Getting Started

The LikeMinds Android SDK enables your app to have Chat features. Here we are going to talk about how you can integrate chat SDK in your app. Follow below steps to add LikeMinds SDK in your Android Project:

Prerequisites

1. Kotlin Version: Your project's kotlin version should be greater than 1.6.0.
2. Minimum Android SDK Version: minSdk should be at least 21.
3. Dependency Resolution Management: mavenCentral() and jitpack.io should be mentioned in dependencyResolutionManagement.
4. LikeMinds API Key: Sign up on the LikeMinds Dashboard and obtain an API key for your application, using this.

Step-by-Step Integration

Step 1 - Installation

1. Fork our repository Chat Repository from Github.
2. Add the forked Repo as submodule in your project by running the following command.

git submodule add <link-of-the-forked-repo>
git submodule update --init --recursive

info

If the Kotlin version in your project is above 1.6.20 then checkout to branch master-1.8.22 in the submodule.

git checkout master-1.8.22

3. Include the chatmm project in your project by pasting the following code in your settings.gradle.

include ':chatmm'
project(':chatmm').projectDir = new File(rootDir, '<name-of-the-forked-project>/chatmm/')

4. If you are not using navigation library already, add the following code in your project level build.gradle.

buildscript {
  ...
  apply from: '<name-of-the-forked-project>/lm-chat-root-dependencies.gradle'
  dependencies {
    classpath 'androidx.navigation:navigation-safe-args-gradle-plugin:2.6.0'
  }
}

note

If there is any conflict between the navigation safe args gradle plugin version, go to lm-chat-root-dependencies.gradle and change lm_chat_versions.navigation to your version.

5. Enable dataBinding in your project (if not done already) by adding the following code in your app level build.gradle.

android {
  buildFeatures {
    dataBinding = true
  }
}

6. Now sync your project gradle and you will see chatmm module in your project directory.

Step 2 - Setup LikeMinds Chat

Now that you have installed the SDK, let's set up the LikeMinds Chat in your application. You'll need to initialize LMChatCore in your Application class.

Here are the parameters you'll need to configure:

VARIABLE	TYPE	DESCRIPTION	OPTIONAL
application	Application	Instance of your application class.
theme	LMChatTheme	Theme selected for the chat, possible values - COMMUNITY_CHAT - NETWORKING_CHAT - COMMUNITY_HYBRID_CHAT - AI_CHATBOT
domain	String	Your domain URL.	✔
enablePushNotifications	Boolean	Whether to enable push notifications or not	✔
deviceId	String	Unique ID of the device, if notifications are enabled	✔
lmChatAppearanceRequest	LMChatAppearanceRequest	Request object to set appearance to the Chat.	✔
lmChatCoreCallback	LMChatCoreCallback	Callback for various operations in SDK.	✔
shareLogsWithLM	Boolean	Whether to share error logs with LikeMinds or not	✔
excludeConversationStates	List<ConversationState>	List of conversation states to be excluded in Chatroom	✔

Add the following code in onCreate() method of your Application class:

Kotlin

val application = this // instance of the application
val lmChatTheme = LMChatTheme.COMMUNITY_CHAT // chat theme chosen
val lmChatCoreCallback = null // instance of the callback
val lmChatAppearanceRequest = null // instance of the appearance
val domain = "ENTER YOUR DOMAIN NAME" // domain of the app
val enablePushNotifications = false // enable or disable push notifications
val deviceId = null  // device id of the user
val shareLogsWithLM = true // whether to share error logs with LM
val excludeConversationStates = emptyList()

LMChatCore.setup(
    application = application,
    theme = lmChatTheme,
    lmChatCoreCallback = lmChatCoreCallback,
    lmChatAppearanceRequest = lmChatAppearanceRequest,
    domain = domain,
    enablePushNotifications = enablePushNotifications,
    deviceId = deviceId,
    shareLogsWithLM = shareLogsWithLM,
    excludeConversationStates = excludeConversationStates
)

Java

Application application = this; // instance of the application
LMChatCoreCallback lmChatCoreCallback = null; // instance of the callback
LMChatTheme lmChatTheme = LMChatTheme.COMMUNITY_CHAT; // instance of the theme
LMChatAppearanceRequest lmChatAppearanceRequest = null;
String domain = "ENTER YOUR DOMAIN NAME"; // domain of the app
boolean enablePushNotifications = false; // enable or disable push notifications
String deviceId = null; // device id of the user
boolean shareLogsWithLM = true;
List<ConversationState> excludeConversationStates = new ArrayList<>();

LMChatCore.INSTANCE.setup(
    application,
    lmChatTheme,
    lmChatCoreCallback,
    lmChatAppearanceRequest,
    domain,
    enablePushNotifications,
    deviceId,
    shareLogsWithLM,
    excludeConversationStates
);

Step 3 - Initiate User Session

After setting up LMChatCore, you need to initiate a user session. This step is crucial for identifying users in your chat system.

Kotlin

val apiKey = "ENTER YOUR API KEY" // api key generated from the dashboard
val userName = "ENTER USER NAME" // name of the user
val userId = "ENTER USER ID" // id of the user
val context = this // instance of context

val successCallback = { response : UserResponse? ->
    // user session initiated successfully, write your logic here
    Unit
} // callback triggered when the initiate user call is successful

val failureCallback = { errorMessage ->
    Log.e("Example", errorMessage)
    Unit
} // callback triggered when the initiate user call fails

LMChatCore.showChat(
    context = context,
    apiKey = apiKey,
    uuid = userId,
    userName = userName,
    success = successCallback,
    error = failureCallback
)

Java

String apiKey = "ENTER YOUR API KEY"; // api key generated from the dashboard
String userId = "ENTER USER ID"; // id of the user
String userName = "ENTER USER NAME"; // name of the user
Context context = this;

LMChatCore.INSTANCE.showChat(
    context,
    apiKey,
    userId,
    userName,
    (UserResponse response) -> {
        // callback triggered when the initiate user call is successful, write your logic here
        return null;
    },
    (String error) -> {
        // callback triggered when the initiate user call fails
        Log.e("Example", error);
        return null;
    }
);

tip

For enhanced security, you can use Server Side User Authentication to initiate user sessions through your own server.

