Message UI

The Message UI component consumes the MessageContext and handles the display and functionality for an individual message in a message list. The Message UI component is typically a combination of subcomponents that each consume context and are responsible for one aspect of a message (ex: text or reactions).

Each message list component renders with a default Message UI component. If you don’t supply a custom component, component MessageSimple will be used by default.

Basic Usage

Example 1 - Add Message UI component to MessageList.

To use your own Message UI component in the standard MessageList, utilize the Message prop on either the Channel, MessageList or Thread component. Adding the prop to Channel will inject your component into the ComponentContext and adding to MessageList or Thread will override any value stored in context. So if both props are added, the value delivered to MessageList will take precedence.

const CustomMessage = () => {
  // consume `MessageContext` and render custom component here
};

<Chat client={client}>
  <Channel channel={channel} Message={CustomMessage}>
    <MessageList />
    <MessageInput />
  </Channel>
</Chat>;

Example 2 - Add Message UI component to VirtualizedMessageList.

To use your own Message UI component in the VirtualizedMessageList, utilize either the VirtualMessage prop on Channel or the Message prop on VirtualizedMessageList. Up to the SDK version v10.0.0, FixedHeightMessage was the default message component in Thread. The component is still available in the SDK, but is not used as a default anymore. Adding the prop to Channel will inject your component into the ComponentContext and adding to VirtualizedMessageList will override any value stored in context. So if both props are added, the value delivered to VirtualizedMessageList will take precedence.

const CustomMessage = () => {
  // consume `MessageContext` and render custom component here
};

<Chat client={client}>
  <Channel channel={channel} VirtualMessage={CustomMessage}>
    <VirtualizedMessageList />
    <MessageInput />
  </Channel>
</Chat>;

UI Customization

MessageSimple and FixedHeightMessage are both designed to be guides to help build a custom Message UI component. At a high level, these pre-built, default components wrap a subset of composable components that each serve specific logic and design-based purposes.

If we strip MessageSimple down to its core pieces, the component resembles the following snippet:

<div>
  <MessageStatus />
  <Avatar />
  <div>
    <MessageOptions />
    <div>
      <ReactionsList />
      <ReactionSelector />
    </div>
    <div>
      <Attachment />
      <MessageText />
      <MML />
      <MessageErrorIcon />
    </div>
  </div>
  <MessageRepliesCountButton />
  <div>
    <MessageTimestamp />
  </div>
</div>

We recommend building a Message UI component in a similar way. You can mix and match any of the UI subcomponents and arrange in a layout that meets your design specifications. All of these UI subcomponents are exported by the library and may be used within your custom Message UI component. Each subcomponent consumes the MessageContext and requires no/minimal props to run.

For a detailed example, review the Message UI Customization example.

Message options

The default message UI component renders 3 option buttons next to the message content in the main message list:

button to open message actions drop-down menu - message actions box
button to open thread
button to open reaction selector

In thread button opening thread is omitted.

Message actions box

The drop-down menu contains a default list of actions that are enabled for a message. These are determined by the permissions the user has. On the other hand, it is also possible to specify own custom actions. This will lead to adding more items into the drop-down menu.

Props

All Message UI props are optional overrides of the values stored in the MessageContext. As you build your own custom component, we recommend pulling the necessary data from context using the useMessageContext custom hook. However, if you choose to develop upon our pre-built, default MessageSimple component, you may encounter a situation where you wish to override a single prop, so all options are detailed below.

actionsEnabled

If true, actions such as edit, delete, flag, etc. are enabled on the message (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
boolean	true

additionalMessageInputProps

Additional props to be passed to the underlying MessageInput component that’s rendered while editing (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type
object

autoscrollToBottom

Call this function to keep message list scrolled to the bottom when the message list container scroll height increases (only available in the VirtualizedMessageList). An example use case: upon user’s interaction with the application, a new element appears below the last message. In order to keep the newly rendered content visible, the autoscrollToBottom function can be called. The container, however, is not scrolled to the bottom, if already scrolled up more than 4px from the bottom.

