Ringing

Quick Reference for AI Agents & Developers

import { CometChat } from '@cometchat/chat-sdk-react-native';
import { CometChatCalls } from '@cometchat/calls-sdk-react-native';

// Chat SDK = signaling. Calls SDK = media.
const call = new CometChat.Call(uid, CometChat.CALL_TYPE.VIDEO, CometChat.RECEIVER_TYPE.USER);
await CometChat.initiateCall(call);                       // ring them

CometChat.addCallListener('LISTENER_ID', new CometChat.CallListener({
  onIncomingCallReceived: (call) => { /* show your accept/reject UI */ },
}));

const accepted = await CometChat.acceptCall(sessionId);   // on accept
const { token } = await CometChatCalls.generateToken(accepted.getSessionId());
// → render <CometChatCalls.Component callToken={token} />

Two teardowns: CometChat.removeCallListener(id) and the Calls-SDK listener + leaveSession()
Unanswered calls cancel after 45s by default — initiateCall(call, timeoutInSeconds) to change it
⚠️ This rings the callee only while their app is open — waking a closed app needs VoIP Calling
Testing ringing needs two live clients on separate devices

Implement incoming and outgoing call notifications using the CometChat Chat SDK’s calling features. The Calls SDK handles the actual call session, while the Chat SDK manages call signaling.

Ringing functionality requires the CometChat Chat SDK (@cometchat/chat-sdk-react-native) for call signaling. The Calls SDK is used for the actual call session.

Prerequisites

CometChat Chat SDK integrated
CometChat Calls SDK integrated
Push notifications configured (for background calls)

Initiate a Call

Use the Chat SDK to initiate a call:

import { CometChat } from '@cometchat/chat-sdk-react-native';

async function initiateCall(receiverId: string, callType: string, receiverType: string) {
  const call = new CometChat.Call(receiverId, callType, receiverType);

  try {
    const outgoingCall = await CometChat.initiateCall(call);
    console.log('Call initiated:', outgoingCall);
    return outgoingCall;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error initiating call:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

// Initiate a video call to a user
initiateCall('user_uid', CometChat.CALL_TYPE.VIDEO, CometChat.RECEIVER_TYPE.USER);

// Initiate an audio call to a group
initiateCall('group_guid', CometChat.CALL_TYPE.AUDIO, CometChat.RECEIVER_TYPE.GROUP);

By default, an unanswered call automatically cancels after 45 seconds. You can customize this duration by passing an optional timeout parameter (in seconds) as the second argument to initiateCall().

import { CometChat } from '@cometchat/chat-sdk-react-native';

// Initiate a video call to a user with a 60-second timeout
const userCall = new CometChat.Call('user_uid', CometChat.CALL_TYPE.VIDEO, CometChat.RECEIVER_TYPE.USER);

CometChat.initiateCall(userCall, 60).then(
  (outgoingCall) => {
    console.log('Call initiated with 60s timeout:', outgoingCall);
  },
  (error) => {
    console.error('Call initiation failed:', error);
  }
);

// Initiate an audio call to a group with a 60-second timeout
const groupCall = new CometChat.Call('group_guid', CometChat.CALL_TYPE.AUDIO, CometChat.RECEIVER_TYPE.GROUP);

CometChat.initiateCall(groupCall, 60).then(
  (outgoingCall) => {
    console.log('Call initiated with 60s timeout:', outgoingCall);
  },
  (error) => {
    console.error('Call initiation failed:', error);
  }
);

Parameter	Type	Description
`call`	`Call`	The call object created with receiver ID, call type, and receiver type.
`timeout`	`number`	Optional. The ringing duration in seconds before an unanswered call is automatically cancelled. Default: `45`.