Step 4 - Navigate to Chat

Once you have initiated the user session, you can navigate the user to your Chat in the successCallback passed to LMChatCore.showChat(). LikeMinds provides various Chat Themes that you can implement using the following code:

info

This step is not required in AI Chatbot Theme. Navigate to Step 5 to continue.

Community Chat

Kotlin

// pass this successCallback to LMChatCore.showChat()
val successCallback = { response : UserResponse? ->
    // inflate community chat fragment in your activity
    val containerViewId = R.id.frame_layout
    val fragment = CommunityChatFragment.getInstance()

    val transaction = supportFragmentManager.beginTransaction()
    transaction.replace(containerViewId, fragment, containerViewId.toString())
    transaction.commit()
    Unit
} // callback triggered when the initiate user call is successful

Java

// pass this callback to LMChatCore.showChat()
(UserResponse response) -> {
    // inflate community chat fragment in your activity
    try {
        getSupportFragmentManager().beginTransaction().replace(R.id.frame_layout, CommunityChatFragment.getInstance()).commit();
    } catch (Exception e) {
        throw new RuntimeException(e);
    }
    // callback triggered when the initiate user call is successful, write your logic here
    return null;
}

Networking Chat

Kotlin

// pass this successCallback to LMChatCore.showChat()
val successCallback = { response : UserResponse? ->
    // inflate networking chat fragment in your activity
    val containerViewId = R.id.frame_layout
    val fragment = NetworkingChatFragment.getInstance()

    val transaction = supportFragmentManager.beginTransaction()
    transaction.replace(containerViewId, fragment, containerViewId.toString())
    transaction.commit()
    Unit
} // callback triggered when the initiate user call is successful

Java

// pass this callback to LMChatCore.showChat()
(UserResponse response) -> {
    // inflate community chat fragment in your activity
    try {
        getSupportFragmentManager().beginTransaction().replace(R.id.frame_layout, NetworkingChatFragment.Companion.getInstance(null)).commit();
    } catch (Exception e) {
        throw new RuntimeException(e);
    }
    // callback triggered when the initiate user call is successful, write your logic here
    return null;
}

info

By default, only Members to Community Managers and vice versa direct messages are allowed. To enable direct messages for all Members, enable Members can DM other members from LikeMinds Dashboard's Chat Setting Section.

Community Hybrid Chat

Kotlin

// pass this successCallback to LMChatCore.showChat()
val successCallback = { response : UserResponse? ->
    // inflate community hybrid chat fragment in your activity
    val containerViewId = R.id.frame_layout
    val fragment = CommunityHybridChatFragment.getInstance()

    val transaction = supportFragmentManager.beginTransaction()
    transaction.replace(containerViewId, fragment, containerViewId.toString())
    transaction.commit()
    Unit
} // callback triggered when the initiate user call is successful

Java

// pass this callback to LMChatCore.showChat()
(UserResponse response) -> {
    // inflate community hybrid chat fragment in your activity
    try {
        getSupportFragmentManager().beginTransaction().replace(R.id.frame_layout, CommunityHybridChatFragment.Companion.getInstance()).commit();
    } catch (Exception e) {
        throw new RuntimeException(e);
    }
    // callback triggered when the initiate user call is successful, write your logic here
    return null;
}

info

By default, only Members to Community Managers and vice versa direct messages are allowed. To enable direct messages for all Members, enable Members can DM other members from LikeMinds Dashboard's Chat Setting Section.

Step 5 - Add Chatbot Button to your Screen (Optional)

note

Add AI Assitant to LikeMinds: Follow this tutorial to add Assistant to LikeMinds Dashboard, before proceeding with this step.

Add AI Chatbot Button to your Screen

If you're using the AI Chatbot theme, you can add a FAB using LMChatAIBotButton in your screen's XML:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout 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="match_parent">

    <com.likeminds.chatmm.aichatbot.LMChatAIBotButton
        android:id="@+id/btn_ai_chatbot"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginEnd="16dp"
        android:layout_marginBottom="16dp"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" />

</androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>

Start User Session and Start AI Chatbot

Then, initiate the user session in your Activity or Fragment:

Kotlin

val apiKey = "ENTER YOUR API KEY" // api key generated from the dashboard
val userName = "ENTER USER NAME" // name of the user
val userId = "ENTER USER ID" // id of the user

findViewById<LMChatAIBotButton>(R.id.btn_ai_chatbot).setChatAIButtonProps(
    LMChatAIBotButtonProps.Builder()
        .uuid(userId)
        .apiKey(apiKey)
        .userName(userName)
        .build()
)

Java

String apiKey = "ENTER YOUR API KEY"; // api key generated from the dashboard
String userId = "ENTER USER ID"; // id of the user
String userName = "ENTER USER NAME"; // name of the user

((LMChatAIBotButton) findViewById(R.id.btn_ai_chatbot)).setChatAIButtonProps(
    new LMChatAIBotButtonProps.Builder()
            .uuid(userId)
            .apiKey(apiKey)
            .userName(userName)
            .build()
);

tip

For enhanced security, you can use Server Side User Authentication to initiate user sessions through your own server.

That's it! You have successfully integrated the LikeMinds Chat SDK into your Android application. The next step would be to explore additional customization options or configurations provided by the SDK to tailor the chat to your application's needs.