You can even use the function to keep the container scrolled to the bottom while images are loading:

const Image = (props: ImageProps) => {
  ...
  const { autoscrollToBottom } = useMessageContext();
  ...

  return (
    <img
      ...
      onLoad={autoscrollToBottom}
      ...
    />
  );
};

Type
() => void

clearEditingState

When called, this function will exit the editing state on the message (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type
(event?: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => void

customMessageActions

An object containing custom message actions (key) and function handlers (value) (overrides the value stored in MessageContext). The key is used as a display text inside the button. Therefore, it should not be cryptic but rather bear the end user in mind when formulating it.

const customActions = {
  "Copy text": (message) => {
    navigator.clipboard.writeText(message.text || "");
  },
};

<MessageList customMessageActions={customActions} />;

Custom action item “Copy text” in the message actions box:

Type
object

editing

If true, the message toggles to an editing state (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
boolean	false

formatDate

Overrides the default date formatting logic, has access to the original date object (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type
(date: Date) => string

getMessageActions

Function that returns an array of the allowed actions on a message by the currently connected user (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type
() => MessageActionsArray

groupByUser

If true, group messages sent by each user (only used in the VirtualizedMessageList).

Type	Default
boolean	false

groupStyles

An array of potential styles to apply to a grouped message (ex: top, bottom, single) (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type	Options
string[]	” \| ‘middle’ \| ‘top’ \| ‘bottom’ \| ‘single’

handleAction

Function that calls an action on a message (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(dataOrName?: string \| FormData, value?: string, event?: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void>	MessageContextValue[‘handleAction’]

handleDelete

Function that removes a message from the current channel (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘handleDelete’]

handleEdit

Function that edits a message (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘handleEdit’]

handleFetchReactions

Function that loads the reactions for a message (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘handleFetchReactions’]

This function limits the number of loaded reactions to 1200. To customize this behavior, you can pass a custom ReactionsList component.

handleFlag

Function that flags a message (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘handleFlag’]

handleMarkUnread

Function that marks the message and all the following messages as unread in a channel. (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘handleMarkUnread’]

handleMute

Function that mutes the sender of a message (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘handleMute’]

handleOpenThread

Function that opens a Thread on a message (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘handleOpenThread’]

handlePin

Function that pins a message in the current channel (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘handlePin’]

handleReaction

Function that adds a reaction on a message (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘handleReaction’]

handleRetry

Function that retries sending a message after a failed request (overrides the function stored in ChannelActionContext).

Type	Default
(message: StreamMessage) => Promise<void>	ChannelActionContextValue[‘retrySendMessage’]

initialMessage

When true, signifies the message is the parent message in a thread list (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
boolean	false

isMyMessage

Function that returns whether a message belongs to the current user (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type
() => boolean

isReactionEnabled (deprecated)

If true, sending reactions is enabled in the currently active channel (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
boolean	true

lastReceivedId

The latest message ID in the current channel (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type
string

message

The StreamChat message object, which provides necessary data to the underlying UI components (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type
object

messageListRect

DOMRect object linked to the parent MessageList component (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type
DOMRect

mutes

An array of users that have been muted by the connected user (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
Mute[]	ChannelStateContext[‘mutes’]

onMentionsClickMessage

Function that runs on click of an @mention in a message (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘onMentionsClickMessage’]

onMentionsHoverMessage

Function that runs on hover of an @mention in a message (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘onMentionsHoverMessage’]

onUserClick

Function that runs on click of a user avatar (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘onUserClick’]

onUserHover

Function that runs on hover of a user avatar (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void	MessageContextValue[‘onUserHover’]

pinPermissions

The user roles allowed to pin messages in various channel types (deprecated in favor of channelCapabilities).

Type	Default
object	defaultPinPermissions

readBy

An array of users that have read the current message (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type
array

renderText

Custom function to render message text content (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
function	renderText

setEditingState

Function to toggle the editing state on a message (overrides the function stored in MessageContext).

Type
(event: React.BaseSyntheticEvent) => Promise<void> \| void

threadList

If true, indicates that the current MessageList component is part of a Thread (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
boolean	false

unsafeHTML

If true, renders HTML instead of markdown. Posting HTML is only supported server-side (overrides the value stored in MessageContext).

Type	Default
boolean	false

Message Hooks

renderText function