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Overview

The Advanced iMessage Kit SDK provides comprehensive message sending capabilities including basic text messages, replies, rich links, and visual effects.

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Basic Text Messages

1

Send a simple message

Use the messages.sendMessage() method with a chat GUID and message text.
const message = await sdk.messages.sendMessage({
  chatGuid: "iMessage;-;+1234567890",
  message: "Hello from MOBAI!"
});

console.log(`Sent: ${message.guid}`);
console.log(`Created: ${new Date(message.dateCreated).toLocaleString()}`);
2

Handle the response

The method returns a MessageResponse object containing:
  • guid - Unique message identifier
  • text - Message content
  • dateCreated - Timestamp in milliseconds
  • isFromMe - Boolean indicating if you sent it

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Replying to Messages

Reply to specific messages using the selectedMessageGuid parameter to create threaded conversations. 
// Send initial message
const firstMessage = await sdk.messages.sendMessage({
  chatGuid: "iMessage;-;+1234567890",
  message: "What's your favorite color?"
});

await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));

// Send a second message
const secondMessage = await sdk.messages.sendMessage({
  chatGuid: "iMessage;-;+1234567890",
  message: "Also, what's your favorite food?"
});

await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 2000));

// Reply to the FIRST message specifically
const reply = await sdk.messages.sendMessage({
  chatGuid: "iMessage;-;+1234567890",
  message: "My favorite color is blue!",
  selectedMessageGuid: firstMessage.guid
});

console.log(`Replied to: ${firstMessage.guid}`);
Replies create a visual thread in iMessage that links the new message to the original.
Send URLs with rich previews that display website metadata, images, and titles. 
const richLinkMessage = await sdk.messages.sendMessage({
  chatGuid: "iMessage;-;+1234567890",
  message: "https://photon.codes/",
  richLink: true
});

console.log(`Sent rich link: ${richLinkMessage.guid}`);
console.log(`Balloon ID: ${richLinkMessage.balloonBundleId}`);
Set richLink: true to enable rich previews. Without this flag, URLs appear as plain text.

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Message Effects

Add visual effects to your messages for celebrations, emphasis, or fun interactions.
Message effects require Private API to be enabled on your server. Standard API does not support effects.

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Available Effects

Full-screen animations that play when the message is received.
const MESSAGE_EFFECTS = {
  confetti: "com.apple.messages.effect.CKConfettiEffect",
  lasers: "com.apple.messages.effect.CKHappyBirthdayEffect",
  fireworks: "com.apple.messages.effect.CKFireworksEffect",
  balloons: "com.apple.messages.effect.CKBalloonEffect",
  hearts: "com.apple.messages.effect.CKHeartEffect",
  shootingStar: "com.apple.messages.effect.CKShootingStarEffect",
  celebration: "com.apple.messages.effect.CKSparklesEffect",
  echo: "com.apple.messages.effect.CKEchoEffect",
  spotlight: "com.apple.messages.effect.CKSpotlightEffect"
};

// Send with confetti effect
const confettiMsg = await sdk.messages.sendMessage({
  chatGuid: "iMessage;-;+1234567890",
  message: "Happy Birthday!",
  effectId: MESSAGE_EFFECTS.confetti
});

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Effects Example

// Combine multiple effects in sequence
const effects = [
  { msg: "Congratulations!", effect: MESSAGE_EFFECTS.balloons },
  { msg: "I love you!", effect: MESSAGE_EFFECTS.hearts },
  { msg: "IMPORTANT MESSAGE!", effect: BUBBLE_EFFECTS.loud }
];

for (const { msg, effect } of effects) {
  await sdk.messages.sendMessage({
    chatGuid: CHAT_GUID,
    message: msg,
    effectId: effect
  });
  
  // Wait between messages
  await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 3000));
}

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Message Subjects

Add subjects to messages (similar to email subject lines). 
const messageWithSubject = await sdk.messages.sendMessage({
  chatGuid: "iMessage;-;+1234567890",
  message: "The meeting has been moved to 3 PM tomorrow.",
  subject: "Meeting Time Change"
});

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Auto-Creating Chats

The SDK automatically creates chats if they don’t exist when you send a message. 
// This works even if you've never messaged this number before
const message = await sdk.messages.sendMessage({
  chatGuid: "iMessage;-;+19876543210",
  message: "First message to a new contact!"
});
If the chat doesn’t exist, the SDK will:
  1. Extract the address from the chatGuid
  2. Create a new chat with that address
  3. Send your message
  4. Return the message response

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Error Handling

Handle errors gracefully when sending messages. 
try {
  const message = await sdk.messages.sendMessage({
    chatGuid: "iMessage;-;+1234567890",
    message: "Hello!"
  });
  
  console.log("Message sent successfully");
} catch (error) {
  if (error.response?.status === 404) {
    console.error("Chat not found");
  } else if (error.response?.status === 500) {
    console.error("Server error");
  } else {
    console.error("Failed to send:", error.message);
  }
}

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Sequential Message Delivery

The SDK automatically ensures messages are sent in order using an internal queue. 
// These messages will be sent sequentially, preserving order
const msg1 = sdk.messages.sendMessage({ 
  chatGuid: CHAT_GUID, 
  message: "First" 
});

const msg2 = sdk.messages.sendMessage({ 
  chatGuid: CHAT_GUID, 
  message: "Second" 
});

const msg3 = sdk.messages.sendMessage({ 
  chatGuid: CHAT_GUID, 
  message: "Third" 
});

// Wait for all to complete
await Promise.all([msg1, msg2, msg3]);
Messages are queued automatically. You don’t need to manually wait between sends - the SDK handles ordering for you.

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Next Steps

Receiving Messages

Learn how to listen for incoming messages

Working with Attachments

Send and receive images, videos, and files

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