Cometchat React Push

Purpose

Web push for CometChat chat — new-message notifications when the user's tab is backgrounded or closed.

The web DOES have CometChat-native push. The JS Chat SDK ships a first-class web-push registration API: CometChatNotifications.registerPushToken(token, PushPlatforms.FCM_WEB). Paired with a Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) provider configured in the CometChat dashboard, CometChat's own backend delivers the push on every new message — no self-hosted push server, no web-push lib, no VAPID server of your own, and no message-sent webhook for the basic case. This is the recommended path (§1).

A self-hosted Web Push path (your own VAPID keys + push server + CometChat webhook) is documented as an advanced fallback (§7) for projects that can't or won't use Firebase. Don't reach for it unless you have to.

Not the same as the calls Web Push. Calls Web Push tries to ring the device through a closed tab (best-effort, browser-dependent). Chat push notifies on new messages — different payload + UX. Many apps need both.

Read these other skills first:

• cometchat-core — provider pattern, login order
• cometchat-{react,nextjs,react-router,astro}-patterns — framework-specific Service Worker registration
• cometchat-react-calls/references/voip-and-web-push.md — calls-specific Web Push (overlap with this; both can coexist)
• cometchat-production — server-minted auth tokens

Ground truth (verified against the JS Chat SDK source): Official docs: https://www.cometchat.com/docs/notifications/overview · Docs MCP: claude mcp add --transport http cometchat-docs https://www.cometchat.com/docs/mcp (or fetch the URL directly without MCP).

• CometChatNotifications.registerPushToken(pushToken: string, platform: PushPlatforms, providerId?: string): Promise<string> — chat-sdk-javascript/src/Notifications/CometChatNotifications.ts:616
• CometChatNotifications.unregisterPushToken(): Promise<string> — chat-sdk-javascript/src/Notifications/CometChatNotifications.ts:649
• enum PushPlatforms { FCM_WEB = 'fcm_web' } — chat-sdk-javascript/src/Notifications/constants/CometChatNotificationsConstants.ts:46-47
• The web kit pins @cometchat/chat-sdk-javascript ^4.1.10, which has this API.
• There is NO PNPlatform and NO PushNotificationOptions symbol — the real names are PushPlatforms and CometChatNotifications.
• Firebase Cloud Messaging for Web — https://firebase.google.com/docs/cloud-messaging/js/client
• Web Push spec / VAPID / Push API (fallback path only) — RFC 8030, RFC 8292, https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Push_API

1. Recommended: CometChat-native web push (FCM_WEB)

CometChat delivers web push through Firebase Cloud Messaging for Web. You register the FCM device token with CometChat via the Chat SDK; CometChat's backend then sends pushes on new messages through your dashboard-configured FCM provider. No push server of yours.

Browser (your React app)
  ├── firebase/messaging  — getToken() → FCM web token
  ├── firebase-messaging-sw.js — receives background pushes (onBackgroundMessage)
  └── CometChatNotifications.registerPushToken(token, FCM_WEB) — hands token to CometChat

CometChat backend
  └── FCM provider (dashboard) → sends push to the token on every new message

1.1 Firebase setup (one-time)

1. Create a Firebase project, enable Cloud Messaging.
2. Add a Web app; copy its web SDK config (apiKey, projectId, messagingSenderId, appId, …).
3. Under Project Settings → Cloud Messaging → Web configuration, generate a Web Push certificate. This key pair is Firebase's own VAPID key — it is consumed by getToken({ vapidKey }). It is NOT a self-hosted VAPID server; you don't run any server for it.

1.2 Install + initialize Firebase

npm install firebase

// cometchat/firebase.ts
import { initializeApp } from "firebase/app";

export const firebaseApp = initializeApp({
  apiKey: import.meta.env.VITE_FIREBASE_API_KEY,           // adjust prefix per framework
  authDomain: import.meta.env.VITE_FIREBASE_AUTH_DOMAIN,
  projectId: import.meta.env.VITE_FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID,
  messagingSenderId: import.meta.env.VITE_FIREBASE_SENDER_ID,
  appId: import.meta.env.VITE_FIREBASE_APP_ID,
});

export const FIREBASE_WEB_PUSH_CERT_KEY = import.meta.env.VITE_FIREBASE_VAPID_KEY; // Web Push certificate key

1.3 Service worker — public/firebase-messaging-sw.js

The file MUST live at the origin root (/firebase-messaging-sw.js) — getToken looks for it by default, or pass an explicit serviceWorkerRegistration.

