Message List - CometChat Docs

AI Agent Component Spec

{
  "component": "CometChatMessageList",
  "package": "com.cometchat.chatuikit.messagelist",
  "xmlElement": "<com.cometchat.chatuikit.messagelist.CometChatMessageList />",
  "description": "Scrollable list of messages for a conversation with real-time updates, reactions, threaded replies, and message actions.",
  "primaryOutput": {
    "method": "setOnThreadRepliesClick",
    "type": "ThreadReplyClick"
  },
  "methods": {
    "data": {
      "setUser": {
        "type": "User",
        "note": "Sets the user for a one-on-one conversation"
      },
      "setGroup": {
        "type": "Group",
        "note": "Sets the group for a group conversation"
      },
      "setMessagesRequestBuilder": {
        "type": "MessagesRequest.MessagesRequestBuilder",
        "default": "SDK default",
        "note": "Pass the builder, not the result of .build()"
      },
      "setReactionsRequestBuilder": {
        "type": "ReactionsRequest.ReactionsRequestBuilder",
        "default": "SDK default",
        "note": "Custom builder for fetching reactions"
      }
    },
    "callbacks": {
      "setOnThreadRepliesClick": "ThreadReplyClick",
      "setOnReactionClick": "OnReactionClick",
      "setOnReactionLongClick": "OnReactionLongClick",
      "setOnAddMoreReactionsClick": "OnAddMoreReactionsClick",
      "setOnReactionListItemClick": "OnReactionListItemClick",
      "setOnError": "OnError",
      "setOnLoad": "OnLoad<BaseMessage>",
      "setOnEmpty": "OnEmpty"
    },
    "visibility": {
      "setErrorStateVisibility": { "type": "int (View.VISIBLE | View.GONE)", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setAvatarVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setReceiptsVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setStickyDateVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setReplyInThreadOptionVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setTranslateMessageOptionVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setEditMessageOptionVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setDeleteMessageOptionVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setMessageReactionOptionVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setMessagePrivatelyOptionVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setCopyMessageOptionVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setMessageInfoOptionVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setGroupActionMessageVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setReplyOptionVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setShareMessageOptionVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setMarkAsUnreadOptionVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setFlagOptionVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" },
      "setModerationViewVisibility": { "type": "int", "default": "View.VISIBLE" }
    },
    "viewSlots": {
      "setHeaderView": "View — custom view above the message list",
      "setFooterView": "View — custom view below the message list",
      "setLoadingStateView": "@LayoutRes int — loading spinner",
      "setEmptyStateView": "@LayoutRes int — empty state",
      "setErrorStateView": "@LayoutRes int — error state",
      "setNewMessageIndicatorView": "View — new message indicator",
      "setAIAssistantEmptyChatGreetingView": "@LayoutRes int — AI assistant greeting",
      "setTemplates": "List<CometChatMessageTemplate> — message bubble templates",
      "setTextFormatters": "List<CometChatTextFormatter> — text formatters (mentions, etc.)"
    },
    "advanced": {
      "scrollToBottom": "void — scrolls to the bottom of the list",
      "scrollToMessageId": "long — scrolls to a specific message",
      "gotoMessage": "long — navigates to a specific message by ID",
      "generateConversationSummary": "void — triggers AI conversation summary",
      "getAdapter": "MessageAdapter — internal adapter access",
      "setAdapter": "MessageAdapter — replace the default adapter",
      "getViewModel": "MessageListViewModel — internal ViewModel access",
      "getRecyclerView": "RecyclerView — internal RecyclerView access",
      "setParentMessage": "long — sets parent message ID for threaded view",
      "setAutoFetch": "boolean — controls automatic message fetching",
      "addMessage": "BaseMessage — programmatically adds a message",
      "setList": "List<BaseMessage> — replaces the entire message list",
      "updateMessage": "int — updates a message at a given index",
      "copyMessage": "BaseMessage — copies message text to clipboard",
      "shareMessage": "void — shares the selected message",
      "showMessageInformation": "void — shows message info bottom sheet"
    },
    "style": {
      "setStyle": {
        "type": "@StyleRes int",
        "parent": "CometChatMessageListStyle"
      }
    }
  },
  "events": [],
  "sdkListeners": []
}

Where It Fits

CometChatMessageList is a message display component. It requires either a User or Group object to fetch and render messages. Wire it with CometChatMessageHeader and CometChatMessageComposer to build a complete messaging layout.

Kotlin
Java

ChatActivity.kt

class ChatActivity : AppCompatActivity() {

    private lateinit var messageHeader: CometChatMessageHeader
    private lateinit var messageList: CometChatMessageList
    private lateinit var messageComposer: CometChatMessageComposer

    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_chat)

        messageHeader = findViewById(R.id.message_header)
        messageList = findViewById(R.id.message_list)
        messageComposer = findViewById(R.id.message_composer)

        // Set the user for all components
        messageHeader.setUser(user)
        messageList.setUser(user)
        messageComposer.setUser(user)
    }
}

ChatActivity.java

public class ChatActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    private CometChatMessageHeader messageHeader;
    private CometChatMessageList messageList;
    private CometChatMessageComposer messageComposer;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_chat);

        messageHeader = findViewById(R.id.message_header);
        messageList = findViewById(R.id.message_list);
        messageComposer = findViewById(R.id.message_composer);

        // Set the user for all components
        messageHeader.setUser(user);
        messageList.setUser(user);
        messageComposer.setUser(user);
    }
}

Quick Start

Add the component to your layout XML:

layout_activity.xml

<com.cometchat.chatuikit.messagelist.CometChatMessageList
                android:id="@+id/message_list"
                android:layout_width="match_parent"
                android:layout_height="match_parent"
                android:layout_marginStart="16dp"
                android:layout_marginEnd="16dp"
                android:background="@android:color/transparent" />

Prerequisites: CometChat SDK initialized with CometChatUIKit.init(), a user logged in, and the cometchat-chat-uikit-android dependency added. Set a User or Group object in your Activity:

Kotlin
Java

YourActivity.kt

val cometChatMessageList = findViewById<CometChatMessageList>(R.id.message_list)
cometChatMessageList.setUser(user)

YourActivity.java

CometChatMessageList cometChatMessageList = findViewById(R.id.message_list);
cometChatMessageList.setUser(user);

For a group conversation, call .setGroup(group) with a Group object instead of .setUser(user).

Simply adding the MessageList component to the layout will only display the loading indicator. To fetch messages for a specific entity, you need to supplement it with User or Group Object.

Filtering Messages

Pass a MessagesRequest.MessagesRequestBuilder to setMessagesRequestBuilder. Pass the builder instance — not the result of .build().

