# Channel
You can set up a self-contained chat screen that displays a list of messages and gives users the ability to send messages by using one of the following components:
- `ChannelFragment`: A Fragment that represents a self-contained chat screen.
- `ChannelActivity`: An Activity that is just a thin wrapper around `ChannelFragment`.
The `ChannelFragment` contains these three inner components:
- [`ChannelHeaderView`](/chat/docs/sdk/android/ui/message-components/channel-header/): Displays a navigation icon, the name of the channel or thread and the channel avatar.
- [`MessageListView`](/chat/docs/sdk/android/ui/message-components/message-list/): Shows a list of paginated messages, with threads, replies, reactions and deleted messages.
- [`MessageComposerView`](/chat/docs/sdk/android/ui/message-components/message-composer/): Allows users to participate in the chat by sending messages and attachments.
Fragments and Activities representing self-contained screens are easy to use. They allow you to explore the features of our SDK quickly; however, they offer limited customization.
## Usage
To use the message list screen, you can simply start `ChannelActivity` from the SDK:
```kotlin
context.startActivity(ChannelActivity.createIntent(context, cid = "messaging:123"))
```
```java
context.startActivity(ChannelActivity.createIntent(context, "messaging:123"));
```
This single line of code will produce a fully working solution, as shown in the image below.
|  |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Alternatively, you can achieve the same result by adding `ChannelFragment` from the SDK to your Fragment or Activity:
```xml
```
```kotlin
class MyChannelActivity : AppCompatActivity(R.layout.fragment_container) {
override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
if (savedInstanceState == null) {
val fragment = ChannelFragment.newInstance(cid = "messaging:123") {
showHeader(true)
}
supportFragmentManager.beginTransaction()
.replace(R.id.container, fragment)
.commit()
}
}
}
```
```java
public final class MyChannelActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
public MyChannelActivity() {
super(R.layout.fragment_container);
}
@Override
protected void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
if (savedInstanceState == null) {
ChannelFragment fragment = ChannelFragment.newInstance("messaging:123", builder -> {
builder.showHeader(true);
return Unit.INSTANCE;
});
getSupportFragmentManager().beginTransaction()
.replace(R.id.container, fragment)
.commit();
}
}
}
```
Next, let's see how to handle actions on the screen.
## Handling Actions
To handle actions supported by `ChannelFragment`, you need to implement corresponding click listeners in the parent Fragment or Activity:
```kotlin
class MyChannelActivity : AppCompatActivity(R.layout.fragment_container), ChannelFragment.BackPressListener {
override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
// Add ChannelFragment to the layout
}
override fun onBackPress() {
// Handle back press
}
}
```
```java
public final class MyChannelActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements ChannelFragment.BackPressListener {
public MyChannelActivity() {
super(R.layout.fragment_container);
}
@Override
protected void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
// Add ChannelFragment to the layout
}
@Override
public void onBackPress() {
// Handle back press
}
}
```
Currently, there is only a single click listener you can use with the `ChannelFragment`:
- `BackPressListener`: Click listener for the navigation button in the header. Finishes Activity by default.
## Customization
The message list screen component offers limited customization. The `ChannelFragment` exposes a builder with the following methods:
- `setFragment`: Sets custom message list Fragment. The Fragment must be a subclass of `ChannelFragment`.
- `customTheme`: Custom theme for the screen.
- `showHeader`: Whether the header is shown or hidden.
- `messageId`: The ID of the message to highlight.
Additionally, you can use inheritance for further customization as shown in the example below:
```kotlin
class CustomChannelFragment : ChannelFragment() {
override fun setupChannelHeader(channelHeaderView: ChannelHeaderView) {
super.setupChannelHeader(channelHeaderView)
// Customize channel header view
// For example, set a custom listener for the back button
channelHeaderView.setBackButtonClickListener {
// Handle back press
}
}
override fun setupMessageList(messageListView: MessageListView) {
super.setupMessageList(messageListView)
// Customize message list view
}
override fun setupMessageComposer(messageComposerView: MessageComposerView) {
super.setupMessageComposer(messageComposerView)
// Customize message composer view
}
}
class CustomChannelActivity : ChannelActivity() {
override fun createChannelFragment(cid: String, messageId: String?): ChannelFragment {
return ChannelFragment.newInstance(cid) {
setFragment(CustomChannelFragment())
customTheme(R.style.StreamUiTheme)
showHeader(true)
messageId(messageId)
}
}
}
```
```java
public final class CustomChannelFragment extends ChannelFragment {
@Override
protected void setupChannelHeader(@NonNull ChannelHeaderView channelHeaderView) {
super.setupChannelHeader(channelHeaderView);
// Customize channel header view
// For example, set a custom listener for the back button
channelHeaderView.setBackButtonClickListener(() -> {
// Handle back press
});
}
@Override
protected void setupMessageList(@NonNull MessageListView messageListView) {
super.setupMessageList(messageListView);
// Customize message list view
}
@Override
protected void setupMessageComposer(@NonNull MessageComposerView messageComposerView) {
super.setupMessageComposer(messageComposerView);
// Customize message composer view
}
}
public final class CustomChannelActivity extends ChannelActivity {
@NonNull
@Override
protected ChannelFragment createChannelFragment(@NonNull String cid, @Nullable String messageId) {
return ChannelFragment.newInstance(cid, builder -> {
builder.setFragment(new CustomChannelFragment());
builder.customTheme(R.style.StreamUiTheme);
builder.showHeader(true);
builder.messageId(messageId);
return Unit.INSTANCE;
});
}
}
```
Then you need to add `CustomChannelActivity` to your `AndroidManifest.xml`, create an Intent for it using the `ChannelActivity.createIntent()` method, and finally start the Activity:
```kotlin
context.startActivity(
ChannelActivity.createIntent(
context = context,
cid = "messaging:123",
activityClass = CustomChannelActivity::class.java
)
)
```
```java
context.startActivity(ChannelActivity.createIntent(context, "messaging:123", null, CustomChannelActivity.class));
```
Fragments and Activities representing self-contained screens can be styled using the options described in the [theming](/chat/docs/sdk/android/ui/general-customization/theming/) guide.
---
This page was last updated at 2026-06-09T15:44:04.705Z.
For the most recent version of this documentation, visit [https://getstream.io/chat/docs/sdk/android/ui/message-components/message-list-screen/](https://getstream.io/chat/docs/sdk/android/ui/message-components/message-list-screen/).