Configuration API for Java SDK

Breaking changes in v9.0.0

PubNub Java SDK version 9.0.0 unifies the codebases for Java and Kotlin SDKs, introduces a new way of instantiating the PubNub client, and changes asynchronous API callbacks and emitted status events. These changes can impact applications built with previous versions (< 9.0.0) of the Java SDK.

For more details about what has changed, refer to Java/Kotlin SDK migration guide.

Java complete API reference for building real-time applications on PubNub, including basic usage and sample code.

Configuration

PNConfiguration instance is storage for user-provided information which describe further PubNub client behavior. Configuration instance contains additional set of properties which allow performing precise PubNub client configuration.

Immutable configuration

Once a configuration object has been passed to the PubNub constructor, you can't change its properties.

If you require changing values dynamically consider using value overrides.

Method(s)

To create configuration instance you can use the following function in the Java SDK:

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

PNConfiguration.builder(userId, subscribeKey).build()

* required

Parameter	Description
`subscribeKey` * Type: String Default: n/a	`subscribeKey` from the Admin Portal.
`publishKey` Type: String Default: n/a	`publishKey` from the Admin Portal (only required if publishing).
`secretKey` Type: String Default: n/a	`secretKey` (only required for access operations, keep away from Android).
`logVerbosity` Type: PNLogVerbosity Default: `PNLogVerbosity.NONE`	Set `PNLogVerbosity.BODY` to enable debugging. To disable debugging use the option `PNLogVerbosity.NONE`
`cacheBusting` Type: Boolean Default: n/a	If operating behind a misbehaving proxy, allow the client to shuffle the subdomains.
`secure` Type: Boolean Default: `true`	When `true` `TLS` is enabled.
`connectTimeout` Type: Int Default: `5`	How long before the client gives up trying to connect with the server. The value is in seconds.
`subscribeTimeout` Type: Int Default: `310`	The subscribe request timeout. The value is in seconds.
`nonSubscribeRequestTimeout` Type: Int Default: `10`	For `non subscribe` operations (publish, herenow, etc), this property relates to a read timeout that is applied from the moment the connection between a client and the server has been successfully established. It defines a maximum time of inactivity between two data packets when waiting for the server’s response. The value is in seconds.
`filterExpression` Type: String Default: `Not set`	Feature to subscribe with a custom filter expression.
`heartbeatNotificationOptions` Type: PNHeartbeatNotificationOptions Default: `PNHeartbeatNotificationOptions.FAILURES`	`Heartbeat` notification options. By default, the SDK alerts on failed heartbeats (equivalent to `PNHeartbeatNotificationOptions.FAILURES`). Other options including all heartbeats (`PNHeartbeatNotificationOptions.ALL`) and no heartbeats (`PNHeartbeatNotificationOptions.NONE`) are supported.
`origin` Type: String Default: n/a	Custom `origin` if needed.
`retryConfiguration` Type: `RetryConfiguration` Default: `RetryConfiguration.Exponential` (subscribe only)	Custom reconnection configuration parameters. You can specify one or more endpoint groups for which the retry policy won't be applied. `RetryConfiguration` is the type of policy to be used. Available values: `RetryConfiguration.None.INSTANCE` `RetryConfiguration.Linear(delayInSec, maxRetryNumber, excludedOperations)` `RetryConfiguration.Exponential(minDelayInSec, maxDelayInSec, maxRetryNumber, excludedOperations` `excludedOperations` takes a list of `RetryableEndpointGroup` enums, for example, `RetryableEndpointGroup.SUBSCRIBE`. For more information, refer to SDK connection lifecycle.
`presenceTimeout` Type: Int Default: `300`	Defines how long the server considers the client alive for presence. This property works similarly to the concept of long polling by sending periodic requests to the PubNub server every `300` seconds by default. These requests ensure the client remains active on subscribed channels. If no heartbeat is received within the timeout period, the client is marked inactive, triggering a "timeout" event on the presence channel. The value is in seconds, and the minimum value is `20` seconds.