Kotlin
Java

val messagesRequest = MessagesRequest.MessagesRequestBuilder()
    .setSearchKeyword("your search keyword")
    .setUID("user uid")

messageList.messagesRequestBuilder = messagesRequest

MessagesRequest.MessagesRequestBuilder messagesRequest = new MessagesRequest.MessagesRequestBuilder()
    .setSearchKeyword("your search keyword")
    .setUID("user uid");

messageList.setMessagesRequestBuilder(messagesRequest);

Filter Recipes

Recipe	Code
Search by keyword	`builder.setSearchKeyword("hello")`
Filter by UID	`builder.setUID("user_uid")`
Filter by GUID	`builder.setGUID("group_guid")`
Limit per page	`builder.setLimit(30)`
Filter by category	`builder.setCategory("message")`
Filter by type	`builder.setType("text")`
Unread only	`builder.setUnread(true)`
Hide deleted messages	`builder.hideDeletedMessages(true)`

The following parameters in MessagesRequestBuilder will always be altered inside the message list:

UID
GUID
types
categories

The component uses infinite scroll — older messages load as the user scrolls up. Refer to MessagesRequestBuilder for the full builder API.

Reactions Request Builder

Use setReactionsRequestBuilder to customize how reactions are fetched:

Kotlin
Java

val reactionsBuilder = ReactionsRequest.ReactionsRequestBuilder()
messageList.setReactionsRequestBuilder(reactionsBuilder)

ReactionsRequest.ReactionsRequestBuilder reactionsBuilder = new ReactionsRequest.ReactionsRequestBuilder();
messageList.setReactionsRequestBuilder(reactionsBuilder);

Actions and Events

Callback Methods

`setOnThreadRepliesClick`

Fires when a user taps a threaded message bubble. No predefined behavior.

Kotlin
Java

YourActivity.kt

cometchatMessageList.onThreadRepliesClick =
            ThreadReplyClick { context, baseMessage, cometchatMessageTemplate -> }

YourActivity.java

cometchatMessageList.setOnThreadRepliesClick((context, baseMessage, cometchatMessageTemplate) -> {

        });

What this does: Registers a callback that fires when a user taps a threaded message bubble. The callback receives the context, the baseMessage, and the cometchatMessageTemplate.

`setOnError`

Fires on internal errors (network failure, auth issue, SDK exception).

Kotlin
Java

YourActivity.kt

cometchatMessageList.setOnError(object : OnError {
    override fun onError(e: CometChatException) {
        // Your Exception Handling code.
    }
})

YourActivity.java

cometchatMessageList.setOnError(new OnError() {
    @Override
    public void onError(CometChatException e) {
        //Your Exception Handling code.
    }
});

What this does: Registers an error listener. If the component encounters an error (e.g., network failure), your callback receives the CometChatException.

`setOnLoad`

Fires when the list is successfully fetched and loaded.

Kotlin
Java

YourActivity.kt

cometchatMessageList.setOnLoad(object : OnLoad<BaseMessage?> {
    override fun onLoad(list: MutableList<BaseMessage?>?) {

    }
})

YourActivity.java

cometchatMessageList.setOnLoad(list -> {

});

What this does: Registers a callback that fires after the message list is fetched and rendered. The callback receives the list of loaded BaseMessage objects.

`setOnEmpty`

Fires when the list is empty, enabling custom handling such as showing a placeholder.

Kotlin
Java

YourActivity.kt

cometchatMessageList.setOnEmpty{
            
    }

YourActivity.java

cometchatMessageList.setOnEmpty(() -> {
            
    });

What this does: Registers a callback that fires when the message list has no items. Use this to show a custom empty-state message or trigger other logic.

`setOnReactionClick`

Fires when a reaction is tapped, enabling custom reaction interactions.

Kotlin
Java

YourActivity.kt

cometchatMessageList.onReactionClick = OnReactionClick { emoji, baseMessage -> }

YourActivity.java

cometchatMessageList.setOnReactionClick((emoji, baseMessage) -> {

    });

What this does: Replaces the default reaction-click behavior. When a user taps a reaction, your custom lambda executes with the emoji and baseMessage.

`setOnReactionLongClick`

Fires when a user long-presses on a reaction pill.

Kotlin
Java

YourActivity.kt

cometchatMessageList.onReactionLongClick = OnReactionLongClick { emoji, baseMessage -> }

YourActivity.java

cometchatMessageList.setOnReactionLongClick((emoji, baseMessage) -> {

    });

What this does: Replaces the default reaction long-press behavior. When a user long-presses a reaction pill, your custom lambda executes with the emoji and baseMessage.

`setOnAddMoreReactionsClick`

Fires when a user clicks the “Add More Reactions” button.

Kotlin
Java

YourActivity.kt

cometchatMessageList.onAddMoreReactionsClick =
        OnAddMoreReactionsClick { 
                
    }

YourActivity.java

cometchatMessageList.setOnAddMoreReactionsClick(baseMessage -> {
            
    });

What this does: Replaces the default “Add More Reactions” button behavior. Your callback receives the baseMessage that the user wants to react to.

`setOnReactionListItemClick`

Fires when a reaction list item is clicked in CometChatReactionsList.

Kotlin
Java

YourActivity.kt

cometchatMessageList.onReactionListItemClick =
            OnReactionListItemClick { reaction, message -> } 

YourActivity.java

cometchatMessageList.setOnReactionListItemClick((reaction, message) -> {

    });

What this does: Replaces the default reaction list item click behavior. Your callback receives the reaction and message objects.

Verify: After setting an action callback, trigger the corresponding user interaction (thread reply tap, reaction click, reaction long-press) and confirm your custom logic executes instead of the default behavior.

Global UI Events

The MessageList component does not emit any global UI events of its own.

SDK Events (Real-Time, Automatic)

The component listens to SDK message events internally. No manual attachment needed unless additional side effects are required.

Automatic: new messages, edits, deletions, and reactions update the list in real time.

Functionality

Small functional customizations such as toggling visibility of UI elements, setting custom sounds, configuring alignment, and enabling AI features.

