Real-time chat applications have become a staple in modern mobile apps — whether for social networking, customer support, or collaborative platforms. If you're developing an Android app and need to implement seamless real-time messaging, MirrorFly provides a powerful and customizable SDK to help you get started quickly.
This article will walk you through how to create a real-time chat application in Android using MirrorFly, covering everything from backend integration to UI design and advanced features.
Why Choose MirrorFly for Real-Time Chat?
MirrorFly is a feature-rich communication SDK that allows developers to integrate real-time chat, voice, and video calling into mobile and web apps. Unlike other platforms like PubNub, MirrorFly offers:
- Fully customizable SDK with self-hosted and SaaS options
- End-to-end encryption for secure messaging
- Scalability to support millions of concurrent users
- Offline messaging, push notifications, group chat, media sharing, and more
Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Real-Time Chat App in Android
1. Choose a Backend: Why MirrorFly?
MirrorFly eliminates the need to build a backend from scratch. It provides ready-to-integrate SDKs and APIs for chat, voice, and video capabilities. Depending on your requirements, you can choose:
- Cloud SaaS Solution: Pay-as-you-go model, hosted by MirrorFly
- Self-Hosted SDK: Full control over code and deployment on your own server 👉 Sign up at www.mirrorfly.com to get started and obtain your License Key or SDK credentials.
2. Set Up MirrorFly in Your Android Project
a. Add the SDK to build.gradle
implementation 'com.mirrorfly.sdk:chat-sdk:2.0.0' // Replace with latest version
b. Initialize the SDK
In your Application class or MainActivity:
MirrorFlyCore.initialize(applicationContext, "YOUR_LICENSE_KEY", true)
Replace "YOUR_LICENSE_KEY" with your actual MirrorFly license key.
3. Design the User Interface (UI)
Use standard Android components to create a responsive and real-time chat UI.
Key UI Elements:
- EditText: for typing messages
- Button: for sending messages
- RecyclerView: to display messages in a scrollable list
- TextView/ImageView: to show message content
Structure the layout in XML using ConstraintLayout or LinearLayout for flexibility.
4. Implement User Authentication
User management is built into MirrorFly. You can create and authenticate users via:
a. Register/Login Users
MirrorFlyCore.registerUser("USER_IDENTIFIER", object : CallbackListener<Boolean> {
override fun onSuccess(result: Boolean) {
// Proceed to chat screen
}
override fun onFailure(e: Exception) {
// Handle errors
}
})
You can also integrate your own auth system and map it with MirrorFly user IDs.
5. Sending & Receiving Messages in Real Time
a. Send a Message
ChatManager.sendTextMessage("RECEIVER_ID", "Hello from MirrorFly!", object : MessageListener {
override fun onMessageSent(message: ChatMessage) {
// Update UI
}
override fun onError(e: Exception) {
// Handle error
}
})
MirrorFly ensures real-time delivery, read receipts, and offline sync.
6. Add Advanced Features (Optional)
MirrorFly makes it easy to implement rich messaging features:
📷 Media Sharing
Send images, documents, audio, and video
Upload and render using the SDK’s media support
👥 Group Chats
Create groups
Add/remove members
Manage admin roles
🔔 Push Notifications
Integrate with Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)
Receive notifications for new messages and calls
✍️ Typing Indicators
Show “user is typing” status in real-time
✅ Delivery & Read Receipts
Visual indicators for sent, delivered, and read statuses
Final Thoughts
Building a real-time chat app in Android doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With MirrorFly, you can launch fully functional, scalable, and secure chat features in days instead of months. Whether you're building a simple messaging app or an enterprise-grade communication tool, MirrorFly offers everything you need — from SDKs to APIs, UI kits to backend services.
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