`heartbeatInterval` Type: `Int` Default: `0`	Specifies how often the client will send heartbeat signals to the server. This property offers more granular control over client activity tracking than `presenceTimeout`. Configure this property to achieve a shorter presence timeout if needed, with the interval typically recommended to be `(presenceTimeout / 2) - 1`. Heartbeats are disabled by default, hence the default value is `0` seconds.
`proxy` Type: Proxy Default: n/a	Instructs the SDK to use a `proxy` configuration when communicating with PubNub servers. For more details see this https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/net/Proxy.html
`proxySelector` Type: ProxySelector Default: n/a	Sets Java ProxySelector. For more details, refer to https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/net/ProxySelector.html
`proxyAuthenticator` Type: Authenticator Default: n/a	Sets Java Authenticator. For more details refer to https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/net/Authenticator.html
`googleAppEngineNetworking` Type: Boolean Default: n/a	Enable Google App Engine networking.
`suppressLeaveEvents` Type: Boolean Default: `false`	When `true` the SDK doesn't send out the `leave` requests.
`maintainPresenceState` Type: `Boolean` Default: `true`	Whether the custom presence state information set using `pubnub.setPresenceState()` should be sent every time the SDK sends a subscribe call.
`cryptoModule` Type: `CryptoModule.createAesCbcCryptoModule(cipherKey, useRandomInitializationVector)` `CryptoModule.createLegacyCryptoModule(cipherKey, useRandomInitializationVector)` Default: None	The cryptography module used for encryption and decryption of messages and files. Takes the `cipherKey` and `useRandomInitializationVector` parameters as arguments. For more information, refer to the cryptoModule section.
`includesInstanceIdentifier` Type: Boolean Default: `false`	Whether to include a `PubNubCore.instanceId` with every request.
`includeRequestIdentifier` Type: Boolean Default: `true`	Whether to include a `PubNubCore.requestId` with every request.
`maximumConnections` Type: Int? Default: n/a	Sets max requests per host (okhttp3.Dispatcher.setMaxRequestsPerHost).
`certificatePinner` Type: CertificatePinner Default: n/a	Sets certificate pinner for HTTPS connections.
`httpLoggingInterceptor` Type: HttpLoggingInterceptor Default: n/a	Sets a custom interceptor for logging network traffic.
`sslSocketFactory` Type: SSLSocketFactory Default: n/a	Sets the SSL socket factory for creating SSL sockets.
`x509ExtendedTrustManager` Type: X509ExtendedTrustManager Default: n/a	Sets the SSL trust manager for managing SSL certificates.
`connectionSpec` Type: ConnectionSpec Default: n/a	Sets the specifications for making connections (ConnectionSpec).
`hostnameVerifier` Type: HostnameVerifier Default: n/a	Manages the verification of the hostnames.
`fileMessagePublishRetryLimit` Type: Int Default: `5`	Specifies how many times publishing file messages should automatically retry before failing.
`dedupOnSubscribe` Type: Boolean Default: n/a	Enables deduplication on subscribe.
`maximumMessagesCacheSize` Type: Int Default: n/a	Sets the maximum size of messages cache.
`pnsdkSuffixes` Type: `Map<String,String>` Default: n/a	Adds custom suffixes to the SDK version info.
`managePresenceListManually` Type: Boolean Default: n/a	Enables explicit presence control when set to true, affecting heartbeat and presence behavior.
~~`authKey`~~ Type: ~~String~~ Default: ~~`Not set`~~	This parameter is deprecated. Refer to Manage Access to understand the permission authorization flow and to Java Access Manager API for an overview of the API. ~~If Access Manager v2 is utilized, client will use this `authKey` in all restricted requests.~~

`cryptoModule`

cryptoModule provides encrypt/decrypt functionality for messages and files. From the 6.3.6 release on, you can configure how the actual encryption/decryption algorithms work.