Kotlin
Java

val cometChatMessageList = findViewById<CometChatMessageList>(R.id.message_list)
cometChatMessageList.setUser(user)
cometChatMessageList.setErrorStateVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setReceiptsVisibility(View.GONE)

CometChatMessageList cometChatMessageList = findViewById(R.id.message_list);
cometChatMessageList.setUser(user);
cometChatMessageList.setErrorStateVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setReceiptsVisibility(View.GONE);

Method	Description	Code
`setUser`	Sets the user object to fetch messages for a one-on-one conversation	`.setUser(user);`
`setGroup`	Sets the group object to fetch messages for a group conversation	`.setGroup(group);`
`setMessageAlignment`	Sets the alignment of messages (`leftAligned` or `standard`)	`.setMessageAlignment(UIKitConstants.MessageListAlignment.STANDARD);`
`setErrorStateVisibility`	Toggles visibility of the error state	`.setErrorStateVisibility(View.GONE);`
`disableSoundForMessages`	Enables/disables sound for incoming/outgoing messages, default false	`.disableSoundForMessages(false);`
`setCustomSoundForMessages`	Sets a custom sound for outgoing messages	`.setCustomSoundForMessages(@RawRes resource);`
`setAvatarVisibility`	Toggles visibility for avatar	`.setAvatarVisibility(View.GONE);`
`scrollToBottomOnNewMessage`	If true, scrolls to bottom on new message. Default is false	`.scrollToBottomOnNewMessage(true);`
`setReceiptsVisibility`	Controls visibility of read receipts without disabling marking messages as read/delivered	`.setReceiptsVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setQuickReactions`	Replaces the predefined set of quick reactions	`.setQuickReactions(Arrays.asList("👻","😈","🙀","🤡","❤️"));`
`setStickyDateVisibility`	Toggles visibility for sticky date header	`.setStickyDateVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setReplyInThreadOptionVisibility`	Toggles visibility for thread reply option	`.setReplyInThreadOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setTranslateMessageOptionVisibility`	Toggles visibility for translate option	`.setTranslateMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setEditMessageOptionVisibility`	Toggles visibility for edit option	`.setEditMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setDeleteMessageOptionVisibility`	Toggles visibility for delete option	`.setDeleteMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setMessageReactionOptionVisibility`	Toggles visibility for reaction option	`.setMessageReactionOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setMessagePrivatelyOptionVisibility`	Toggles visibility for private message option	`.setMessagePrivatelyOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setCopyMessageOptionVisibility`	Toggles visibility for copy option	`.setCopyMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setMessageInfoOptionVisibility`	Toggles visibility for info option	`.setMessageInfoOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setGroupActionMessageVisibility`	Toggles visibility for group action messages	`.setGroupActionMessageVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setReplyOptionVisibility`	Toggles visibility for the reply option in the action sheet	`.setReplyOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setShareMessageOptionVisibility`	Toggles visibility for the share message option	`.setShareMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setMarkAsUnreadOptionVisibility`	Toggles visibility for the mark-as-unread option	`.setMarkAsUnreadOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setFlagOptionVisibility`	Toggles visibility for the flag/report option	`.setFlagOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setModerationViewVisibility`	Toggles visibility for the moderation view	`.setModerationViewVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setSwipeToReplyEnabled`	Enables or disables swipe-to-reply gesture. Default is true	`.setSwipeToReplyEnabled(false);`
`setStartFromUnreadMessages`	When true, scrolls to the first unread message on load	`.setStartFromUnreadMessages(true);`
`setEnableConversationSummary`	Controls whether AI conversation summary is generated for conversations with many unread messages	`.setEnableConversationSummary(true);`
`setEnableConversationStarter`	Controls whether conversation starters are generated in new conversations	`.setEnableConversationStarter(true);`
`setEnableSmartReplies`	Enables smart replies for quick responses	`.setEnableSmartReplies(true);`
`setAISmartRepliesKeywords`	Defines keywords in incoming messages that trigger Smart Replies	`.setAISmartRepliesKeywords(Arrays.asList("hello", "hi"));`
`setSmartRepliesDelayDuration`	Sets the delay before Smart Replies are fetched after a message is received	`.setSmartRepliesDelayDuration(5000);`
`setUnreadMessageThreshold`	Sets the threshold for unread messages before triggering conversation summary	`.setUnreadMessageThreshold(10);`
`setFlagRemarkInputFieldVisibility`	Toggles visibility for the remark input field in the flag/report dialog	`.setFlagRemarkInputFieldVisibility(View.GONE);`
`setFlagReasonLocalization`	Sets localization map for flag/report reason labels	`.setFlagReasonLocalization(map);`
`setStreamingSpeed`	Sets the streaming speed for AI-generated content	`.setStreamingSpeed(100);`
`refreshStyle`	Refreshes the style of the message list	`.refreshStyle();`

Verify: After calling a visibility method, confirm the corresponding UI element is shown or hidden. After calling disableSoundForMessages(true), confirm no sound plays on incoming messages.

Custom View Slots

Each slot replaces a section of the default UI.

Slot	Method	Replaces
Header view	`setHeaderView(View)`	Custom view above the message list
Footer view	`setFooterView(View)`	Custom view below the message list
Loading view	`setLoadingStateView(@LayoutRes int)`	Loading spinner
Empty view	`setEmptyStateView(@LayoutRes int)`	Empty state
Error view	`setErrorStateView(@LayoutRes int)`	Error state
New message indicator	`setNewMessageIndicatorView(View)`	New message indicator
AI greeting view	`setAIAssistantEmptyChatGreetingView(@LayoutRes int)`	AI assistant empty chat greeting
Message templates	`setTemplates(List<CometChatMessageTemplate>)`	Message bubble templates
Text formatters	`setTextFormatters(List<CometChatTextFormatter>)`	Text formatters (mentions, etc.)

`setHeaderView`

Sets a custom header view displayed at the top of the message list.

Create a custom_header_layout.xml layout:

custom_header_layout.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:background="#EDEAFA"
    android:orientation="horizontal">

    <com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_margin_4"
        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
        android:elevation="0dp"
        app:cardCornerRadius="@dimen/cometchat_radius_max"
        app:cardElevation="0dp"
        app:strokeColor="?attr/cometchatStrokeColorLight"
        app:strokeWidth="1dp">

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_padding_3"
            android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/cometchat_padding_1"
            android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/cometchat_padding_3"
            android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/cometchat_padding_1"
            android:gravity="center_vertical"
            android:orientation="horizontal">

            <ImageView
                android:layout_width="20dp"
                android:layout_height="@dimen/cometchat_20dp"
                android:src="@drawable/cometchat_ic_file_upload"
                app:tint="?attr/cometchatPrimaryColor" />

            <TextView
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
                android:text="Notes"
                android:textAppearance="?attr/cometchatTextAppearanceCaption1Regular"
                android:textColor="?attr/cometchatPrimaryColor" />
        </LinearLayout>
    </com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView>

    <com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_margin_4"
        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
        android:elevation="0dp"
        app:cardCornerRadius="@dimen/cometchat_radius_max"
        app:cardElevation="0dp"
        app:strokeColor="?attr/cometchatStrokeColorLight"
        app:strokeWidth="1dp">

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_padding_3"
            android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/cometchat_padding_1"
            android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/cometchat_padding_3"
            android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/cometchat_padding_1"
            android:gravity="center_vertical"
            android:orientation="horizontal">