Coexistence check first (P0-10). If detect reported coexistence.existing_firebase: true or listed an existing service worker, the project already runs Firebase and/or a SW. Do NOT blindly overwrite: (a) reuse the project's existing Firebase config/app instead of a second initializeApp — duplicate apps fight over the FCM token; (b) if a service worker already exists at the origin root (e.g. a PWA/Workbox sw.js), merge the messaging handlers (importScripts + firebase.initializeApp + onBackgroundMessage) into it rather than replacing it, or register CometChat's worker at a distinct scope and pass it as serviceWorkerRegistration to getToken. Overwriting the app's worker silently kills its offline/caching logic.

// public/firebase-messaging-sw.js
importScripts("https://www.gstatic.com/firebasejs/10.12.0/firebase-app-compat.js");
importScripts("https://www.gstatic.com/firebasejs/10.12.0/firebase-messaging-compat.js");

firebase.initializeApp({
  apiKey: "…",
  projectId: "…",
  messagingSenderId: "…",
  appId: "…",
});

const messaging = firebase.messaging();

// Background pushes (tab closed / not focused)
messaging.onBackgroundMessage((payload) => {
  const { title, body } = payload.notification ?? {};
  self.registration.showNotification(title ?? "New message", {
    body: body ?? "",
    icon: "/icons/chat.png",
    tag: payload.data?.conversationId ? `chat-${payload.data.conversationId}` : undefined,
    data: payload.data ?? {},
  });
});

self.addEventListener("notificationclick", (event) => {
  event.notification.close();
  const data = event.notification.data ?? {};
  const targetUrl = data.receiverType === "group"
    ? `/messages?group=${data.conversationId}`
    : `/messages?user=${data.senderUid ?? data.conversationId}`;
  event.waitUntil(
    clients.matchAll({ type: "window", includeUncontrolled: true }).then((wins) => {
      for (const w of wins) {
        if (w.url.includes(self.registration.scope)) {
          w.focus();
          w.postMessage({ type: "open_conversation", ...data });
          return;
        }
      }
      return clients.openWindow(targetUrl);
    }),
  );
});

1.4 Register the FCM token with CometChat (after login)

// cometchat/registerFcmWebPush.ts
import { getMessaging, getToken, onMessage } from "firebase/messaging";
import { CometChatNotifications } from "@cometchat/chat-sdk-javascript";
import { firebaseApp, FIREBASE_WEB_PUSH_CERT_KEY } from "./firebase";

export async function registerFcmWebPush(): Promise<void> {
  if (!("serviceWorker" in navigator) || !("Notification" in window)) return;

  // Permission MUST be requested in response to a user gesture (see §2 rule).
  const permission = await Notification.requestPermission();
  if (permission !== "granted") return;

  // Register the FCM service worker.
  const swReg = await navigator.serviceWorker.register("/firebase-messaging-sw.js");

  const messaging = getMessaging(firebaseApp);
  const fcmToken = await getToken(messaging, {
    vapidKey: FIREBASE_WEB_PUSH_CERT_KEY,        // Firebase Web Push certificate — NOT a self-hosted VAPID server
    serviceWorkerRegistration: swReg,
  });
  if (!fcmToken) return;

  // Hand the token to CometChat. Its backend now delivers pushes on new messages.
  await CometChatNotifications.registerPushToken(
    fcmToken,
    CometChatNotifications.PushPlatforms.FCM_WEB,
    /* providerId */ undefined,                  // omit for "default", or pass your dashboard FCM provider id
  );

