed successfully");
} catch (error) {
  console.log("Logout failed with exception:", { error });
}

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Next Steps

Login Listener

Listen for real-time login and logout events

Send Messages

Send your first text, media, or custom message

User Management

Create, update, and delete users programmatically

All Real-Time Listeners

Complete reference for all SDK event listeners