            <ImageView
                android:layout_width="20dp"
                android:layout_height="@dimen/cometchat_20dp"
                android:src="@drawable/src_icons_pin"
                app:tint="?attr/cometchatPrimaryColor" />

            <TextView
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
                android:text="Pinned Messages"
                android:textAppearance="?attr/cometchatTextAppearanceCaption1Regular"
                android:textColor="?attr/cometchatPrimaryColor" />
        </LinearLayout>
    </com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView>

    <com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_margin_4"
        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
        android:elevation="0dp"
        app:cardCornerRadius="@dimen/cometchat_radius_max"
        app:cardElevation="0dp"
        app:strokeColor="?attr/cometchatStrokeColorLight"
        app:strokeWidth="1dp">

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_padding_3"
            android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/cometchat_padding_1"
            android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/cometchat_padding_3"
            android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/cometchat_padding_1"
            android:gravity="center_vertical"
            android:orientation="horizontal">

            <ImageView
                android:layout_width="20dp"
                android:layout_height="@dimen/cometchat_20dp"
                android:src="@drawable/cometchat_link_file_icon"
                app:tint="?attr/cometchatPrimaryColor" />

            <TextView
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
                android:text="Saved Links"
                android:textAppearance="?attr/cometchatTextAppearanceCaption1Regular"
                android:textColor="?attr/cometchatPrimaryColor" />
        </LinearLayout>
    </com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView>

</LinearLayout>

What this does: Defines a custom header layout with three pill-shaped buttons: “Notes”, “Pinned Messages”, and “Saved Links”. Each button uses a MaterialCardView with an icon and label styled with the primary color.

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.setHeaderView(View.inflate(context, R.layout.custom_header_layout, null))

cometChatMessageList.setHeaderView(View.inflate(getContext(), R.layout.custom_header_layout, null));

What this does: Inflates the custom_header_layout.xml and sets it as the header view of the message list. The three pill buttons display above the messages.

`setFooterView`

Sets a custom footer view displayed at the bottom of the message list.

custom_footer_layout.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:background="#EDEAFA"
    android:orientation="horizontal">

    <com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_margin_4"
        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
        android:elevation="0dp"
        app:cardCornerRadius="@dimen/cometchat_radius_max"
        app:cardElevation="0dp"
        app:strokeColor="?attr/cometchatStrokeColorLight"
        app:strokeWidth="1dp">

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_padding_3"
            android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/cometchat_padding_1"
            android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/cometchat_padding_3"
            android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/cometchat_padding_1"
            android:gravity="center_vertical"
            android:orientation="horizontal">

            <ImageView
                android:layout_width="20dp"
                android:layout_height="@dimen/cometchat_20dp"
                android:src="@drawable/cometchat_ic_file_upload"
                app:tint="?attr/cometchatPrimaryColor" />

            <TextView
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
                android:text="Notes"
                android:textAppearance="?attr/cometchatTextAppearanceCaption1Regular"
                android:textColor="?attr/cometchatPrimaryColor" />
        </LinearLayout>
    </com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView>

    <com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_margin_4"
        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
        android:elevation="0dp"
        app:cardCornerRadius="@dimen/cometchat_radius_max"
        app:cardElevation="0dp"
        app:strokeColor="?attr/cometchatStrokeColorLight"
        app:strokeWidth="1dp">

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_padding_3"
            android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/cometchat_padding_1"
            android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/cometchat_padding_3"
            android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/cometchat_padding_1"
            android:gravity="center_vertical"
            android:orientation="horizontal">

            <ImageView
                android:layout_width="20dp"
                android:layout_height="@dimen/cometchat_20dp"
                android:src="@drawable/src_icons_pin"
                app:tint="?attr/cometchatPrimaryColor" />

            <TextView
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
                android:text="Pinned Messages"
                android:textAppearance="?attr/cometchatTextAppearanceCaption1Regular"
                android:textColor="?attr/cometchatPrimaryColor" />
        </LinearLayout>
    </com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView>

    <com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_margin_4"
        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
        android:elevation="0dp"
        app:cardCornerRadius="@dimen/cometchat_radius_max"
        app:cardElevation="0dp"
        app:strokeColor="?attr/cometchatStrokeColorLight"
        app:strokeWidth="1dp">

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_padding_3"
            android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/cometchat_padding_1"
            android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/cometchat_padding_3"
            android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/cometchat_padding_1"
            android:gravity="center_vertical"
            android:orientation="horizontal">

            <ImageView
                android:layout_width="20dp"
                android:layout_height="@dimen/cometchat_20dp"
                android:src="@drawable/cometchat_link_file_icon"
                app:tint="?attr/cometchatPrimaryColor" />

            <TextView
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/cometchat_margin_1"
                android:text="Saved Links"
                android:textAppearance="?attr/cometchatTextAppearanceCaption1Regular"
                android:textColor="?attr/cometchatPrimaryColor" />
        </LinearLayout>
    </com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView>

</LinearLayout>

What this does: Defines a custom footer layout with three pill-shaped buttons: “Notes”, “Pinned Messages”, and “Saved Links”. Each button uses a MaterialCardView with an icon and label styled with the primary color.

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.setFooterView(View.inflate(context, R.layout.custom_footer_layout, null))

cometChatMessageList.setFooterView(View.inflate(getContext(), R.layout.custom_footer_layout, null));

What this does: Inflates the custom_footer_layout.xml and sets it as the footer view of the message list. The three pill buttons display below the messages.

`setLoadingStateView`

Customizes the loading indicator when messages are being fetched.

Kotlin
Java

cometchatMessageList.setLoadingStateView(R.layout.your_loading_view)

cometchatMessageList.setLoadingStateView(R.layout.your_loading_view);

What this does: Replaces the default loading spinner with your custom layout resource. The custom view displays while messages are being fetched.

`setEmptyStateView`

Defines a custom view displayed when no messages are available.

Kotlin
Java

cometchatMessageList.setEmptyStateView(R.layout.your_empty_view)

cometchatMessageList.setEmptyStateView(R.layout.your_empty_view);

What this does: Replaces the default empty state with your custom layout resource. The custom view displays when the message list has no items.

`setErrorStateView`

Custom error state view displayed when fetching messages fails.

Kotlin
Java

cometchatMessageList.setErrorStateView(R.layout.your_error_view)

cometchatMessageList.setErrorStateView(R.layout.your_error_view);

What this does: Replaces the default error state with your custom layout resource. The custom view displays when the component encounters an error during message fetching.

`setNewMessageIndicatorView`

Replaces the default “new messages” indicator that appears when new messages arrive while the user has scrolled up.

