> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://cometchat-22654f5b-docs-rn-guide-message-privately.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Setup
> Setup — CometChat documentation.
## Get your Application Keys
[Signup for CometChat](https://app.cometchat.com) and then:
1. Create a new app
2. Head over to the **API Keys** section and note the **Auth Key**, **App ID** & **Region**
Minimum Requirement
1. Xcode 12 (or Higher)
2. iOS 11 or higher
***
## Add the CometChat Dependency
### CocoaPods
We recommend using [CocoaPods](https://cocoapods.org/), as they are the most advanced way of managing iOS project dependencies. Open a terminal window, move to your project directory, and then create a `Podfile` by running the following command.
1. CometChatPro SDK supports installation through Cocoapods only. Currently, we are supporting Xcode 11.4 and higher.
2. CometChatPro SDK includes video calling components. We suggest you run on physical devices to avoid errors.
```bash theme={null}
$ pod init
```
Add the following lines to the Podfile.
```ruby theme={null}
platform :ios, '11.0'
use_frameworks!
target 'MyApp' do
pod 'CometChatPro', '2.4.2'
end
```
2.4.1+ onwards, Voice & Video Calling functionality has been moved to a separate framework. In case you do not plan to use the calling feature, please add the Calling framework `pod 'CometChatCalls', '2.1.1'` in your app Podfile.
And then install the `CometChatPro` framework through CocoaPods.
```bash theme={null}
$ pod install
```
Always get the latest version of `CometChatPro` by command
```bash theme={null}
$ pod update CometChatPro
```
### Request Authorization
Prepare your app for this requirement by providing justification strings. The justification string is a localizable message that you add to your app's `Info.plist` file to tell the user why your app needs access to the user's photo library, Camera, Microphone. Then, App prompts the user to grant permission for access, the alert displays the justification string you provided, in the language of the locale selected on the user's device. You can do this as follows:
```xml theme={null}
NSAppTransportSecurity
NSAllowsArbitraryLoads
NSCameraUsageDescription
$(PRODUCT_NAME) need access to the camera in order to update your avatar
NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription
$(PRODUCT_NAME) need access to the Photo Library in order to send Media Messages
NSMicrophoneUsageDescription
$(PRODUCT_NAME) need access to the Microphone in order to connect Audio/Video call
```
### Setup Bitcode
You can set the Enable Bitcode setting to **YES** present in build settings in your XCode project.
If you are using CometChat Pro SDK having the version less than 2.0.8, then you need to set **Enable Bitcode** to **NO**
### Swift Standard Libraries
`CometChatPro`framework build on Swift, you have to ensure the required libraries are embedded. This can be done by setting the `“Always Embed Swift Standard Libraries”` checkbox in your target’s build settings to “Yes”:
### Set Header Search Path
Set the `Header Search Paths` to `$SDKROOT/usr/include/libxml2`.
Excluded Architecture
For Xcode 12 and above, we need to add arm64 in the excluded architecture of build settings as Apple supports only arm architecture for simulators and actual devices. No support provided for X86\_64 and i386 architectures.
### Setting for build for active architecture
In Build Settings, enable active architecture to Yes
***
## Initialize CometChat
The `init()` method initializes the settings required for CometChat. We suggest you call the method on app startup preferably in the `didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:` method of the `AppDelegate` class.
```swift theme={null}
import CometChatPro
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate{
{
var window: UIWindow?
let appId: String = "ENTER APP ID"
let region: String = "ENTER REGION CODE"
func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {
let mySettings = AppSettings.AppSettingsBuilder().subscribePresenceForAllUsers().setRegion(region: region).build()
CometChat.init(appId: appId ,appSettings: mySettings,onSuccess: { (isSuccess) in
if (isSuccess) {
print("CometChat Pro SDK intialise successfully.")
}
}) { (error) in
print("CometChat Pro SDK failed intialise with error: \(error.errorDescription)")
}
return true
}
}
```
```objc theme={null}
#import
@interface AppDelegate ()
@end
@implementation AppDelegate
- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions {
NSString *region = @"REGION";
NSString *appID = @"YOUR_APP_ID";
AppSettingsBuilder *appSettingBuilder = [[AppSettingsBuilder alloc]init];
AppSettings *appSettings = [[[appSettingBuilder subscribePresenceForAllUsers]setRegionWithRegion:region]build];
[[CometChat alloc]initWithAppId: appID appSettings:appSettings onSuccess:^(BOOL isSuccess) {
NSLog(isSuccess ? @"CometChat Initialize Success:-YES" : @"CometChat Initialize Success:-NO");
} onError:^(CometChatException * error) {
NSLog(@"Error %@",[error errorDescription]);
}];
return YES;
}
```
Make sure you replace the `appId` with your CometChat **App ID** in the above code.
***
## Publishing to App Store
To publish your App on App Store please [follow this guide](/sdk/ios/2.0/publishing-app-on-appstore)