Cometchat Android V6 Migration

Purpose

Migration recipes for moving from CometChat Android UIKit V5 (chat-uikit-android:5.x) to V6 (chatuikit-{compose,kotlin}-android:6.0.+). V6 is stable (GA 2026-05-25) and the recommended target for new apps; existing V5 apps can migrate when ready — there's no forced timeline, and V5 remains supported. This skill covers both the decision and the mechanics.

V6 is a different SDK, not a drop-in replacement. The migration is roughly the size of jumping from React Native UIKit v5 to v6 — package coordinates, builder APIs, theme system, calls handling all change.

Read these other skills first:

• cometchat-android-v5-core — current state baseline
• cometchat-android-v6-core — destination state
• cometchat-android-v6-builder-settings — the new UIKitSettings API in detail
• cometchat-android-v6-{compose,kotlin}-{components,placement,theming,customization} — surface-specific destination skills
• cometchat-android-v6-calls — calls migration (calls SDK is bundled in V6)

Ground truth: Official docs: https://www.cometchat.com/docs/ui-kit/android/v6/overview · Docs MCP: claude mcp add --transport http cometchat-docs https://www.cometchat.com/docs/mcp (or fetch the URL directly without MCP).

• V5 source — installed com.cometchat:chat-uikit-android@5.x artifacts under ~/.gradle/caches/
• V6 source — installed chatuikit-{compose,kotlin}-android@6.0.+ artifacts
• Sister skill — cometchat-flutter-v6-migration (different platform, same migration shape)

1. When to migrate vs stay

Stay on V5 if:

• Your app is in production and stable
• You're not actively shipping new chat features
• You don't need V6's specific additions (Compose-first surface, AI Agent integration, Material 3 theming defaults)
• Your minSdk is 21-27 (V6 requires minSdk 28)

Move to V6 if:

• You're starting a new project
• You're rewriting your existing app's UI to Compose anyway
• You need V6 features that aren't backported to V5 (e.g. some AI Agent components)
• You've validated V6 against your use cases on a sample project first

The dispatcher (cometchat-android-v6) routes by detected version. Both V5 and V6 skill sets ship in npx @cometchat/skills add --family android — the migration here lives under V6 because that's the destination cohort.

2. The cohort decision (Compose vs Kotlin Views)

V6 is split into two surfaces:

You can mix both in the same app, but a single chat surface is one or the other — not both.

The migration plan asks the user upfront: which surface for each chat screen? Default = match the surrounding app.

3. Gradle dependency migration

V5 (today)

// app/build.gradle.kts
dependencies {
  implementation("com.cometchat:chat-uikit-android:5.0.+")     // chat
  implementation("com.cometchat:calls-sdk-android:5.0.+")      // separate calls SDK
}

V6 (Compose path)

dependencies {
  implementation("com.cometchat:chatuikit-compose-android:6.0.+")
  // No separate calls SDK — calls bundled into the same artifact
  // Compose dependencies (if not already present)
  implementation(platform("androidx.compose:compose-bom:2024.02.00"))
  implementation("androidx.compose.material3:material3")
  implementation("androidx.compose.ui:ui")
  implementation("androidx.compose.ui:ui-tooling-preview")
}

V6 (Kotlin Views path)

dependencies {
  implementation("com.cometchat:chatuikit-kotlin-android:6.0.+")
  // No separate calls SDK
  // Material Components for theming (`CometChatTheme.DayNight` extends Material themes)
  implementation("com.google.android.material:material:1.11.+")
}

gradle.properties rules carry over

android.useAndroidX=true
android.enableJetifier=true

Both still required on V6.

minSdk floor

V5: minSdk 21. V6: minSdk 28. If you're on minSdk 21-27 and want V6, this is the first thing to address — bump minSdk and audit your other dependencies for compatibility.

4. Init API rewrite

V5 — UIKitSettingsBuilder

val settings = UIKitSettingsBuilder()
  .setRegion("us")
  .setAppId(BuildConfig.COMETCHAT_APP_ID)
  .setAuthKey(BuildConfig.COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY)
  .subscribePresenceForAllUsers()
  .build()

CometChatUIKit.init(this, settings, object : CometChat.CallbackListener<String>() {
  override fun onSuccess(s: String) { /* ... */ }
  override fun onError(e: CometChatException) { /* ... */ }
})

V6 — UIKitSettings.UIKitSettingsBuilder()

val settings = UIKitSettings.UIKitSettingsBuilder()
  .setAppId(BuildConfig.COMETCHAT_APP_ID)
  .setRegion(BuildConfig.COMETCHAT_REGION)
  .setAuthKey(BuildConfig.COMETCHAT_AUTH_KEY)
  .subscribePresenceForAllUsers()
  .setEnableCalling(true)                         // ← calls toggled on here, not via separate SDK
  .build()

CometChatUIKit.init(this, settings, object : CometChat.CallbackListener<String>() {
  override fun onSuccess(result: String) { /* ... */ }
  override fun onError(e: CometChatException) { /* surface to UI */ }
})

Differences:

• Builder: unchanged — both V5 and V6 use UIKitSettings.UIKitSettingsBuilder() (nested class)
• Calls: separate SDK init → .setEnableCalling(true) flag on the builder
• Result handling: unchanged — init()/login() still take CometChat.CallbackListener<T> (onSuccess/onError). There is no Result.Success/Result.Error sealed class in V6.

