Cometchat Flutter V6 Patterns

Ground truth: the CometChat side is cometchat-flutter-v6-core; this skill only adds the DELTA for a given toolchain. Framework mechanics (go_router, riverpod, --dart-define) are baked Flutter knowledge, not kit API. Kit symbols come from the catalog.

Companion skills (read first)

• cometchat-flutter-v6-core — install, credentials, the settings asset, init→login→render. This skill ASSUMES it.
• cometchat-flutter-v6-placement — WHERE the surface goes; this skill is HOW it hooks into your app's plumbing.

Use this skill when

Wiring the kit into a specific project shape, or debugging "where does init go" / "the theme resets on navigation" / "my secrets are in git".

Prerequisites & install

Covered by core. No new package.

Navigation (BAKED — the delta per router)

The kit uses plain Navigator.push/pop internally and in every recipe, which works under all of these — you do not have to convert its recipes.

• Plain Navigator — nothing to do. Core's recipes are already this.
• go_router — register chat screens as routes and push with context.push('/chat/:uid'). The kit's own internal pops still work because go_router sits on the same Navigator. Put the init/login gate above the router (wrap MaterialApp.router's builder, or gate in redirect) so no chat route can build before login resolves.
• auto_route — same principle: an AutoRouteGuard that waits for login is the idiomatic gate.
• Calling adds one requirement: navigatorKey: CallNavigationContext.navigatorKey on MaterialApp (→ -calls). With go_router, pass the same key into the router config rather than creating a second one.

State management (BAKED)

The kit is self-contained — every widget drives its own BLoC internally. You do not wire the kit into your app's state layer, and you do not need flutter_bloc yourself.

• bloc / cubit — expose the logged-in user from your auth cubit; gate chat routes on it. Do not try to own the kit's internal blocs.
• riverpod — a FutureProvider that performs initFromSettings + login and which chat screens .when(...) on, is the cleanest gate.
• provider / getx — same shape: one async init future, everything chat-related below it.
• Reading kit state — CometChatUIKit.loggedInUser is the sync getter. For list state, use the widget's stateCallBack / onLoad, not a global store.

Config & secrets (BAKED — Flutter-specific)

initFromSettings reads a bundled asset, so it cannot read --dart-define. Two honest options; state the trade-off and let the user choose:

1. Keep initFromSettings and generate cometchat-settings.json at build time from your existing secret source (CI writes the file). Keeps integrationSource="ai-agent" telemetry.
2. Use the classic UIKitSettingsBuilder + CometChatUIKit.init(...) with --dart-define values. Works, but loses telemetry attribution.

Either way the Auth Key ends up in the app bundle and is dev-only — production means a server-minted auth token + loginWithAuthToken (core's lifecycle.md). Do NOT gitignore the registered cometchat-settings.json asset (a fresh clone / CI build then fails with "No file or variants found for asset") — commit a placeholder version (no real Auth Key) that dev/CI overwrite, and guard the real key with a pre-commit/CI check.

Platform setup (BAKED)

• Android — minSdk = 26 in android/app/build.gradle.kts (the docs' 24 is too low); INTERNET permission; calling adds camera/mic.
• iOS — platform :ios, '15.1' in the Podfile, then pod install; photo/camera/mic usage strings for attachments and calls. Both floors come from cometchat_calls_sdk, which the kit depends on unconditionally — they apply whether or not you use calling (DOCS-BACKLOG D7).
• Web — the kit supports web, but plugin-backed features (media picker, calling) behave differently; verify anything you promise. flutter run -d chrome with the same settings asset.
• Desktop — not a documented target; if asked, say so honestly rather than guessing.

Common pitfalls (BAKED)

• Init inside a screen that can be re-entered (or inside a route builder) → repeated init. Gate ONCE at the root (lifecycle.md).
• A chat route reachable before login resolves → blank screen. Guard the route, not just the widget.
• Expecting initFromSettings to read --dart-define — it reads an asset. See above.
• Adding flutter_bloc to "connect" the kit — unnecessary; the kit owns its blocs.
• Two navigator keys when calling is on — the router and CallNavigationContext must share one.
• cometchat-settings.json committed — the Auth Key is in your repo.
• Forgetting WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized() before an asset-reading init.

Verify it works

The app builds on each target platform you claim; chat routes are unreachable until login resolves; navigating away and back does not re-init; secrets are not in git; with calling on, an incoming call presents from any route.