Listen for Incoming Calls

import { CometChat } from '@cometchat/chat-sdk-react-native';

const listenerId = 'unique_listener_id';

CometChat.addCallListener(
  listenerId,
  new CometChat.CallListener({
    onIncomingCallReceived: (call) => {
      console.log('Incoming call:', call);
      // Show incoming call UI
    },
    onOutgoingCallAccepted: (call) => {
      console.log('Call accepted:', call);
      // Start the call session
    },
    onOutgoingCallRejected: (call) => {
      console.log('Call rejected:', call);
      // Handle rejection
    },
    onIncomingCallCancelled: (call) => {
      console.log('Call cancelled:', call);
      // Dismiss incoming call UI
    },
    onCallEndedMessageReceived: (call) => {
      console.log('Call ended:', call);
      // Handle call end
    },
  })
);

// Remove listener when done
CometChat.removeCallListener(listenerId);

Accept a Call

Accept an incoming call:

async function acceptCall(sessionId: string) {
  try {
    const call = await CometChat.acceptCall(sessionId);
    console.log('Call accepted:', call);
    // Start the call session with Calls SDK
    return call;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error accepting call:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Reject a Call

Reject an incoming call:

async function rejectCall(sessionId: string, status: string) {
  try {
    const call = await CometChat.rejectCall(sessionId, status);
    console.log('Call rejected:', call);
    return call;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error rejecting call:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

// Reject with status
rejectCall(sessionId, CometChat.CALL_STATUS.REJECTED);

// Mark as busy
rejectCall(sessionId, CometChat.CALL_STATUS.BUSY);

End a Call

End an ongoing call:

async function endCall(sessionId: string) {
  try {
    // End the call session
    CometChatCalls.leaveSession();
    
    // Notify other participants via Chat SDK
    const call = await CometChat.endCall(sessionId);
    console.log('Call ended:', call);
    return call;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error ending call:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Start Call Session After Accept

After accepting a call, start the Calls SDK session:

import { CometChatCalls } from '@cometchat/calls-sdk-react-native';

async function startCallSession(call: any) {
  const sessionId = call.getSessionId();
  
  try {
    // Generate token for the session
    const { token } = await CometChatCalls.generateToken(sessionId);
    
    // Create session settings
    const isAudioOnly = call.getType() === CometChat.CALL_TYPE.AUDIO;
    
    const sessionSettings = {
      sessionType: isAudioOnly ? 'VOICE' : 'VIDEO',
    } as const;
    
    // Subscribe to session events; addEventListener returns an unsubscribe function
    const unsubscribe = CometChatCalls.addEventListener('onSessionLeft', () => {
      console.log('Call ended');
    });
    
    return { token, sessionSettings, unsubscribe };
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error starting call session:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Complete Example

import React, { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from 'react';
import { View, Text, TouchableOpacity, StyleSheet, Modal } from 'react-native';
import { CometChat } from '@cometchat/chat-sdk-react-native';
import { CometChatCalls } from '@cometchat/calls-sdk-react-native';

interface Call {
  getSessionId: () => string;
  getType: () => string;
  getSender: () => { getName: () => string };
}

function CallManager({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
  const [incomingCall, setIncomingCall] = useState<Call | null>(null);
  const [activeCall, setActiveCall] = useState<{
    token: string;
    sessionSettings: any;
  } | null>(null);

  useEffect(() => {
    const listenerId = 'call_manager_listener';

    CometChat.addCallListener(
      listenerId,
      new CometChat.CallListener({
        onIncomingCallReceived: (call: Call) => {
          setIncomingCall(call);
        },
        onOutgoingCallAccepted: async (call: Call) => {
          await startSession(call);
        },
        onOutgoingCallRejected: () => {
          setActiveCall(null);
        },
        onIncomingCallCancelled: () => {
          setIncomingCall(null);
        },
        onCallEndedMessageReceived: () => {
          setActiveCall(null);
          setIncomingCall(null);
        },
      })
    );

    return () => {
      CometChat.removeCallListener(listenerId);
    };
  }, []);

  const startSession = async (call: Call) => {
    try {
      const sessionId = call.getSessionId();
      const { token } = await CometChatCalls.generateToken(sessionId);
      
      const isAudioOnly = call.getType() === CometChat.CALL_TYPE.AUDIO;
      
      const sessionSettings = {
        sessionType: isAudioOnly ? 'VOICE' : 'VIDEO',
      } as const;