Kotlin
Java

YourActivity.kt

val customIndicator = LayoutInflater.from(this).inflate(R.layout.custom_new_message_indicator, null)
cometchatMessageList.setNewMessageIndicatorView(customIndicator)

YourActivity.java

View customIndicator = LayoutInflater.from(this).inflate(R.layout.custom_new_message_indicator, null);
cometchatMessageList.setNewMessageIndicatorView(customIndicator);

What this does: Replaces the default new message indicator with a custom layout. The indicator appears when new messages arrive while the user is scrolled up in the message list.

`setTemplates`

CometChatMessageTemplate is a pre-defined structure for creating message views (message bubbles). For more information, refer to CometChatMessageTemplate.

`setTextFormatters`

Assigns the list of text formatters. If the provided list is not null, it sets the list. Otherwise, it assigns the default text formatters retrieved from the data source. To configure the existing Mentions look and feel check out MentionsFormatter Guide.

themes.xml

<style name="CustomIncomingMessageBubbleMentionStyle" parent="CometChatIncomingBubbleMentionsStyle">
    <item name="cometchatMentionTextAppearance">?attr/cometchatTextAppearanceBodyRegular</item>
    <item name="cometchatMentionTextColor">#D6409F</item>
    <item name="cometchatMentionBackgroundColor">#D6409F</item>
    <item name="cometchatSelfMentionTextColor">#30A46C</item>
    <item name="cometchatSelfMentionTextAppearance">?attr/cometchatTextAppearanceBodyRegular</item>
    <item name="cometchatSelfMentionBackgroundColor">#30A46C</item>
</style>

<style name="CustomOutgoingMessageBubbleMentionStyle" parent="CometChatOutgoingBubbleMentionsStyle">
    <item name="cometchatMentionTextAppearance">?attr/cometchatTextAppearanceBodyRegular</item>
    <item name="cometchatMentionTextColor">#FFFFFF</item>
    <item name="cometchatMentionBackgroundColor">#F9F8FD</item>
    <item name="cometchatSelfMentionTextColor">#30A46C</item>
    <item name="cometchatSelfMentionTextAppearance">?attr/cometchatTextAppearanceBodyRegular</item>
    <item name="cometchatSelfMentionBackgroundColor">#30A46C</item>
</style>

What this does: Defines custom mention styles for incoming and outgoing message bubbles. Incoming mentions appear in pink (#D6409F) and outgoing mentions appear in white (#FFFFFF), both with green self-mentions (#30A46C).

Kotlin
Java

// Initialize CometChatMentionsFormatter
val mentionFormatter = CometChatMentionsFormatter(context)

//set style to customize bubble mention text
mentionFormatter.setOutgoingBubbleMentionTextStyle(context, R.style.CustomOutgoingMessageBubbleMentionStyle)

mentionFormatter.setIncomingBubbleMentionTextStyle(context, R.style.CustomIncomingMessageBubbleMentionStyle)

// This can be passed as an array of formatter in CometChatMessageList by using setTextFormatters method.
val textFormatters: MutableList<CometChatTextFormatter> = ArrayList()
textFormatters.add(mentionFormatter)
messageList.setTextFormatters(textFormatters)

// Initialize CometChatMentionsFormatter
CometChatMentionsFormatter mentionFormatter = new CometChatMentionsFormatter(context);

//set style to customize bubble mention text
mentionFormatter.setOutgoingBubbleMentionTextStyle(context, R.style.CustomOutgoingMessageBubbleMentionStyle);

mentionFormatter.setIncomingBubbleMentionTextStyle(context, R.style.CustomIncomingMessageBubbleMentionStyle);

// This can be passed as an array of formatter in CometChatMessageList by using setTextFormatters method.
List<CometChatTextFormatter> textFormatters = new ArrayList<>();
textFormatters.add(mentionFormatter);
messageList.setTextFormatters(textFormatters);

What this does: Creates a CometChatMentionsFormatter, applies custom outgoing and incoming mention styles, adds it to a list of text formatters, and passes that list to the message list component. Mentions in message bubbles render with the custom colors.

`setDateFormat`

Specifies a custom format for displaying sticky date separators in the chat.

Kotlin
Java

messageList.setDateFormat(SimpleDateFormat("MMM dd, yyyy", Locale.getDefault()))

messageList.setDateFormat(new SimpleDateFormat("MMM dd, yyyy", Locale.getDefault()));

What this does: Sets the sticky date separator format to “MMM dd, yyyy” (e.g., “Jul 10, 2024”) using the device’s default locale.

`setTimeFormat`

Defines the format in which time appears for each message bubble.

Kotlin
Java

messageList.setTimeFormat(SimpleDateFormat("hh:mm a", Locale.getDefault()))

messageList.setTimeFormat(new SimpleDateFormat("hh:mm a", Locale.getDefault()));

What this does: Sets the message bubble time format to “hh:mm a” (e.g., “02:30 PM”) using the device’s default locale.

`setDateTimeFormatter`

Provides a custom implementation of DateTimeFormatterCallback to configure how time and date values are displayed. Each method corresponds to a specific case:

time(long timestamp) — Custom full timestamp format
today(long timestamp) — Called when a message is from today
yesterday(long timestamp) — Called for yesterday’s messages
lastWeek(long timestamp) — Messages from the past week
otherDays(long timestamp) — Older messages
minutes(long diffInMinutesFromNow, long timestamp) — e.g., “5 minutes ago”
hours(long diffInHourFromNow, long timestamp) — e.g., “2 hours ago”

Kotlin
Java

import java.text.SimpleDateFormat
import java.util.*

cometchatMessageList.setDateTimeFormatter(object : DateTimeFormatterCallback {

        private val fullTimeFormatter = SimpleDateFormat("hh:mm a", Locale.getDefault())
        private val dateFormatter = SimpleDateFormat("dd MMM yyyy", Locale.getDefault())

        override fun time(timestamp: Long): String {
            return fullTimeFormatter.format(Date(timestamp))
        }

        override fun today(timestamp: Long): String {
            return "Today"
        }

        override fun yesterday(timestamp: Long): String {
            return "Yesterday"
        }

        override fun lastWeek(timestamp: Long): String {
            return "Last Week"
        }

        override fun otherDays(timestamp: Long): String {
            return dateFormatter.format(Date(timestamp))
        }

        override fun minutes(diffInMinutesFromNow: Long, timestamp: Long): String {
            return "$diffInMinutesFromNow mins ago"
        }

        override fun hours(diffInHourFromNow: Long, timestamp: Long): String {
            return "$diffInHourFromNow hrs ago"
        }
    });

import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.Locale;


cometchatMessageList.setDateTimeFormatter(new DateTimeFormatterCallback() {

        private final SimpleDateFormat fullTimeFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("hh:mm a", Locale.getDefault());
        private final SimpleDateFormat dateFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("dd MMM yyyy", Locale.getDefault());

