--- source_url: https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/overview title: PubNub Chat API & SDK Docs updated_at: 2026-05-19T12:10:11.259Z --- > Documentation Index > For a curated overview of PubNub documentation, see: https://www.pubnub.com/docs/llms.txt > For the full list of all documentation pages, see: https://www.pubnub.com/docs/llms-full.txt # PubNub Chat API & SDK Docs PubNub Chat enables developers to quickly build and scale fast, powerful live chat experiences without the hassle of managing real-time infrastructure, ensuring low latency performance. * Rapid proof of concept: With PubNub's Chat SDKs, you can seamlessly integrate chat room features using pre-built capabilities, sample apps, and expert guidance from our Solutions Architects. * Feature-rich: Create modern, interactive messaging experiences with typing indicators, threaded messages, emoji reactions, read receipts, and more. Easily manage users and channels, and moderate your chat with the no-code BizOps Workspace that serves as your global chat moderator tool. * Unmatched reliability: PubNub offers < 30 ms latency, 5-9’s uptime SLA, and support for millions of concurrent users, providing a scalable, high-performance chat experience. Real-time dashboards offer full visibility and control over your app's performance, whether users are text messaging or engaging in complex chat room activities. * Customizable and flexible: Create unique experiences tailored to your users' needs with user presence, push notifications, and real-time updates. Use PubNub Functions to apply business logic to your messages, or leverage pre-built integrations for content moderation, voice & video, chatbots, and more. Take advantage of a variety of programming languages to fit your development environment. * Scalable pricing: As your app grows, our pricing becomes more cost-effective, with no limits on concurrency or channels, allowing you to scale without worrying about hidden fees. Try for free to discover our platform's full potential. ## Chat SDKs We developed the following set of Chat SDKs to enable easy integration of PubNub's real-time chat functionalities across diverse platforms and development environments: * Website integration ([JavaScript Chat SDK](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/chat-sdk)) * Gaming environments ([Unity Chat SDK](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unity-chat-sdk) & [Unreal Chat SDK](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk)). * Mobile app development ([Swift Chat SDK](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/swift-chat-sdk) & [Kotlin Chat SDK](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/kotlin-chat-sdk)) All Chat APIs use intuitive, chat-specific terminology enabling easy implementation of user interactions such as sending messages, managing threads, and indicating typing status with methods like `createUser()` and `startTyping()`. These SDKs provide simple, high-level methods that call various methods from relevant [core SDKs](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/sdks) underneath, also sharing their [usage limits](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/general/setup/limits). * [JavaScript Chat](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/chat-sdk) * [Unity Chat](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unity-chat-sdk) * [Unreal Engine Chat](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/unreal-chat-sdk) * [Swift Chat](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/swift-chat-sdk) * [Kotlin Chat](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/kotlin-chat-sdk) ##### Core vs Chat **Chat** SDKs offer specialized abstractions for **chat use cases** and provide more intuitive, chat-focused APIs you can add to new or existing applications. **Core** SDKs offer real-time features for **any use case**, such as chat, IoT, logistics, and more. They directly interface with PubNub's real-time network. Explore our Core SDKs [here](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/sdks). ### Repositories * [JavaScript Chat SDK](https://github.com/pubnub/kmp-chat/tree/master/js-chat) * [Kotlin Chat SDK](https://github.com/pubnub/kmp-chat) * [Swift Chat SDK](https://github.com/pubnub/swift-chat-sdk) * [Unity Chat SDK](https://github.com/pubnub/unity-chat) * [Unreal Chat SDK](https://github.com/pubnub/unreal-engine-chat) ### Supported features Chat SDKs provide a number of features you can develop in your chat apps. | Feature | Description | | --- | --- | | **Manage channels** | Create, update, and delete direct, public, and group channels | | **Invite to channels** | Enable users to invite others to join channels by sending invitations | | **Watch channels** | Enable users to monitor a channel and its messages, allowing them to receive messages without joining as members. | | **Join or leave channels** | Allow users to join channels of interest or relevance and leave channels that are no longer needed | | **Reference channels** | Let users mention specific channels in a chat conversation by typing `#` followed by at least the first three letters of the channel name | | **Add typing indicator** | Provide real-time feedback to users when someone is composing a message | | **Manage users** | Create, edit, and remove users | | **Check user presence** | Display real-time online status of users in the app or per channel, showing if they are online, offline, active, or away | | **Mention users** | Tag specific individuals within a chat by typing `@` followed by the first three letters of a username, triggering a list of suggestions | | **Manage channel and user access** | Implement detailed permission schemas to control access to specific channels and user metadata within your chat app | | **Moderate users** | Mute or ban misbehaving users | | **Send/Receive messages** | Allow users to exchange text-based communications in real-time within channels | | **Manage messages** | Create, edit, and remove messages | | **Store historical messages** | Archive past conversations | | **Restore messages** | Recover deleted messages within a specified timeframe | | **Forward messages** | Share specific messages with others or across different channels | | **Add/Remove message actions** | Add or remove actions, such as emojis, to messages | | **Create message drafts** | Enable users to compose messages and review them before sending | | **Quote messages** | Quote messages within channels | | **Create message threads** | Start and participate in focused sub-conversations | | **Send links** | Share URLs in messages | | **Attach files** | Attach and share files of various formats | | **Pin messages** | Pin important messages to the top of the chat for easy reference | | **Track unread messages** | Implement notifications and visual markers for users to easily identify unread messages in channels | | **Get message read receipts** | Be notified when other channel members have received and viewed a message. | | **Flag/Report offensive messages** | Flag or report messages deemed inappropriate | | **Receive mobile push notifications** | Support push notifications on mobile devices to alert users of new messages, mentions, or other significant activities | ## Get started Demos * [Explore real-time demos for Chat.](https://www.pubnub.com/demos/?sortBy=Most%20recent&categories=In-App%20Chat) Sample App * [Run a TypeScript sample Chat app locally.](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/chat/chat-sdk/build/sample-chat#run-the-chat-app) Tutorials * [Start building Chat solutions with PubNub.](https://www.pubnub.com/tutorials/?sortBy=Most%20recent&categories=In-App%20Chat) ## Management tools * [User Management](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/bizops-workspace/user-management) * [Channel Management](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/bizops-workspace/user-management) * [Channel Monitor](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/bizops-workspace/channel-monitor) ## Integrations * [OpenAI GPT](https://www.pubnub.com/integrations/openai/) * [Lasso Moderation](https://www.pubnub.com/integrations/lasso-moderation/) * [Amazon Translate](https://www.pubnub.com/integrations/amazon-translate/) * [Other integrations](https://www.pubnub.com/integrations/?sortBy=Most%20recent&categories=Language,AI)