For full builder option mapping, see cometchat-android-v6-builder-settings.

5. Calls integration migration

V5 has a separate calls-sdk-android artifact + a separate CometChatCalls.init. V6 bundles calls into chatuikit-{compose,kotlin}-android and toggles via .setEnableCalling(true).

V5 calls init

// In Application.onCreate
CometChat.init(this, BuildConfig.COMETCHAT_APP_ID, appSettings, /* callback */)

val callAppSettings = CallAppSettingsBuilder()
  .setAppId(BuildConfig.COMETCHAT_APP_ID)
  .setRegion(BuildConfig.COMETCHAT_REGION)
  .build()
CometChatCalls.init(this, callAppSettings, /* callback */)

V6 calls init

val settings = UIKitSettings.UIKitSettingsBuilder()
  // ... appId, region, authKey ...
  .setEnableCalling(true)              // ← that's it; calls SDK init happens internally
  .build()

// init takes a CometChat.CallbackListener<String> (an abstract class — NOT a
// fun interface), so use the object form, not a trailing lambda.
CometChatUIKit.init(this, settings, object : CometChat.CallbackListener<String>() {
  override fun onSuccess(result: String) { /* ready */ }
  override fun onError(e: CometChatException) { /* handle */ }
})

Permissions + manifest carry over

V5's manifest entries (FOREGROUND_SERVICE_*, MANAGE_OWN_CALLS, BIND_TELECOM_CONNECTION_SERVICE, RECORD_AUDIO, CAMERA, POST_NOTIFICATIONS) are unchanged on V6. Same foregroundServiceType="phoneCall|microphone|camera" rule applies. See cometchat-android-v5-calls/references/voip-calling.md — the VoIP push implementation works as-is on V6.

KEEP calls-sdk-android:5.0.+ — V6 still needs it as a peer dep

⚠️ Despite vendor marketing of "bundled calling," chatuikit-compose-android:6.0.0 ships without the calls SDK and CRASHES on init without it. Keep com.cometchat:calls-sdk-android:5.0.+ in app/build.gradle.kts plus apply the W3 stub-class workaround. Full set of five required workarounds is in cometchat-android-v6-calls §"Five required workarounds" — apply them all if your app uses calls.

Earlier guidance to "drop calls-sdk-android" was wrong; validated end-to-end against a web peer on 2026-05-12 confirmed the dep is mandatory.

6. Theme system rewrite

V5 — XML theme attrs + style classes

<!-- res/values/themes.xml -->
<style name="Theme.YourApp" parent="Theme.Material3.DayNight.NoActionBar">
  <item name="cometchatPrimaryColor">@color/your_primary</item>
  <item name="cometchatBackgroundColor">@color/your_bg</item>
  <!-- ... -->
</style>

Plus programmatic overrides via CometChatTheme.getInstance().palette.setPrimary(...).

V6 Compose — CometChatTheme composable

setContent {
  CometChatTheme(
    colorScheme = lightColorScheme(
      primary = Color(0xFF6750A4),
      // ...
    ),
    typography = ourTypography,
    shapes = ourShapes,
  ) {
    AppNavigation()
  }
}

V6 Kotlin Views — CometChatTheme.DayNight parent

<!-- res/values/themes.xml -->
<style name="Theme.YourApp" parent="CometChatTheme.DayNight">
  <item name="cometchatPrimaryColor">@color/your_primary</item>
  <!-- ... -->
</style>

CRITICAL: Activity themes hosting V6 Kotlin Views components MUST inherit from CometChatTheme.DayNight (or its .Light / .Dark variants) — NOT Theme.AppCompat.* or Theme.MaterialComponents.*. V6 components extend MaterialCardView and reference kit-specific theme attrs that aren't in the older theme parents. Crash signature: Failed to resolve attribute at index N.

This is documented in cometchat-android-v6-troubleshooting and surfaced in the V6 calls smoke (calls components are the canary that exposes the bug first).

Migration plan for theme

1. Audit V5 theme attrs (grep cometchat res/values/)
2. Map each to its V6 equivalent (most are same names; some have been renamed for Material 3 alignment)
3. Activity manifest: change android:theme="@style/Theme.AppCompat.*" → android:theme="@style/Theme.YourApp" where the new theme inherits CometChatTheme.DayNight
4. Programmatic theme overrides: rewrite via Compose CometChatTheme(colorScheme = ...) or Kotlin Views CometChatTheme.setPrimaryColor(...) (the CometChatTheme object exposes setPrimaryColor/setExtendedPrimaryColor*/setNeutralColor* etc. — there is no .singleton.colors field; depends on surface)

For full mapping, see cometchat-android-v6-{compose,kotlin}-theming.

