Push notifications

Create an APNs key

On the Apple Developer site, go to Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles → Keys and create a key with Apple Push Notifications service (APNs) enabled. Download the .p8 file and note its Key ID. Apple only lets you download it once, so keep it somewhere safe.

One key works for all your apps on the team, and for both development and production builds.

Upload it to Hollo

In the dashboard, open your app's Push settings and upload the .p8 file with its Key ID, your Team ID and your app's bundle ID. Hollo encrypts the key at rest and never shows it again.

Pass Hollo the device token

Hollo never asks users for notification permission itself. Ask the way you already do, register for remote notifications, then hand Hollo the token.

SwiftUI apps need an app delegate for this. Add one with @UIApplicationDelegateAdaptor:

import SwiftUI
import UserNotifications
import Hollo

@main
struct DriftwoodApp: App {
    @UIApplicationDelegateAdaptor(AppDelegate.self) private var appDelegate

    init() {
        Hollo.start(appKey: "app_XXXX")
    }

    var body: some Scene {
        WindowGroup { ContentView() }
    }
}

final class AppDelegate: NSObject, UIApplicationDelegate {
    func application(
        _ application: UIApplication,
        didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?
    ) -> Bool {
        UNUserNotificationCenter.current().delegate = self
        application.registerForRemoteNotifications()
        return true
    }

    func application(
        _ application: UIApplication,
        didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken deviceToken: Data
    ) {
        Hollo.registerPush(deviceToken: deviceToken)
    }
}

UIKit apps add the same two methods to their existing AppDelegate.

registerForRemoteNotifications() doesn't show a prompt. It gets a token that can deliver notifications once the user allows them. Calling it at every launch is normal; Apple may give you a new token at any time, and Hollo keeps the latest one.

Open the chat from a notification

When a user taps a Hollo notification, let Hollo open the conversation. handle(notification:) returns true if the notification was Hollo's, so your own notifications still reach your code:

extension AppDelegate: UNUserNotificationCenterDelegate {
    func userNotificationCenter(
        _ center: UNUserNotificationCenter,
        didReceive response: UNNotificationResponse
    ) async {
        if Hollo.handle(notification: response) { return }
        // Your own notifications here.
    }

    func userNotificationCenter(
        _ center: UNUserNotificationCenter,
        willPresent notification: UNNotification
    ) async -> UNNotificationPresentationOptions {
        [.banner, .list, .sound]
    }
}

Set the notification centre's delegate in didFinishLaunchingWithOptions, as above. If you set it later, taps that launch the app from closed can be missed.

Ask for permission at a good moment

If your app doesn't ask for notifications yet, a natural moment is right after the user sends their first support message, when a reply is clearly useful:

let center = UNUserNotificationCenter.current()
let granted = try await center.requestAuthorization(options: [.alert, .sound, .badge])