Each PubNub SDK is bundled with two ways of encryption: the legacy encryption with 128-bit cipher key entropy and the recommended 256-bit AES-CBC encryption. For more general information on how encryption works, refer to the Message Encryption and File Encryption sections.

If you do not explicitly set the cryptoModule in your app and have the setCipherKey and useRandomInitializationVector params set in PubNub config, the client defaults to using the legacy encryption.

Legacy encryption with 128-bit cipher key entropy

You don't have to change your encryption configuration if you want to keep using the legacy encryption. If you want to use the recommended 256-bit AES-CBC encryption, you must explicitly set that in PubNub config.

`cryptoModule` configuration

To configure the cryptoModule to encrypt all messages/files, you can use the following methods in the Java SDK:

// encrypts using 256-bit AES-CBC cipher (recommended)
// decrypts data encrypted with the legacy and the 256-bit AES-CBC ciphers
pnConfiguration.cryptoModule = CryptoModule.createAesCbcCryptoModule("enigma", true):

// encrypts with 128-bit cipher key entropy (legacy)
// decrypts data encrypted with the legacy and the 256-bit AES-CBC ciphers
pnConfiguration.cryptoModule = CryptoModule.createLegacyCryptoModule("enigma", true);

Your client can decrypt content encrypted using either of the modules. This way, you can interact with historical messages or messages sent from older clients while encoding new messages using the more secure 256-bit AES-CBC cipher.

Older SDK versions

Apps built using the SDK versions lower than 6.3.6 will not be able to decrypt data encrypted using the 256-bit AES-CBC cipher. Make sure to update your clients or encrypt data using the legacy algorithm.

Basic Usage

Reference code

This example is a self-contained code snippet ready to be run. It includes necessary imports and executes methods with console logging. Use it as a reference when working with other examples in this document.

Required UserId

Always set the userId to uniquely identify the user or device that connects to PubNub. This userId should be persisted, and should remain unchanged for the lifetime of the user or the device. If you don't set the userId, you won't be able to connect to PubNub.

import com.pubnub.api.PubNubException;
import com.pubnub.api.crypto.CryptoModule;
import com.pubnub.api.enums.PNLogVerbosity;
import com.pubnub.api.UserId;
import com.pubnub.api.java.PubNub;
import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;
import com.pubnub.api.retry.RetryConfiguration;

public class Configuration {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws PubNubException {
        PNConfiguration.Builder configBuilder = PNConfiguration.builder(new UserId("demoUserId"), "demo");

        // Add necessary configuration
        configBuilder.publishKey("demo");
        configBuilder.logVerbosity(PNLogVerbosity.BODY);
show all 26 lines

Value override

You can provide updated values for certain configuration options for a single request to any supported API with PnConfigurationOverride.from().

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;
import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfigurationOverride;

PNConfiguration.Builder configBuilder = PNConfiguration.builder(new UserId("yourUserId"), "yourSubscribeKey");
configBuilder.publishKey("PublishKey");
configBuilder.cryptoModule(CryptoModule.createAesCbcCryptoModule("enigma", true));
PNConfiguration config = configBuilder.build();

// publish
PNConfiguration overrideConfig = PNConfigurationOverride.from(config)
    .publishKey("overridePublishKey")
    .build(); 

pubnub.publish().channel("myChannel").message("myMessage")
    .overrideConfiguration(overrideConfig).sync();

The configuration options you can override include:

subscribeKey
publishKey
secretKey
retryConfiguration
userId
includeInstanceIdentifier
includeRequestIdentifier
cryptoModule
connectTimeout
nonSubscribeReadTimeout

Initialization

Add PubNub to your project using one of the procedures defined under Getting Started.

Description

This function is used for initializing the PubNub Client API context. This function must be called before attempting to utilize any API functionality in order to establish account level credentials such as publishKey and subscribeKey.