7. Component name + import migration

The component names (CometChatConversations, CometChatMessageList, CometChatMessageHeader, CometChatMessageComposer, CometChatUsers, CometChatGroups, CometChatCallButtons, etc.) are unchanged in V6. The packages differ:

V5 imports

import com.cometchat.chatuikit.conversations.CometChatConversations
import com.cometchat.chatuikit.messages.CometChatMessageList

V6 Compose imports

import com.cometchat.uikit.compose.presentation.conversations.ui.CometChatConversations
import com.cometchat.uikit.compose.presentation.messagelist.ui.CometChatMessageList

V6 Kotlin Views imports

import com.cometchat.uikit.kotlin.presentation.conversations.ui.CometChatConversations
import com.cometchat.uikit.kotlin.presentation.messagelist.ui.CometChatMessageList

The skill rewrites imports during migration. The V6 namespace is com.cometchat.uikit.{compose,kotlin}.presentation.<feature>.ui — NOT the V5 com.cometchat.chatuikit.*. Most projects can do a regex sweep:

# Compose path
sed -i -E 's|com.cometchat.chatuikit.([a-z]+)|com.cometchat.uikit.compose.presentation.\1.ui|g' app/src/main/kotlin/**/*.kt
# Kotlin Views path
sed -i -E 's|com.cometchat.chatuikit.([a-z]+)|com.cometchat.uikit.kotlin.presentation.\1.ui|g' app/src/main/kotlin/**/*.kt

But verify each rewrite — some V5 modules have been split or merged in V6 in ways the agent should review case-by-case.

8. Side-by-side cohort selection

V5 and V6 skill sets both ship in --family android. During migration, the dispatcher detects which is in use from app/build.gradle.kts:

• chat-uikit-android:5.x only → V5 cohort
• chatuikit-{compose,kotlin}-android:6.x only → V6 cohort
• Both present → ASK (rare; usually means in-progress migration)

For an in-progress migration, you can have V5 and V6 in the same module temporarily, but they'll fight over runtime singletons (CometChatUIKit.init exists in both). Best practice: migrate one feature at a time, fully — don't leave a half-migrated state.

9. Migration plan template

□ Audit current V5 integration
  □ Which V5 skills' patterns are in use?
  □ List Activities / Fragments hosting CometChat surfaces
  □ List custom views, decorators, request builders
  □ List theme attrs in use

□ Pick V6 surface
  □ Compose vs Kotlin Views per chat screen
  □ Bump minSdk if below 28

□ Update gradle
  □ Remove chat-uikit-android:5.x
  □ KEEP calls-sdk-android:5.0.+ (V6 needs it as peer dep — see §"KEEP calls-sdk-android:5.0.+" above)
  □ Add chatuikit-{compose,kotlin}-android:6.0.+
  □ Add Compose deps (if applicable) or Material Components (if Kotlin Views)

□ Rewrite init
  □ UIKitSettingsBuilder → UIKitSettings.UIKitSettingsBuilder()
  □ Drop separate CometChatCalls.init; add .setEnableCalling(true) on UIKitSettings
  □ init callback stays CometChat.CallbackListener<String> (V6 did NOT switch to a Result/sealed-class API)

□ Rewrite themes
  □ Activity theme parent → CometChatTheme.DayNight (Kotlin Views)
  □ Compose entry uses CometChatTheme composable
  □ Re-map any custom theme attrs

□ Rewrite imports
  □ All com.cometchat.chatuikit.* → com.cometchat.chatuikit.{compose,kotlin}.*

□ Migrate custom views / decorators / request builders
  □ See cometchat-android-v6-{compose,kotlin}-customization

□ Verify build
  □ ./gradlew clean assembleDebug
  □ Resolve any "Duplicate class" errors (drop conflicting V5 deps)

□ Smoke on real device
  □ Login → see conversations
  □ Send message
  □ Call (voice + video)
  □ Theme renders correctly (light + dark)
  □ No crashes from theme parent mismatch

10. Common migration failure modes

11. Verification checklist

• app/build.gradle.kts has only one CometChat dep tree (V5 OR V6, not both)
• minSdk = 28 or higher
• All V5 imports rewritten to the V6 surface (compose or kotlin namespace)
• UIKitSettingsBuilder → UIKitSettings.UIKitSettingsBuilder() everywhere
• .setEnableCalling(true) on the builder if calls are used
• Activity themes inherit CometChatTheme.DayNight (Kotlin Views path)
• No CometChatCalls.init calls outside what V6 does internally
• calls-sdk-android:5.0.+ retained as explicit peer dep (V6 needs it; despite vendor marketing of "bundled calls")
• Build succeeds: ./gradlew clean assembleDebug
• Real-device smoke: login + chat + voice call + video call
• Theme smoke: light mode + dark mode + custom palette renders correctly

12. Pointers

• cometchat-android-v6-core — V6 init/login/build setup
• cometchat-android-v6-builder-settings — full UIKitSettings options
• cometchat-android-v6-{compose,kotlin}-{components,placement,theming,customization} — destination skills per surface
• cometchat-android-v6-calls — calls integration delta
• cometchat-android-v6-troubleshooting — common V6-specific failure modes (theme parent, R8, Compose runtime)
• cometchat-flutter-v6-migration — sibling skill for Flutter (same migration shape on a different platform)