Message Persistence API for PubNub Swift Native SDK

Message Persistence provides real-time access to the history of all messages published to PubNub. Each published message is timestamped to the nearest 10 nanoseconds and is stored across multiple availability zones in several geographical locations. Stored messages can be encrypted with AES-256 message encryption, ensuring that they are not readable while stored on PubNub's network. For more information, refer to Message Persistence.

Messages can be stored for a configurable duration or forever, as controlled by the retention policy that is configured on your account. The following options are available: 1 day, 7 days, 30 days, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, or Unlimited.

You can retrieve the following:

  • Messages
  • Message reactions
  • File Sharing (using File Sharing API)

Fetch History​

Requires Message Persistence

This method requires that Message Persistence is enabled for your key in the Admin Portal. Read the support page on enabling add-on features on your keys.

This function fetches historical messages from one or multiple channels. The includeMessageActions flag also allows you to fetch message reactions along with the messages.

It's possible to control how messages are returned and in what order.

  • if you specify only the start parameter (without end), you will receive messages that are older than the start timetoken
  • if you specify only the end parameter (without start), you will receive messages from that end timetoken and newer
  • if you specify values for both start and end parameters, you will retrieve messages between those timetokens (inclusive of the end value)

You will receive a maximum of 100 messages for a single channel or 25 messages for multiple channels (up to 500). If more messages meet the timetoken criteria, make iterative calls while adjusting the start timetoken to fetch the entire list of messages from Message Persistence.

Method(s)​

To run Fetch History, you can use the following method(s) in the Swift SDK:

fetchMessageHistory(
    for channels: [String],
    includeActions actions: Bool = false,
    includeMeta: Bool = false,
    includeUUID: Bool = true,
    includeMessageType: Bool = true,
    includeCustomMessageType: Bool = false,
    page: PubNubBoundedPage? = PubNubBoundedPageBase(),
    custom requestConfig: RequestConfiguration = RequestConfiguration(),
    completion: ((Result<(messagesByChannel: [String: [PubNubMessage]], next: PubNubBoundedPage?), Error>) -> Void)?
)
ParameterTypeRequiredDefaultDescription
for[String]YesThe list of channels to fetch history messages from. Maximum of 500 channels are allowed.
includeActionsBoolOptionalfalseIf true any Message Reactions will be included in the response. When set to true the method is limited to retrieving history from a single channel.
includeMetaBoolOptionalfalseIf true the meta properties of messages will be included in the response.
includeUUIDBoolOptionaltrueIf true the user ID of the sender will be included in the response.
includeMessageTypeBoolOptionaltrueIndicates whether to retrieve messages with PubNub message type.

For more information, refer to Retrieving Messages.
includeCustomMessageTypeBoolOptionalfalseIndicates whether to retrieve messages with the custom message type.

For more information, refer to Retrieving Messages.
pagePubNubBoundedPage?OptionalPubNubBoundedPageBase()The paging object used for pagination. It allows you to specify a range of messages to retrieve based on specific time bounds. Set limit to control the number of results per page. Maximum value is 100 for a single channel, 25 for multiple channels, and 25 when includeActions is true.
customRequestConfigurationOptionalRequestConfiguration()An object that allows for per-request customization of PubNub Configuration or Network Session
completion((Result<(messagesByChannel: [String: [PubNubMessage]], next: PubNubBoundedPage?), Error>) -> Void)?OptionalnilThe async Result of the method call
Truncated response

If you fetch messages with messages actions, the number of messages in the response may be truncated when internal limits are hit. If the response is truncated, a more property will be returned with additional parameters. Send iterative calls to history adjusting the parameters to fetch more messages.

