InstantChat documentation
What ships with InstantChat, the services it depends on, and how to get from download to a running build.
What you receive
Your CodeCanyon download contains the buildable Android application together with a compiled APK you can install to try the app before you build it.
- Application source (.java and .xml files)
- A compiled .apk build
- A .db database file
- The setup guide bundled with the download
Prerequisites
InstantChat is a native Android application that depends on two external services. Have all of the following in place before you start — most setup problems are a missing prerequisite rather than a code issue.
- Android Studio, with the Android SDK installed
- A Google account with a Firebase project you control — Firebase provides the backend, so no separate server has to be purchased
- Firebase phone authentication enabled on that project, since sign-in uses a phone number
- A Sinch account, which provides the one-to-one voice and video calling
- A physical Android device or emulator running Android 9.0 or later
Getting started
The overall path from download to running app is the standard one for an Android source-code product:
Unzip the download and open the project folder in Android Studio.
Let Gradle sync and resolve dependencies on first open. The project uses a current Gradle setup as of the October 2022 update.
Create your Firebase project, register the app's package name, and add the generated google-services.json to the project.
Enable phone authentication in the Firebase console.
Add your Sinch credentials so voice and video calling can connect.
Build and run on a device or emulator, then sign in with a real phone number to verify the authentication flow end to end.
Configuration
Branding, package name, Firebase keys and Sinch credentials are all set from the project itself. The exact file locations and key names for this release are documented in the setup guide included in your download — follow that guide rather than guessing at file paths, as they change between releases.
Updates
Updates are distributed through CodeCanyon. When a new version is published it appears under Downloads in your Envato account, at no extra cost for the licence you already hold.
Because you own and modify the source, updates are not applied automatically. Keep your customisations in version control so you can diff a new release against the version you started from.
Common problems
Two things account for most reported issues, and both are configuration rather than code:
- Sign-in fails or hangs — phone authentication is usually not enabled in the Firebase console, or google-services.json belongs to a different package name than the one being built.
- Calls do not connect — Sinch credentials are usually missing or not yet active on the Sinch account.
- Anything else: check the bundled setup guide first, then raise it through support with your build log.
Still stuck?
Check the setup guide bundled with your download first — it is specific to the release you own. If that does not resolve it, support can pick it up from there.
Go to support