  // Foreground messages (tab focused) don't fire the SW — show them yourself if desired.
  onMessage(messaging, (payload) => {
    if (document.visibilityState === "visible") {
      // e.g. toast / in-app banner instead of an OS notification
      window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent("cometchat:foreground-push", { detail: payload }));
    }
  });
}

Call it from your provider AFTER CometChatUIKit.login(...) resolves:

// CometChatProvider.tsx
useEffect(() => {
  if (!user) return;
  registerFcmWebPush().catch((err) => {
    console.warn("FCM web push registration failed:", err); // never block chat — push is opt-in
  });
}, [user]);

1.5 Dashboard FCM provider (manual, one-time)

In the CometChat dashboard: Notifications → Push Notifications → Add FCM provider. Upload the Firebase service-account JSON (or legacy server key) for the same Firebase project. CometChat now sends new-message pushes to every registered FCM_WEB token — no webhook of yours.

1.6 Logout — unregister the token

import { CometChatNotifications } from "@cometchat/chat-sdk-javascript";

// Call BEFORE CometChat.logout(), while the auth token is still valid.
await CometChatNotifications.unregisterPushToken();   // CometChatNotifications.ts:649

Hard rule — register only AFTER login. registerPushToken operates on the current logged-in user's auth token. Calling it before CometChatUIKit.login(...) resolves will fail or attach the token to nobody. Wire it inside the auth-state effect, never on page load.

Hard rule — firebase-messaging-sw.js must be at the origin root. Place it in public/ so it serves from /firebase-messaging-sw.js. In Next.js it cannot live under app/. See §8 for per-framework placement.

Hard rule — iOS still needs PWA install. FCM web push on iOS 16.4+ only works for a Home-Screen-installed PWA, exactly like the fallback path. See §9.

2. The permission-prompt rule (applies to both paths)

Chrome / Firefox / Safari all require Notification.requestPermission() to run in response to a user gesture (a click). Calling it from a top-level useEffect on page load is rejected. Best pattern: an "Enable notifications" button the user clicks once, which then calls registerFcmWebPush() (or the fallback registerWebPushForChat()).

3. Alternative / advanced: self-hosted Web Push (no Firebase)

Use this path only if you cannot or will not use Firebase (§1). It is more work — you run your own VAPID keys, a push server, and a CometChat message-sent webhook. CometChat's backend does NOT deliver the push for you on this path; your server does. For most apps, prefer §1.

3.1 Architecture

Browser (your React app)
  ├── Service Worker — long-lived; receives push events
  ├── Push subscription — issued by browser, sent to your server
  └── Notification UI — fired by SW on push event

CometChat backend
  └── Webhook → your push server when a message is sent

Your push server (Node, Cloudflare Worker, Lambda, etc.)
  ├── Stores push subscriptions per UID
  ├── Receives CometChat webhook
  └── Sends push payload via web-push lib → browser

Three pieces, all yours: client SW, push server, webhook integration.

3.2 Generate VAPID keys (server-side, one-time)

VAPID = Voluntary Application Server Identification — proves to the browser that the push originated from an authorized server.

npx web-push generate-vapid-keys

Output:

=======================================
Public Key: BLBz-...
Private Key: 9tT...
=======================================

Public key → client (env var). Private key → push server only (never ship to client).

3.3 Service Worker

public/sw.js (Vite / CRA / React Router) or app/sw.js (Next.js / Astro)

// Fired when a push payload arrives
self.addEventListener("push", (event) => {
  if (!event.data) return;

  let payload;
  try {
    payload = event.data.json();
  } catch {
    return;
  }

  if (payload.type !== "new_message") return;

  event.waitUntil(
    self.registration.showNotification(payload.senderName, {
      body: payload.preview,                          // truncated message
      icon: payload.senderAvatar ?? "/icons/chat.png",
      tag: `chat-${payload.conversationId}`,          // dedupe — replace prior unread for same conversation
      badge: "/icons/badge.png",
      data: {
        conversationId: payload.conversationId,
        senderUid: payload.senderUid,
        receiverType: payload.receiverType,           // "user" or "group"
      },
    }),
  );
});