        @Override
        public String time(long timestamp) {
            return fullTimeFormatter.format(new Date(timestamp));
        }

        @Override
        public String today(long timestamp) {
            return "Today";
        }

        @Override
        public String yesterday(long timestamp) {
            return "Yesterday";
        }

        @Override
        public String lastWeek(long timestamp) {
            return "Last Week";
        }

        @Override
        public String otherDays(long timestamp) {
            return dateFormatter.format(new Date(timestamp));
        }

        @Override
        public String minutes(long diffInMinutesFromNow, long timestamp) {
            return diffInMinutesFromNow + " mins ago";
        }

        @Override
        public String hours(long diffInHourFromNow, long timestamp) {
            return diffInHourFromNow + " hrs ago";
        }
    });

What this does: Overrides the default date/time formatting for message timestamps. Today’s messages show “Today”, yesterday’s show “Yesterday”, recent messages show “X mins ago” or “X hrs ago”, last week’s show “Last Week”, and older messages show the full date in “dd MMM yyyy” format.

Verify: After setting any custom view slot, confirm the custom view renders in the correct position within the message list, and the data binding populates correctly.

Common Patterns

Hide all chrome — minimal message list

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.setAvatarVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setReceiptsVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setStickyDateVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setGroupActionMessageVisibility(View.GONE)

cometChatMessageList.setAvatarVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setReceiptsVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setStickyDateVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setGroupActionMessageVisibility(View.GONE);

Hide all message action options

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.setReplyInThreadOptionVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setEditMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setDeleteMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setCopyMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setMessageReactionOptionVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setTranslateMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setMessagePrivatelyOptionVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setMessageInfoOptionVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setReplyOptionVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setShareMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setMarkAsUnreadOptionVisibility(View.GONE)
cometChatMessageList.setFlagOptionVisibility(View.GONE)

cometChatMessageList.setReplyInThreadOptionVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setEditMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setDeleteMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setCopyMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setMessageReactionOptionVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setTranslateMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setMessagePrivatelyOptionVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setMessageInfoOptionVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setReplyOptionVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setShareMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setMarkAsUnreadOptionVisibility(View.GONE);
cometChatMessageList.setFlagOptionVisibility(View.GONE);

Enable AI features

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.setEnableSmartReplies(true)
cometChatMessageList.setEnableConversationStarter(true)
cometChatMessageList.setEnableConversationSummary(true)

cometChatMessageList.setEnableSmartReplies(true);
cometChatMessageList.setEnableConversationStarter(true);
cometChatMessageList.setEnableConversationSummary(true);

Custom quick reactions

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.setQuickReactions(listOf("👻", "😈", "🙀", "🤡", "❤️"))

cometChatMessageList.setQuickReactions(Arrays.asList("👻", "😈", "🙀", "🤡", "❤️"));

Start from unread messages

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.setStartFromUnreadMessages(true)

cometChatMessageList.setStartFromUnreadMessages(true);

Advanced Methods

`scrollToBottom`

Programmatically scrolls to the bottom of the message list.

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.scrollToBottom()

cometChatMessageList.scrollToBottom();

`scrollToMessageId`

Scrolls to a specific message by its ID and highlights it.

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.scrollToMessageId(messageId)

cometChatMessageList.scrollToMessageId(messageId);

`gotoMessage`

Navigates to a specific message by ID.

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.gotoMessage(messageId)

cometChatMessageList.gotoMessage(messageId);

Message Manipulation

`addMessage`

Programmatically adds a message to the list.

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.addMessage(baseMessage)

cometChatMessageList.addMessage(baseMessage);

`setList`

Replaces the entire message list with a new list.

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.setList(messageList)

cometChatMessageList.setList(messageList);

`updateMessage`

Updates a message at a given index.

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.updateMessage(index)

cometChatMessageList.updateMessage(index);

Threaded Messages

`setParentMessage`

Sets the parent message ID for threaded message view.

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.setParentMessage(parentMessageId)

cometChatMessageList.setParentMessage(parentMessageId);

AI Features

`generateConversationSummary`

Triggers the generation of a conversation summary by fetching it from the ViewModel.

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.generateConversationSummary()

cometChatMessageList.generateConversationSummary();

`setAIAssistantSuggestedMessages`

Sets suggested messages for the AI assistant.

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.setAIAssistantSuggestedMessages(listOf("How can I help?", "Tell me more"))

cometChatMessageList.setAIAssistantSuggestedMessages(Arrays.asList("How can I help?", "Tell me more"));

`setAiAssistantTools`

Registers custom AI assistant tool call listeners.

Kotlin
Java

val tools = HashMap<String, ToolCallListener>()
cometChatMessageList.setAiAssistantTools(tools)

HashMap<String, ToolCallListener> tools = new HashMap<>();
cometChatMessageList.setAiAssistantTools(tools);

Bubble Margins

Method	Description
`setLeftBubbleMargin(top, bottom, left, right)`	Sets margins for incoming (left) message bubbles
`setRightBubbleMargin(top, bottom, left, right)`	Sets margins for outgoing (right) message bubbles
`setBubbleMargin(top, bottom, left, right)`	Sets margins for all message bubbles

Internal Access

These methods provide direct access to internal components for advanced use cases.

Method	Returns	Description
`getAdapter()`	`MessageAdapter`	The adapter powering the RecyclerView
`setAdapter(MessageAdapter)`	`void`	Replaces the default adapter with a custom one
`getViewModel()`	`MessageListViewModel`	The ViewModel managing message data and state
`getRecyclerView()`	`RecyclerView`	The internal RecyclerView
`getView()`	`LinearLayout`	The root view of the component
`getNewMessageLayout()`	`MaterialCardView`	The new message indicator layout
`getNewMessageImageView()`	`ImageView`	The new message indicator image
`getStickyHeaderDecoration()`	`StickyHeaderDecoration`	The sticky date header decoration
`getParentMessageId()`	`long`	The parent message ID for threaded view
`getMentionsFormatter()`	`CometChatMentionsFormatter`	The mentions formatter instance
`atBottom()`	`boolean`	Whether the list is scrolled to the bottom
`isHasMore()`	`boolean`	Whether more messages are available to load
`setAutoFetch(boolean)`	`void`	Controls automatic message fetching
`setMentionAllLabelId(String, String)`	`void`	Sets the mention-all label ID and display text

Use these only when the standard API is insufficient. Directly manipulating the adapter or ViewModel may conflict with the component’s internal state management.