Method(s)

To initialize PubNub you can use the following method(s) in the Java SDK:

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

PNConfiguration.Builder configBuilder = PNConfiguration.builder(new UserId("yourUserId"), "yourSubscribeKey");
PubNub.create(configBuilder.build());

* required

Parameter	Description
`pnConfiguration` * Type: PNConfiguration	Goto Configuration for more details.

Basic Usage

Initialize the PubNub client API

Required UserId

import com.pubnub.api.PubNubException;
import com.pubnub.api.crypto.CryptoModule;
import com.pubnub.api.enums.PNLogVerbosity;
import com.pubnub.api.UserId;
import com.pubnub.api.java.PubNub;
import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;
import com.pubnub.api.retry.RetryConfiguration;

public class ConfigurationOverride {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws PubNubException {
        PNConfiguration.Builder configBuilder = PNConfiguration.builder(new UserId("demoUserId"), "demo");

        // Add necessary configurations
        configBuilder.publishKey("demo");
        configBuilder.logVerbosity(PNLogVerbosity.BODY);
show all 26 lines

Returns

It returns the PubNub instance for invoking PubNub APIs like publish(), subscribe(), history(), hereNow(), etc.

Other Examples

Initialize a non-secure client

Required UserId

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

PNConfiguration.Builder configBuilder = PNConfiguration.builder(new UserId("yourUserId"), "yourSubscribeKey");
configBuilder.secure(false);
PubNub pubNub = PubNub.create(configBuilder.build());

Initialization for a Read-Only client

In the case where a client will only read messages and never publish to a channel, you can simply omit the publishKey when initializing the client:

Required UserId

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

PNConfiguration.Builder configBuilder = PNConfiguration.builder(new UserId("yourUserId"), "yourSubscribeKey");
PubNub pubNub = PubNub.create(configBuilder.build());

Initializing with SSL Enabled

This examples demonstrates how to enable PubNub Transport Layer Encryption with SSL. Just initialize the client with setSecure set to true. The hard work is done, now the PubNub API takes care of the rest. Just subscribe and publish as usual and you are good to go.

Required UserId

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

PNConfiguration.Builder configBuilder = PNConfiguration.builder(new UserId("yourUserId"), "yourSubscribeKey");
configBuilder.secure(true);
PubNub pubNub = PubNub.create(configBuilder.build());

Initializing with Access Manager

Requires Access Manager add-on

This method requires that the Access Manager add-on is enabled for your key in the Admin Portal. Read the support page on enabling add-on features on your keys.

Secure your secretKey

Anyone with the secretKey can grant and revoke permissions to your app. Never let your secretKey be discovered, and to only exchange it / deliver it securely. Only use the secretKey on secure server-side platforms.

When you init with secretKey, you get root permissions for the Access Manager. With this feature you don't have to grant access to your servers to access channel data. The servers get all access on all channels.

For applications that will administer Access Manager permissions, the API is initialized with the secretKey as in the following example:

Required UserId

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

PNConfiguration.Builder configBuilder = PNConfiguration.builder(new UserId("yourUserId"), "yourSubscribeKey");
configBuilder.secure(true);
configBuilder.secretKey("secretKey");
PubNub pubNub = PubNub.create(configBuilder.build());

Now that the pubnub object is instantiated the client will be able to access the Access Manager functions. The pubnub object will use the secretKey to sign all Access Manager messages to the PubNub Network.

How to Set Proxy

Required UserId

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

PNConfiguration.Builder configBuilder = PNConfiguration.builder(new UserId("yourUserId"), "yourSubscribeKey");
configBuilder.publishKey("myPublishKey");
configBuilder.secure(true);
configBuilder.secretKey("secretKey");
configBuilder.proxy(new Proxy(Proxy.Type.HTTP, new InetSocketAddress("http://mydomain.com", 8080)));
PubNub pubNub = PubNub.create(configBuilder.build());

Event Listeners

PubNub SDKs provide several sources for real-time updates:

The PubNub client can receive updates from all subscriptions: all channels, channel groups, channel metadata, and users metadata.
The Subscription object can receive updates only for the particular object for which it was created: channel, channel group, channel metadata, or user.
The SubscriptionsSet object can receive updates for all objects for which a list of subscription objects was created.