Completion Handler Result​

Success​

A Tuple of a Dictionary of channels mapped to an Array their respective PubNubMessages, and the next request PubNubBoundedPage (if one exists).

public protocol PubNubMessage {
  /// The message sent on the channel
  var payload: JSONCodable { get set }

  /// The type of message that was received
  var messageType: PubNubMessageType { get set }

  /// A user-provided custom message type
  var customMessageType: String? { get set }

  /// Message reactions associated with this message
  var actions: [PubNubMessageAction] { get set }

  /// The channel for which the message belongs
  var channel: String { get }
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public protocol PubNubBoundedPage {
  /// The start value for the next set of remote data
  var start: Timetoken? { get }

  /// The bounded end value that will be eventually fetched to
  var end: Timetoken? { get }

  /// The previous limiting value (if any)
  var limit: Int? { get }
}
Failure​

An Error describing the failure.

Basic Usage​

Retrieve the last message on a channel:

pubnub.fetchMessageHistory(for: ["my_channel"]) { result in
  switch result {
  case let .success(response):
    if let myChannelMessages = response.messagesByChannel["my_channel"] {
      print("The list of messages returned for `my_channel`: \(myChannelMessages)")
    }
    if let nextPage = response.next {
      print("The next page used for pagination: \(nextPage)")
    }
  case let .failure(error):
    print("Failed History Fetch Response: \(error.localizedDescription)")
  }
})

Other Examples​

Retrieve messages newer than a given timetoken​

pubnub.fetchMessageHistory(
  for: ["my_channel"],
  page: PubNubBoundedPageBase(end: 13406746780720711)
) { result in
  switch result {
  case let .success(response):
    if let myChannelMessages = response.messagesByChannel["my_channel"] {
      print("The list of messages returned for `my_channel`: \(myChannelMessages)")
    }
    if let nextPage = response.next {
      print("The next page used for pagination: \(nextPage)")
    }
  case let .failure(error):
    print("Failed History Fetch Response: \(error.localizedDescription)")
  }
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Retrieve messages starting from a specific timetoken​

pubnub.fetchMessageHistory(
  for: ["my_channel"],
  page: PubNubBoundedPageBase(start: 13406746780720711)
) { result in
  switch result {
  case let .success(response):
    if let myChannelMessages = response.messagesByChannel["my_channel"] {
      print("The list of messages returned for `my_channel`: \(myChannelMessages)")
    }
    if let nextPage = response.next {
      print("The next page used for pagination: \(nextPage)")
    }
  case let .failure(error):
    print("Failed History Fetch Response: \(error.localizedDescription)")
  }
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Retrieve the last 10 messages on channelSwift, otherChannel, and myChannel​

pubnub.fetchMessageHistory(
  for: ["channelSwift", "otherChannel", "myChannel"],
  page: PubNubBoundedPageBase(limit: 10)
) { result in
  switch result {
  case let .success(response):
    response.messagesByChannel.forEach { (channel, messages) in
      print("Channel `\(channel)` has the following messages: \(messages)")
    }
    if let nextPage = response.next {
      print("The next page used for pagination: \(nextPage)")
    }
  case let .failure(error):
    print("Failed History Fetch Response: \(error.localizedDescription)")
  }
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Retrieve messages and their metadata​

pubnub.fetchMessageHistory(
  for: ["my_channel"],
  includeMeta: true
) { result in
  switch result {
  case let .success(response):
    if let myChannelMessages = response.messagesByChannel["my_channel"] {
      print("The list of messages returned for `my_channel`: \(myChannelMessages)")
      myChannelMessages.forEach { message in
        print("The message sent at \(message.published) has the following metadata \(message.metadata)")
      }
    }
    if let nextPage = response.next {
      print("The next page used for pagination: \(nextPage)")
    }
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Retrieve messages and their Message Reaction data​

pubnub.fetchMessageHistory(
  for: ["my_channel"],
  includeActions: true
) { result in
  switch result {
  case let .success(response):
      if let myChannelMessages = response.messagesByChannel["my_channel"] {
        print("The list of messages returned for `my_channel`: \(myChannelMessages)")
        myChannelMessages.forEach { message in
          print("The message sent at \(message.published) has the following actions \(message.actions)")
        }
      }
      if let nextPage = response.next {
        print("The next page used for pagination: \(nextPage)")
      }
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Delete Messages from History​

Requires Message Persistence

This method requires that Message Persistence is enabled for your key in the Admin Portal. Read the support page on enabling add-on features on your keys.