Style

The component uses XML theme styles. Define a custom style with parent CometChatMessageListStyle in themes.xml, then apply with setStyle().

themes.xml

    <style name="CustomOutgoingMessageBubbleStyle" parent="CometChatOutgoingMessageBubbleStyle">
        <item name="cometchatMessageBubbleBackgroundColor">#F76808</item>
    </style>

    <style name="CustomCometChatMessageListStyle" parent="CometChatMessageListStyle">
        <item name="cometchatMessageListBackgroundColor">#FEEDE1</item>
        <item name="cometchatMessageListOutgoingMessageBubbleStyle">@style/CustomOutgoingMessageBubbleStyle</item>
    </style>

What this does: Defines two custom styles: CustomOutgoingMessageBubbleStyle sets the outgoing message bubble background to orange (#F76808); CustomCometChatMessageListStyle sets the message list background to light peach (#FEEDE1) and applies the custom outgoing bubble style.

Kotlin
Java

cometChatMessageList.setStyle(R.style.CustomCometChatMessageListStyle)

cometChatMessageList.setStyle(R.style.CustomCometChatMessageListStyle);

To know more such attributes, visit the attributes file.

Programmatic Style Properties

In addition to XML theme styles, the component exposes programmatic setters for fine-grained control:

Method	Type	Description
`setIncomingMessageBubbleStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for incoming message bubbles
`setOutgoingMessageBubbleStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for outgoing message bubbles
`setDateSeparatorStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for date separator headers
`setDeleteDialogStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for the delete confirmation dialog
`setMessageInformationStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for the message information sheet
`setMessageOptionSheetStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for the message option action sheet
`setReactionListStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for the reaction list bottom sheet
`setModerationViewStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for the moderation view
`setFlagMessageStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for the flag/report message dialog
`setBadgeStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for the unread message badge
`setAISmartRepliesStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for AI smart replies
`setAIConversationStarterStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for AI conversation starters
`setAIConversationSummaryStyle`	`@StyleRes int`	Style for AI conversation summary
`setErrorStateTitleTextColor`	`@ColorInt int`	Title text color for the error state
`setErrorStateTitleTextAppearance`	`@StyleRes int`	Title text appearance for the error state
`setErrorStateSubtitleTextColor`	`@ColorInt int`	Subtitle text color for the error state
`setErrorStateSubtitleTextAppearance`	`@StyleRes int`	Subtitle text appearance for the error state
`setNewMessageIndicatorIconTint`	`@ColorInt int`	Tint color for the new message indicator icon
`setAddReactionIcon`	`int`	Custom icon for the add reaction button

Customization Matrix

What to change	Where	Property/API	Example
Override behavior on user interaction	Activity/Fragment	`setOn<Event>` callbacks	`setOnThreadRepliesClick((ctx, msg, tpl) -> { ... })`
Filter which messages appear	Activity/Fragment	`setMessagesRequestBuilder`	`setMessagesRequestBuilder(builder)`
Customize reactions fetching	Activity/Fragment	`setReactionsRequestBuilder`	`setReactionsRequestBuilder(builder)`
Toggle visibility of UI elements	Activity/Fragment	`set<Feature>Visibility(int)`	`setReceiptsVisibility(View.GONE)`
Replace header/footer views	Activity/Fragment	`setHeaderView` / `setFooterView`	`setHeaderView(view)`
Change colors, fonts, spacing	`themes.xml`	`CometChatMessageListStyle`	`<item name="cometchatMessageListBackgroundColor">#FEEDE1</item>`
Outgoing bubble style	`themes.xml`	`cometchatMessageListOutgoingMessageBubbleStyle`	`<item name="cometchatMessageBubbleBackgroundColor">#F76808</item>`
Apply a custom style	Activity/Fragment	`setStyle(int styleRes)`	`cometChatMessageList.setStyle(R.style.CustomCometChatMessageListStyle);`
Set user for messages	Activity/Fragment	`setUser(User)`	`.setUser(user);`
Set group for messages	Activity/Fragment	`setGroup(Group)`	`.setGroup(group);`
Message alignment	Activity/Fragment	`setMessageAlignment(UIKitConstants.MessageListAlignment)`	`.setMessageAlignment(UIKitConstants.MessageListAlignment.STANDARD);`
Error state visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setErrorStateVisibility(int)`	`.setErrorStateVisibility(View.GONE);`
Incoming/outgoing message sound	Activity/Fragment	`disableSoundForMessages(boolean)`	`.disableSoundForMessages(true);`
Custom message sound	Activity/Fragment	`setCustomSoundForMessages(int)`	`.setCustomSoundForMessages(@RawRes resource);`
Avatar visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setAvatarVisibility(int)`	`.setAvatarVisibility(View.GONE);`
Scroll to bottom on new message	Activity/Fragment	`scrollToBottomOnNewMessage(boolean)`	`.scrollToBottomOnNewMessage(true);`
Read/delivered receipts visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setReceiptsVisibility(int)`	`.setReceiptsVisibility(View.GONE);`
Quick reactions list	Activity/Fragment	`setQuickReactions(List)`	`.setQuickReactions(Arrays.asList("👻","😈","🙀","🤡","❤️"));`
Sticky date visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setStickyDateVisibility(int)`	`.setStickyDateVisibility(View.GONE);`
Thread reply option visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setReplyInThreadOptionVisibility(int)`	`.setReplyInThreadOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
Translate option visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setTranslateMessageOptionVisibility(int)`	`.setTranslateMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
Edit option visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setEditMessageOptionVisibility(int)`	`.setEditMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
Delete option visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setDeleteMessageOptionVisibility(int)`	`.setDeleteMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
Reaction option visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setMessageReactionOptionVisibility(int)`	`.setMessageReactionOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
Private message option visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setMessagePrivatelyOptionVisibility(int)`	`.setMessagePrivatelyOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
Copy option visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setCopyMessageOptionVisibility(int)`	`.setCopyMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
Message info option visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setMessageInfoOptionVisibility(int)`	`.setMessageInfoOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
Group action message visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setGroupActionMessageVisibility(int)`	`.setGroupActionMessageVisibility(View.GONE);`
Reply option visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setReplyOptionVisibility(int)`	`.setReplyOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
Share option visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setShareMessageOptionVisibility(int)`	`.setShareMessageOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
Mark as unread option	Activity/Fragment	`setMarkAsUnreadOptionVisibility(int)`	`.setMarkAsUnreadOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
Flag/report option	Activity/Fragment	`setFlagOptionVisibility(int)`	`.setFlagOptionVisibility(View.GONE);`
Moderation view visibility	Activity/Fragment	`setModerationViewVisibility(int)`	`.setModerationViewVisibility(View.GONE);`
Swipe to reply	Activity/Fragment	`setSwipeToReplyEnabled(boolean)`	`.setSwipeToReplyEnabled(false);`
Start from unread messages	Activity/Fragment	`setStartFromUnreadMessages(boolean)`	`.setStartFromUnreadMessages(true);`
Conversation starters	Activity/Fragment	`setEnableConversationStarter(boolean)`	`.setEnableConversationStarter(true);`
Smart replies	Activity/Fragment	`setEnableSmartReplies(boolean)`	`.setEnableSmartReplies(true);`
Smart replies keywords	Activity/Fragment	`setAISmartRepliesKeywords(List)`	`.setAISmartRepliesKeywords(Arrays.asList("hello", "hi"));`
Smart replies delay	Activity/Fragment	`setSmartRepliesDelayDuration(int)`	`.setSmartRepliesDelayDuration(5000);`
Conversation summary	Activity/Fragment	`setEnableConversationSummary(boolean)`	`.setEnableConversationSummary(true);`
Unread message threshold	Activity/Fragment	`setUnreadMessageThreshold(int)`	`.setUnreadMessageThreshold(10);`
Date/time formatting	Activity/Fragment	`setDateTimeFormatter(DateTimeFormatterCallback)`	See `setDateTimeFormatter` code above
Sticky date format	Activity/Fragment	`setDateFormat(SimpleDateFormat)`	`messageList.setDateFormat(new SimpleDateFormat("MMM dd, yyyy", Locale.getDefault()));`
Message bubble time format	Activity/Fragment	`setTimeFormat(SimpleDateFormat)`	`messageList.setTimeFormat(new SimpleDateFormat("hh:mm a", Locale.getDefault()));`
Loading view	Activity/Fragment	`setLoadingStateView(int)`	`cometchatMessageList.setLoadingStateView(R.layout.your_loading_view);`
Empty view	Activity/Fragment	`setEmptyStateView(int)`	`cometchatMessageList.setEmptyStateView(R.layout.your_empty_view);`
Error view	Activity/Fragment	`setErrorStateView(int)`	`cometchatMessageList.setErrorStateView(R.layout.your_error_view);`
Header view	Activity/Fragment	`setHeaderView(View)`	`cometChatMessageList.setHeaderView(view);`
Footer view	Activity/Fragment	`setFooterView(View)`	`cometChatMessageList.setFooterView(view);`
New message indicator view	Activity/Fragment	`setNewMessageIndicatorView(View)`	`cometchatMessageList.setNewMessageIndicatorView(view);`
Text formatters (mentions)	Activity/Fragment	`setTextFormatters(List<CometChatTextFormatter>)`	See `setTextFormatters` code above
Message templates	Activity/Fragment	`setTemplates(List<CometChatMessageTemplate>)`	See CometChatMessageTemplate
Refresh style	Activity/Fragment	`refreshStyle()`	`.refreshStyle();`
Streaming speed	Activity/Fragment	`setStreamingSpeed(Integer)`	`.setStreamingSpeed(100);`
Bubble margins	Activity/Fragment	`setLeftBubbleMargin` / `setRightBubbleMargin` / `setBubbleMargin`	`.setBubbleMargin(4, 4, 8, 8);`
Internal adapter access	Activity/Fragment	`getAdapter()` / `setAdapter()`	Advanced use only