// Fired when user clicks the notification
self.addEventListener("notificationclick", (event) => {
  event.notification.close();

  const data = event.notification.data;
  const targetUrl = data.receiverType === "group"
    ? `/messages?group=${data.conversationId}`
    : `/messages?user=${data.senderUid}`;

  event.waitUntil(
    clients.matchAll({ type: "window", includeUncontrolled: true }).then((wins) => {
      // Focus existing tab if open
      for (const w of wins) {
        if (w.url.includes(self.registration.scope)) {
          w.focus();
          w.postMessage({ type: "open_conversation", ...data });
          return;
        }
      }
      // Otherwise open a new tab
      return clients.openWindow(targetUrl);
    }),
  );
});

// Optional: fired when a notification is dismissed without click
self.addEventListener("notificationclose", (event) => {
  // Send a "dismissed" beacon to your server if you track this
});

3.4 Client-side registration (self-hosted)

// cometchat/registerWebPush.ts
const VAPID_PUBLIC = import.meta.env.VITE_VAPID_PUBLIC_KEY;     // adjust prefix per framework

export async function registerWebPushForChat(uid: string): Promise<void> {
  if (!("serviceWorker" in navigator) || !("PushManager" in window)) return;

  // Register the SW (one-time per origin)
  const reg = await navigator.serviceWorker.register("/sw.js");

  // Wait for SW activation
  await navigator.serviceWorker.ready;

  // Ask permission — must be in response to a user gesture (click)
  const permission = await Notification.requestPermission();
  if (permission !== "granted") return;

  // Get or create subscription
  let subscription = await reg.pushManager.getSubscription();
  if (!subscription) {
    subscription = await reg.pushManager.subscribe({
      userVisibleOnly: true,                          // required by Chrome
      applicationServerKey: urlBase64ToUint8Array(VAPID_PUBLIC),
    });
  }

  // Send subscription to YOUR push server, keyed by uid
  await fetch("/api/push/subscribe", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
    body: JSON.stringify({ uid, subscription }),
  });
}

function urlBase64ToUint8Array(base64: string): Uint8Array {
  const padding = "=".repeat((4 - (base64.length % 4)) % 4);
  const raw = atob((base64 + padding).replace(/-/g, "+").replace(/_/g, "/"));
  return Uint8Array.from(raw, (c) => c.charCodeAt(0));
}

Call this from your CometChatProvider AFTER login resolves:

// CometChatProvider.tsx
useEffect(() => {
  if (!user) return;
  registerWebPushForChat(user.uid).catch((err) => {
    // surface to UI but don't block chat — push is opt-in
    console.warn("Web Push registration failed:", err);
  });
}, [user]);

The permission-prompt rule (§2) applies here too — request permission from a user gesture, not page load.

3.5 Listen for SW messages in the React app

// CometChatProvider.tsx
useEffect(() => {
  if (!("serviceWorker" in navigator)) return;

  const handler = (event: MessageEvent) => {
    if (event.data?.type === "open_conversation") {
      navigate(`/messages?${event.data.receiverType}=${event.data.conversationId}`);
    }
  };
  navigator.serviceWorker.addEventListener("message", handler);
  return () => navigator.serviceWorker.removeEventListener("message", handler);
}, [navigate]);

When the SW posts open_conversation, the React app navigates to the right thread.

3.6 Server-side push send

Your push server runs on Node.js / Cloudflare Worker / Lambda / Vercel Functions. The shape:

// server/push.ts
import express from "express";
import webpush from "web-push";
import { z } from "zod";

webpush.setVapidDetails(
  "mailto:notifications@yourapp.com",
  process.env.VAPID_PUBLIC!,
  process.env.VAPID_PRIVATE!,
);

const app = express();
app.use(express.json());

// 1. Client registers a subscription
app.post("/api/push/subscribe", async (req, res) => {
  const { uid, subscription } = req.body;          // validate with zod in production
  await db.savePushSubscription(uid, subscription);
  res.status(204).send();
});

// 2. CometChat fires a webhook when a message is sent
app.post("/webhook/cometchat/message-sent", async (req, res) => {
  const { receiver, sender, data } = req.body.data;

