Retrieve Groups

Fetch, filter, and search groups using the CometChat JavaScript SDK. Includes pagination, tag-based filtering, joined-only groups, and online member counts.

AI Integration Quick Reference

// Fetch groups list
const request = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
  .setLimit(30).build();
const groups = await request.fetchNext();

// Get specific group details
const group = await CometChat.getGroup("GUID");

// Fetch only joined groups
const joinedRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
  .setLimit(30).joinedOnly(true).build();

// Get online member count
const count = await CometChat.getOnlineGroupMemberCount(["GUID"]);

Fetch the list of Group objects the logged-in user can see, get details for a specific group, or check online member counts.

Retrieve List of Groups

In other words, as a logged-in user, how do I retrieve the list of groups I’ve joined and groups that are available?

In order to fetch the list of groups, you can use the GroupsRequest class. To use this class i.e to create an object of the GroupsRequest class, you need to use the GroupsRequestBuilder class. The GroupsRequestBuilder class allows you to set the parameters based on which the groups are to be fetched.

Fetching using this builder will return Group objects

Use GroupsRequestBuilder to fetch groups with filtering, searching, and pagination.

Set Limit

Sets the number of groups to fetch per request.

TypeScript

let limit = 30;
let groupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
                  	.setLimit(limit)
                  	.build();

JavaScript

let limit = 30;
let groupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
                  	.setLimit(limit)
                  	.build();

Set Search Keyword

Filters groups by a search string.

TypeScript

let limit: number = 30;
let searchKeyword: string = "group";
let groupsRequest: CometChat.GroupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
  .setLimit(limit)
  .setSearchKeyword(searchKeyword)
  .build();

JavaScript

let limit = 30;
let searchKeyword = "group";
let groupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
                  	.setLimit(limit)
                  	.setSearchKeyword(searchKeyword)
                  	.build();

Joined Only

When true, returns only groups the logged-in user has joined.

TypeScript

let limit: number = 30;
let groupsRequest: CometChat.GroupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
  .setLimit(limit)
  .joinedOnly(true)
  .build();

JavaScript

let limit = 30;
let groupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
                  	.setLimit(limit)
                  	.joinedOnly(true)
                  	.build();

Set Tags

Filters groups by specified tags.

TypeScript

let limit: number = 30;
let tags: Array<String> = ["tag1", "tag2"];
let groupsRequest: CometChat.GroupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
  .setLimit(limit)
  .setTags(tags)
  .build();

JavaScript

let limit = 30;
let tags = ["tag1", "tag2"];
let groupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
                  	.setLimit(limit)
                  	.setTags(tags)
                  	.build();

With Tags

When true, includes tag data in the returned group objects.

TypeScript

let limit: number = 30;
let groupsRequest: CometChat.GroupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
  .setLimit(limit)
  .withTags(true)
  .build();

JavaScript

let limit = 30;
let groupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
 .setLimit(limit)
 .withTags(true)
 .build();

Relevant fields to access on returned groups:

Field	Getter	Return Type	Description
tags	getTags()	string[]	Tags associated with the group

Finally, once all the parameters are set to the builder class, you need to call the build() method to get the object of the GroupsRequest class.

Once you have the object of the GroupsRequest class, you need to call the fetchNext() method. Calling this method will return a list of Group objects containing n number of groups where n is the limit set in the builder class.

The list of groups fetched will only have the public and password type groups. The private groups will only be available if the user is a member of the group.

TypeScript

let limit = 30;
let groupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
                  	.setLimit(limit)
                  	.withTags(true)
                  	.build(); 

JavaScript

let limit = 30;
let groupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
                  	.setLimit(limit)
                  	.withTags(true)
                  	.build(); 

After configuring the builder, call build() to get the GroupsRequest object, then call fetchNext() to retrieve groups.

The list only includes public and password-protected groups. Private groups appear only if the user is a member.

TypeScript

let limit: number = 30;
let groupsRequest: CometChat.GroupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
  .setLimit(limit)
  .build();

groupsRequest.fetchNext().then(
  (groupList: CometChat.Group[]) => {
      console.log("Groups list fetched successfully", groupList);
  }, (error: CometChat.CometChatException) => {
      console.log("Groups list fetching failed with error", error);
  }
);

JavaScript

let limit = 30;
let groupsRequest = new CometChat.GroupsRequestBuilder()
                  	.setLimit(limit)
                  	.build();

groupsRequest.fetchNext().then(
groupList => {
  console.log("Groups list fetched successfully", groupList);
}, error => {
  console.log("Groups list fetching failed with error", error);
}
);

The fetchNext() method returns an array of Group objects.

Retrieve Particular Group Details

Use getGroup() to fetch a specific group’s details by GUID.

TypeScript

const GUID: string = "GUID";
CometChat.getGroup(GUID).then(
  (group: CometChat.Group) => {
      console.log("Group details fetched successfully:", group);
  }, (error: CometChat.CometChatException) => {
      console.log("Group details fetching failed with exception:", error);
  }
);

JavaScript

const GUID = "GUID";
CometChat.getGroup(GUID).then(
group => {
  console.log("Group details fetched successfully:", group);
}, error => {
  console.log("Group details fetching failed with exception:", error);
}
);   

Parameter	Description
GUID	The GUID of the group to fetch

The method returns a Group object.

Get Online Group Member Count

Use getOnlineGroupMemberCount() to get the number of online members in specified groups.

TypeScript

let guids: String[] = ["cometchat-guid-1"];
CometChat.getOnlineGroupMemberCount(guids).then(
  (groupMemberCount: Object) => {
      console.log("Total online user for specified groups:", groupMemberCount);
  }, (error: CometChat.CometChatException) => {
      console.log("Online group member count fetching failed with error:", error);
  }
);

JavaScript

let guids = ["cometchat-guid-1"];
CometChat.getOnlineGroupMemberCount(guids).then(
groupMemberCount => {
  console.log("Total online user for specified groups:", groupMemberCount);
}, error => {
  console.log("Online group member count fetching failed with error:", error);
}
);

Returns an object with GUIDs as keys and online member counts as values.

getOnlineGroupMemberCount() resolves with a { guid: count } object where each key is a group GUID and its value is the number of currently online members in that group.

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Next Steps

Create Group

Create public, private, or password-protected groups

Retrieve Group Members

Fetch and filter members of a specific group