To facilitate working with those real-time update sources, PubNub SDKs use local representations of server entities that allow you to subscribe and add handlers on a per-entity basis. For more information, refer to Publish & Subscribe.

UserId

These functions are used to set/get a user ID on the fly.

Method(s)

To set/get userId you can use the following method(s) in Java SDK:

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

pnConfiguration.setUserId(UserId);

* required

Parameter	Description
`UserId` * Type: String Default: n/a	`userId` to be used as a device identifier. If you don't set the `userId`, you won't be able to connect to PubNub.

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

pnConfiguration.getUserId();

This method doesn't take any arguments.

Basic Usage

Set User ID

Required UserId

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

PNConfiguration.Builder configBuilder = PNConfiguration.builder(new UserId("yourUserId"), "yourSubscribeKey");
PubNub pubNub = PubNub.create(configBuilder.build());

Get User ID

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

PNConfiguration.Builder configBuilder = PNConfiguration.builder(new UserId("yourUserId"), "yourSubscribeKey");
PubNub pubNub = PubNub.create(configBuilder.build());

pnConfiguration.getUserId();

Filter Expression

Requires Stream Controller add-on

This method requires that the Stream Controller add-on is enabled for your key in the Admin Portal. Read the support page on enabling add-on features on your keys.

Stream filtering allows a subscriber to apply a filter to only receive messages that satisfy the conditions of the filter. The message filter is set by the subscribing client(s) but it is applied on the server side thus preventing unwanted messages (those that do not meet the conditions of the filter) from reaching the subscriber.

To set or get message filters, you can use the following method. To learn more about filtering, refer to the Publish Messages documentation.

Method(s)

setFilterExpression()
```
import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

pnConfiguration.setFilterExpression(String);
```
* required
Parameter Description
filterExpression *
Type: String
PSV2 feature to subscribe with a custom filter expression

Parameter	Description
`filterExpression` * Type: String	PSV2 feature to `subscribe` with a custom filter expression

getFilterExpression()

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

pnConfiguration.getFilterExpression();

This method doesn't take any arguments.

Basic Usage

Set Filter Expression

Required UserId

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

PNConfiguration pnConfiguration = new PNConfiguration();
pnConfiguration.setFilterExpression("such=wow");

Get Filter Expression

import com.pubnub.api.java.v2.PNConfiguration;

pnConfiguration.getFilterExpression();

Breaking changes in v9.0.0

Configuration​

Immutable configuration

Method(s)​

cryptoModule​

Legacy encryption with 128-bit cipher key entropy

cryptoModule configuration​

Older SDK versions

Basic Usage​

Reference code

Required UserId

Value override​

Initialization​

Description​

Method(s)​

Basic Usage​

Initialize the PubNub client API​

Required UserId

Returns​

Other Examples​

Initialize a non-secure client​

Required UserId

Initialization for a Read-Only client​

Required UserId

Initializing with SSL Enabled​

Required UserId

Initializing with Access Manager​

Requires Access Manager add-on

Secure your secretKey

Required UserId

How to Set Proxy​

Required UserId

Event Listeners​

UserId​

Method(s)​

Basic Usage​

Set User ID​

Required UserId

Get User ID​

Filter Expression​

Requires Stream Controller add-on

Method(s)​

Basic Usage​

Set Filter Expression​

Required UserId

Get Filter Expression​

Configuration

Method(s)

`cryptoModule`

`cryptoModule` configuration

Basic Usage

Value override

Initialization

Description

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Initialize the PubNub client API

Returns

Other Examples

Initialize a non-secure client

Initialization for a Read-Only client

Initializing with SSL Enabled

Initializing with Access Manager

How to Set Proxy

Event Listeners

UserId

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Set User ID

Get User ID

Filter Expression

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Set Filter Expression

Get Filter Expression