  // Don't notify the sender — they sent the message
  const subs = await db.getPushSubscriptions(receiver);
  if (!subs.length) return res.status(204).send();

  const payload = JSON.stringify({
    type: "new_message",
    conversationId: receiver,
    senderUid: sender.uid,
    senderName: sender.name,
    senderAvatar: sender.avatar,
    preview: truncate(data.text, 80),
    receiverType: data.entityType,                 // "user" or "group"
  });

  // Send to all of receiver's subscriptions in parallel; clean up dead ones
  await Promise.allSettled(
    subs.map(async (sub) => {
      try {
        await webpush.sendNotification(sub, payload);
      } catch (err: unknown) {
        if ((err as { statusCode?: number }).statusCode === 410) {
          await db.removePushSubscription(receiver, sub);   // browser unsubscribed
        }
      }
    }),
  );

  res.status(204).send();
});

function truncate(s: string, n: number) {
  return s.length <= n ? s : s.slice(0, n - 1) + "…";
}

app.listen(3000);

The skill writes a starter version of this server file (server/push.example.ts) with a README pointing at env vars; the user owns the actual deployment.

3.7 CometChat webhook setup (manual)

In the CometChat dashboard:

1. Navigate to Webhooks.
2. Click + Webhook.
3. URL: https://your-push-server.example.com/webhook/cometchat/message-sent
4. Trigger: Message sent
5. Verification: copy the signing secret to your push server's env (COMETCHAT_WEBHOOK_SECRET).

The webhook fires for EVERY message — your server filters out the sender, dedupes per conversation, and respects user notification preferences.

3.8 Webhook signature verification

import crypto from "crypto";

app.use("/webhook/cometchat", (req, res, next) => {
  const signature = req.header("x-cometchat-signature");
  const expected = crypto
    .createHmac("sha256", process.env.COMETCHAT_WEBHOOK_SECRET!)
    .update(JSON.stringify(req.body))
    .digest("hex");
  if (signature !== expected) return res.status(401).send({ error: "invalid signature" });
  next();
});

Without this, anyone with your endpoint URL can flood your users with fake notifications.

4. Browser support matrix + iOS PWA caveat (both paths)

iOS PWA-only requirement (applies to FCM_WEB too): iOS 16.4+ supports web push, but ONLY for sites added to the Home Screen as a PWA. Safari-the-browser-app does NOT receive push. This is platform-level and applies equally to the FCM_WEB path (§1) and the self-hosted path (§3). To unlock iOS web push:

1. App must have a manifest.json (PWA manifest)
2. User must use Safari → Share → "Add to Home Screen"
3. Subsequent push subscriptions and notifications work as expected

This is a real production constraint. The skill detects whether the project ships a manifest.json and warns if not.

5. Framework-specific service worker placement (both paths)

The FCM service worker (firebase-messaging-sw.js, §1) and the self-hosted SW (sw.js, §3) follow the same placement rules.

Vite / React (CRA)

public/firebase-messaging-sw.js (or public/sw.js) is served from the origin root. register("/firebase-messaging-sw.js") works directly.

Next.js (App Router)

Service Workers + Next.js have a known gotcha: the SW can't be inside app/ because Next handles those routes. Place it in public/ and serve from the origin root. Register from a "use client" component that runs after hydration.

Next.js (Pages Router)

Same — public/.

React Router

public/ works. If using SSR (loaders), the SW registration code must be guarded by typeof window !== "undefined".

Astro

Place the SW at public/. Register from a client:only="react" island.

The framework-specific patterns skills cover the SSR guards in detail.

6. HTTPS requirement (both paths)

Service Workers + Push API + FCM all require HTTPS (or localhost for dev). The skill detects the dev server protocol and warns:

⚠️  Web push requires HTTPS or localhost. Your dev server is running on http://192.168.x.x.
   Push subscriptions will fail. Either:
   - Use http://localhost (Chrome/Firefox/Safari all allow Push API on localhost), or
   - Set up HTTPS dev (mkcert, ngrok, or Vite's --https flag)

For production, the Vercel / Netlify / Cloudflare default deploys are HTTPS — no extra work.