      // Clear active call when the session is left
      CometChatCalls.addEventListener('onSessionLeft', () => {
        setActiveCall(null);
      });

      setActiveCall({ token, sessionSettings });
      setIncomingCall(null);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Error starting session:', error);
    }
  };

  const handleAccept = async () => {
    if (!incomingCall) return;
    
    try {
      const call = await CometChat.acceptCall(incomingCall.getSessionId());
      await startSession(call);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Error accepting call:', error);
    }
  };

  const handleReject = async () => {
    if (!incomingCall) return;
    
    try {
      await CometChat.rejectCall(
        incomingCall.getSessionId(),
        CometChat.CALL_STATUS.REJECTED
      );
      setIncomingCall(null);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Error rejecting call:', error);
    }
  };

  const handleEndCall = async () => {
    if (!activeCall) return;
    
    CometChatCalls.leaveSession();
    setActiveCall(null);
  };

  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      {children}

      {/* Incoming Call Modal */}
      <Modal visible={!!incomingCall} transparent animationType="slide">
        <View style={styles.modalOverlay}>
          <View style={styles.incomingCallCard}>
            <Text style={styles.callerName}>
              {incomingCall?.getSender().getName()}
            </Text>
            <Text style={styles.callType}>
              Incoming {incomingCall?.getType()} call
            </Text>
            <View style={styles.callActions}>
              <TouchableOpacity
                style={[styles.callButton, styles.rejectButton]}
                onPress={handleReject}
              >
                <Text style={styles.buttonText}>Decline</Text>
              </TouchableOpacity>
              <TouchableOpacity
                style={[styles.callButton, styles.acceptButton]}
                onPress={handleAccept}
              >
                <Text style={styles.buttonText}>Accept</Text>
              </TouchableOpacity>
            </View>
          </View>
        </View>
      </Modal>

      {/* Active Call */}
      {activeCall && (
        <Modal visible={true} animationType="slide">
          <View style={styles.callContainer}>
            <CometChatCalls.Component
              callToken={activeCall.token}
              sessionSettings={activeCall.sessionSettings}
            />
          </View>
        </Modal>
      )}
    </View>
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
  },
  modalOverlay: {
    flex: 1,
    backgroundColor: 'rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)',
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
  },
  incomingCallCard: {
    backgroundColor: '#1a1a1a',
    borderRadius: 20,
    padding: 30,
    alignItems: 'center',
    width: '80%',
  },
  callerName: {
    color: '#fff',
    fontSize: 24,
    fontWeight: '600',
    marginBottom: 8,
  },
  callType: {
    color: '#999',
    fontSize: 16,
    marginBottom: 30,
  },
  callActions: {
    flexDirection: 'row',
    gap: 20,
  },
  callButton: {
    paddingHorizontal: 30,
    paddingVertical: 15,
    borderRadius: 30,
  },
  rejectButton: {
    backgroundColor: '#ff4444',
  },
  acceptButton: {
    backgroundColor: '#22c55e',
  },
  buttonText: {
    color: '#fff',
    fontSize: 16,
    fontWeight: '600',
  },
  callContainer: {
    flex: 1,
    backgroundColor: '#000',
  },
});

export default CallManager;

VoIP Calling - Push notifications for calls
Join Session - Start call sessions
Background Handling - Handle background calls

Overview

Getting Started

Call Session

Features

Advanced

Migration Guide

Resources

Prerequisites

Initiate a Call

Listen for Incoming Calls

Accept a Call

Reject a Call

End a Call

Start Call Session After Accept

Complete Example

​Prerequisites

​Initiate a Call

​Listen for Incoming Calls

​Accept a Call

​Reject a Call

​End a Call

​Start Call Session After Accept

​Complete Example

​Related Documentation

Prerequisites

Initiate a Call

Listen for Incoming Calls

Accept a Call

Reject a Call

End a Call

Start Call Session After Accept

Complete Example

Related Documentation