Accessibility

The component renders a scrollable RecyclerView of message bubbles. Each message bubble responds to tap and long-press gestures. Avatar images include the user name as content description. Date separators and sticky headers provide temporal navigation context for screen readers. For custom views provided via setHeaderView, setFooterView, or setNewMessageIndicatorView, ensure you set android:contentDescription on visual-only elements so TalkBack can announce them. The default views handle this automatically. Read receipt indicators and reaction pills are visual-only by default. If screen reader descriptions are needed, provide them via custom views with appropriate contentDescription attributes.

Next Steps

Message Header

Display user/group info in the toolbar

Message Composer

Rich input for sending messages

Conversations

Browse recent conversations

Theming

Customize colors, fonts, and styles

​Where It Fits

​Quick Start

​Filtering Messages

​Filter Recipes

​Reactions Request Builder

​Actions and Events

​Callback Methods

​setOnThreadRepliesClick

​setOnError

​setOnLoad

​setOnEmpty

​setOnReactionClick

​setOnReactionLongClick

​setOnAddMoreReactionsClick

​setOnReactionListItemClick

​Global UI Events

​SDK Events (Real-Time, Automatic)

​Functionality

​Custom View Slots

​setHeaderView

​setFooterView

​setLoadingStateView

​setEmptyStateView

​setErrorStateView

​setNewMessageIndicatorView

​setTemplates

​setTextFormatters

​setDateFormat

​setTimeFormat

​setDateTimeFormatter

​Common Patterns

​Hide all chrome — minimal message list

​Hide all message action options

​Enable AI features

​Custom quick reactions

​Start from unread messages

​Advanced Methods

​Scroll and Navigation

​scrollToBottom

​scrollToMessageId

​gotoMessage

​Message Manipulation

​addMessage

​setList

​updateMessage

​Threaded Messages

​setParentMessage

​AI Features

​generateConversationSummary

​setAIAssistantSuggestedMessages

​setAiAssistantTools

​Bubble Margins

​Internal Access

​Style

​Programmatic Style Properties

​Customization Matrix

​Accessibility

​Next Steps

Message Header

Message Composer

Conversations

Theming

Where It Fits

Quick Start

Filtering Messages

Filter Recipes

Reactions Request Builder

Actions and Events

Callback Methods

`setOnThreadRepliesClick`

`setOnError`

`setOnLoad`

`setOnEmpty`

`setOnReactionClick`

`setOnReactionLongClick`

`setOnAddMoreReactionsClick`

`setOnReactionListItemClick`

Global UI Events

SDK Events (Real-Time, Automatic)

Functionality

Custom View Slots

`setHeaderView`

`setFooterView`

`setLoadingStateView`

`setEmptyStateView`

`setErrorStateView`

`setNewMessageIndicatorView`

`setTemplates`

`setTextFormatters`

`setDateFormat`

`setTimeFormat`

`setDateTimeFormatter`

Common Patterns

Hide all chrome — minimal message list

Hide all message action options

Enable AI features

Custom quick reactions

Start from unread messages

Advanced Methods

Scroll and Navigation

`scrollToBottom`

`scrollToMessageId`

`gotoMessage`

Message Manipulation

`addMessage`

`setList`

`updateMessage`

Threaded Messages

`setParentMessage`

AI Features

`generateConversationSummary`

`setAIAssistantSuggestedMessages`

`setAiAssistantTools`

Bubble Margins

Internal Access

Style

Programmatic Style Properties

Customization Matrix

Accessibility

Next Steps