Block Users

Block and unblock users to control communication

Quick Reference for AI Agents & Developers

// Block users
await CometChat.blockUsers(["user1", "user2"]);

// Unblock users
await CometChat.unblockUsers(["user1"]);

// Fetch blocked users list
const blockedRequest = new CometChat.BlockedUsersRequestBuilder()
  .setLimit(30)
  .setDirection(CometChat.BlockedUsersRequest.directions.BLOCKED_BY_ME)
  .build();
const blockedUsers = await blockedRequest.fetchNext();

// Check block status on user object
const user = await CometChat.getUser("user_uid");
const blockedByMe = user.getBlockedByMe();
const hasBlockedMe = user.getHasBlockedMe();

Blocking users prevents all communication between the logged-in user and the blocked user. Messages, calls, and other interactions are completely blocked in both directions.

Availability: SDK, API, UI Kits

Blocking is bidirectional - neither party can communicate with the other once blocked.

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Block Users

Block one or more users by their UIDs:

JavaScript

const usersList = ["UID1", "UID2", "UID3"];

CometChat.blockUsers(usersList).then(
  (result) => {
    console.log("Block result:", result);
    // { UID1: "success", UID2: "success", UID3: "success" }
  },
  (error) => console.log("Failed to block:", error)
);

TypeScript

const usersList: string[] = ["UID1", "UID2", "UID3"];

CometChat.blockUsers(usersList).then(
  (result: Object) => {
    console.log("Block result:", result);
  },
  (error: CometChat.CometChatException) => {
    console.log("Failed to block:", error);
  }
);

Async/Await

async function blockUser(uid) {
  try {
    const result = await CometChat.blockUsers([uid]);
    console.log("User blocked:", result);
    return result;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Failed to block:", error);
    throw error;
  }
}

async function blockMultipleUsers(uids) {
  try {
    const result = await CometChat.blockUsers(uids);
    console.log("Users blocked:", result);
    return result;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Failed to block:", error);
    throw error;
  }
}

// Usage
await blockUser("user123");
await blockMultipleUsers(["user1", "user2", "user3"]);

Returns an object with UIDs as keys and "success" or "fail" as values.

---

Unblock Users

Unblock previously blocked users:

JavaScript

const usersList = ["UID1", "UID2", "UID3"];

CometChat.unblockUsers(usersList).then(
  (result) => {
    console.log("Unblock result:", result);
    // { UID1: "success", UID2: "success", UID3: "success" }
  },
  (error) => console.log("Failed to unblock:", error)
);

TypeScript

const usersList: string[] = ["UID1", "UID2", "UID3"];

CometChat.unblockUsers(usersList).then(
  (result: Object) => {
    console.log("Unblock result:", result);
  },
  (error: CometChat.CometChatException) => {
    console.log("Failed to unblock:", error);
  }
);

Async/Await

async function unblockUser(uid) {
  try {
    const result = await CometChat.unblockUsers([uid]);
    console.log("User unblocked:", result);
    return result;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Failed to unblock:", error);
    throw error;
  }
}

// Usage
await unblockUser("user123");

---

Get Blocked Users List

Fetch the list of blocked users using BlockedUsersRequestBuilder:

JavaScript

const limit = 30;

const blockedUsersRequest = new CometChat.BlockedUsersRequestBuilder()
  .setLimit(limit)
  .build();

blockedUsersRequest.fetchNext().then(
  (userList) => console.log("Blocked users:", userList),
  (error) => console.log("Failed to fetch:", error)
);

TypeScript

const limit: number = 30;

const blockedUsersRequest: CometChat.BlockedUsersRequest = 
  new CometChat.BlockedUsersRequestBuilder()
    .setLimit(limit)
    .build();

blockedUsersRequest.fetchNext().then(
  (userList: CometChat.User[]) => console.log("Blocked users:", userList),
  (error: CometChat.CometChatException) => console.log("Failed:", error)
);

Async/Await

async function fetchBlockedUsers(limit = 30) {
  try {
    const blockedUsersRequest = new CometChat.BlockedUsersRequestBuilder()
      .setLimit(limit)
      .build();

    const userList = await blockedUsersRequest.fetchNext();
    console.log("Blocked users:", userList);
    return userList;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Failed to fetch blocked users:", error);
    throw error;
  }
}