7. Anti-patterns

1. Believing "the web has no CometChat push." It does — CometChatNotifications.registerPushToken(token, PushPlatforms.FCM_WEB) + a dashboard FCM provider (§1). Don't hand-roll a push server unless you've ruled out Firebase.
2. Inventing SDK symbols. There is no PNPlatform, no PushNotificationOptions. The real names are CometChatNotifications and PushPlatforms (only member: FCM_WEB).
3. Calling registerPushToken before login. It binds to the current logged-in user's auth token — call it only after CometChatUIKit.login(...) resolves.
4. Calling Notification.requestPermission() on page load. Browsers reject this. Wire to a user-clicked "Enable notifications" button (§2).
5. Self-hosted path: sending the Auth Key in push payloads. Payloads are visible in the SW; never include credentials. Use the user's UID as a key into your server's session store.
6. Self-hosted path: missing webhook signature verification. Without HMAC verification, anyone with the URL can spoof notifications.
7. Showing notifications even when the chat tab is open. Check clients.matchAll() (self-hosted) or document.visibilityState in onMessage (FCM) and skip if the user already has the chat focused.
8. Skipping the iOS PWA warning. iOS users will silently get nothing. Tell them to "Add to Home Screen."
9. Forgetting cleanup on logout. FCM path: call CometChatNotifications.unregisterPushToken() (§1.6). Self-hosted path: subscription.unsubscribe() + DELETE the server record (§8). Otherwise the previous user keeps getting the new user's messages.

8. Self-hosted logout cleanup

(FCM_WEB logout uses CometChatNotifications.unregisterPushToken() — see §1.6. This is the self-hosted equivalent.)

async function unsubscribeWebPush(uid: string): Promise<void> {
  const reg = await navigator.serviceWorker.getRegistration();
  if (!reg) return;
  const subscription = await reg.pushManager.getSubscription();
  if (!subscription) return;

  await fetch("/api/push/unsubscribe", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
    body: JSON.stringify({ uid, subscription }),
  });
  await subscription.unsubscribe();
}

Call this from your logout flow before CometChat.logout().

9. Verification checklist

Recommended FCM_WEB path (§1):

• firebase installed; firebaseApp initialized with the web SDK config
• Firebase Web Push certificate generated and wired as getToken({ vapidKey })
• public/firebase-messaging-sw.js at origin root, handles onBackgroundMessage + notificationclick
• Notification.requestPermission() triggered from a user gesture, not page load (§2)
• CometChatNotifications.registerPushToken(token, CometChatNotifications.PushPlatforms.FCM_WEB) called AFTER CometChatUIKit.login(...) resolves
• FCM provider configured in the CometChat dashboard (Notifications → Push)
• Foreground onMessage does NOT pop an OS notification when the tab is focused
• Logout flow calls CometChatNotifications.unregisterPushToken() before CometChat.logout()
• No phantom symbols (PNPlatform / PushNotificationOptions) anywhere

Common to both paths:

• HTTPS or localhost only (warned otherwise)
• manifest.json shipped if iOS users are expected (PWA caveat, §4)
• Notifications dedupe per conversation via tag field

Self-hosted fallback path (§3) only:

• public/sw.js exists and listens for push + notificationclick events
• VAPID public key in client env vars; private key in server env, NOT client
• Subscription POSTed to your push server, keyed by CometChat UID
• CometChat dashboard webhook configured for Message sent events
• Webhook signature verification on the push server (HMAC SHA256)
• Logout flow calls subscription.unsubscribe() and deletes server record
• Server cleanup of dead subscriptions on 410 response

10. Pointers

• cometchat-react-calls/references/voip-and-web-push.md — Web Push for incoming calls (overlap; both can coexist on the same SW)
• cometchat-{react,nextjs,react-router,astro}-patterns — framework-specific SSR handling
• cometchat-production — auth tokens, security
• cometchat-troubleshooting — web push debugging (chrome://serviceworker-internals, Firefox about:debugging)
• Firebase Cloud Messaging for Web — https://firebase.google.com/docs/cloud-messaging/js/client