// Usage
const blockedUsers = await fetchBlockedUsers();

Builder Options

Method	Description
setLimit(limit)	Number of users to fetch per request (max 100)
setSearchKeyword(keyword)	Search blocked users by name
setDirection(direction)	Filter by block direction

Filter by Direction

const blockedUsersRequest = new CometChat.BlockedUsersRequestBuilder()
  .setLimit(30)
  .setDirection(CometChat.BlockedUsersRequest.directions.BLOCKED_BY_ME)
  .build();

Direction	Description
BLOCKED_BY_ME	Users you have blocked
HAS_BLOCKED_ME	Users who have blocked you
BOTH	Both directions (default)

Search Blocked Users

JavaScript

const blockedUsersRequest = new CometChat.BlockedUsersRequestBuilder()
  .setLimit(30)
  .setSearchKeyword("john")
  .build();

blockedUsersRequest.fetchNext().then(
  (userList) => console.log("Search results:", userList),
  (error) => console.log("Failed:", error)
);

Async/Await

async function searchBlockedUsers(keyword) {
  try {
    const blockedUsersRequest = new CometChat.BlockedUsersRequestBuilder()
      .setLimit(30)
      .setSearchKeyword(keyword)
      .build();

    const userList = await blockedUsersRequest.fetchNext();
    console.log("Search results:", userList);
    return userList;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Failed to search blocked users:", error);
    throw error;
  }
}

// Usage
const results = await searchBlockedUsers("john");

---

Check Block Status

When you have a user object, check the block relationship:

const user = await CometChat.getUser("user1");

// Check if you blocked this user
const blockedByMe = user.getBlockedByMe();

// Check if this user blocked you
const hasBlockedMe = user.getHasBlockedMe();

if (blockedByMe) {
  console.log("You have blocked this user");
}

if (hasBlockedMe) {
  console.log("This user has blocked you");
}

---

Implementation Example

class BlockManager {
  constructor() {
    this.blockedUsers = new Set();
  }

  async loadBlockedUsers() {
    const request = new CometChat.BlockedUsersRequestBuilder()
      .setLimit(100)
      .setDirection(CometChat.BlockedUsersRequest.directions.BLOCKED_BY_ME)
      .build();

    try {
      const users = await request.fetchNext();
      users.forEach((user) => this.blockedUsers.add(user.getUid()));
    } catch (error) {
      console.log("Failed to load blocked users:", error);
    }
  }

  isBlocked(uid) {
    return this.blockedUsers.has(uid);
  }

  async blockUser(uid) {
    try {
      await CometChat.blockUsers([uid]);
      this.blockedUsers.add(uid);
      console.log("User blocked:", uid);
    } catch (error) {
      console.log("Failed to block:", error);
    }
  }

  async unblockUser(uid) {
    try {
      await CometChat.unblockUsers([uid]);
      this.blockedUsers.delete(uid);
      console.log("User unblocked:", uid);
    } catch (error) {
      console.log("Failed to unblock:", error);
    }
  }

  async toggleBlock(uid) {
    if (this.isBlocked(uid)) {
      await this.unblockUser(uid);
    } else {
      await this.blockUser(uid);
    }
  }
}

// Usage
const blockManager = new BlockManager();
await blockManager.loadBlockedUsers();

// Check if user is blocked
if (blockManager.isBlocked("user123")) {
  console.log("User is blocked");
}

// Toggle block status
await blockManager.toggleBlock("user123");

---

What Happens When Blocked

When a user is blocked:

Feature	Behavior
Messages	Cannot send or receive messages
Calls	Cannot initiate or receive calls
Typing Indicators	Not sent or received
Read Receipts	Not sent or received
Presence	Online status not visible
Conversations	Existing conversations remain but are inactive

Blocking is immediate. Any pending messages or calls will fail once the block is in place.

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Best Practices

UI Considerations

• Show clear feedback when blocking/unblocking
• Provide confirmation before blocking
• Allow users to view and manage their block list
• Hide blocked users from search results and user lists

Error Handling

• Handle cases where block/unblock fails
• Refresh block list periodically
• Cache block status locally for quick checks

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Next Steps

User Management

Create and update users

Retrieve Users

Fetch and search users

User Presence

Track online/offline status

Messaging

Send and receive messages