Removes the messages from the history of a specific channel.

Required setting

There is a setting to accept delete from history requests for a key, which you must enable by checking the Enable Delete-From-History checkbox in the key settings for your key in the Admin Portal.

Requires Initialization with secret key.

Method(s)​

To Delete Messages from History you can use the following method(s) in the Swift SDK.

deleteMessageHistory(
    from channel: String,
    start: Timetoken? = nil,
    end: Timetoken? = nil,
    custom requestConfig: RequestConfiguration = RequestConfiguration(),
    completion: ((Result<Void, Error>) -> Void)?
)
ParameterTypeRequiredDefaultDescription
fromStringYesThe channel to delete the messages from.
startTimetoken?OptionalnilTimetoken delimiting the start of time slice (inclusive) to delete messages from.
endTimetoken?OptionalnilTimetoken delimiting the end of time slice (exclusive) to delete messages from.
customRequestConfigurationOptionalRequestConfiguration()An object that allows for per-request customization of PubNub Configuration or Network Session
completion((Result<Void, Error>) -> Void)?OptionalnilThe async Result of the method call

Completion Handler Result​

Success​

A Void indicating a success.

Failure​

An Error describing the failure.

Basic Usage​

pubnub.deleteMessageHistory(
  from: "my_channel"
) { result in
  switch result {
  case let .success:
    print("The message deletion was successful")
  case let .failure(error):
    print("Failed Message Deletion Response: \(error.localizedDescription)")
  }
}

Other Examples​

Delete specific message from history​

pubnub.deleteMessageHistory(
  from: "my_channel",
  start: 15526611838554309,
  end: 15526611838554310
) { result in
  switch result {
  case let .success:
    print("The message deletion was successful")
  case let .failure(error):
    print("Failed Message Deletion Response: \(error.localizedDescription)")
  }
}

Message Counts​

Requires Message Persistence

This method requires that Message Persistence is enabled for your key in the Admin Portal. Read the support page on enabling add-on features on your keys.

Returns the number of messages published on one or more channels since a given time. The count returned is the number of messages in history with a timetoken value greater than or equal to than the passed value in the timetokenparameter.

Unlimited message retention

For keys with unlimited message retention enabled, this method considers only messages published in the last 30 days.

Method(s)​

You can use the following method(s) in the Swift SDK:

messageCounts(
    channels: [String: Timetoken],
    custom requestConfig: RequestConfiguration = RequestConfiguration(),
    completion: ((Result<[String: Int], Error>) -> Void)?
)
ParameterTypeRequiredDefaultDescription
channels[String: Timetoken]YesThe map of channels and the Timetoken to get the message count for
customRequestConfigurationOptionalRequestConfiguration()An object that allows for per-request customization of PubNub Configuration or Network Session
completion((Result<[String: Int], Error>) -> Void)?OptionalnilThe async Result of the method call
messageCounts(
    channels: [String],
    timetoken: Timetoken = 1,
    custom requestConfig: RequestConfiguration = RequestConfiguration(),
    completion: ((Result<[String: Int], Error>) -> Void)?
)
ParameterTypeRequiredDefaultDescription
channels[String]YesThe list of channels to get message counts for.
timetokenTimetokenOptional1The timetoken for all channels in the list to get message counts for.
customRequestConfigurationOptionalRequestConfiguration()An object that allows for per-request customization of PubNub Configuration or Network Session
completion((Result<[String: Int], Error>) -> Void)?OptionalnilThe async Result of the method call

Completion Handler Result​

Success​

A Dictionary of channels mapped to their respective message count.

Failure​

An Error describing the failure.

Basic Usage​

pubnub.messageCounts(channels: ["my_channel"]) { result in
  switch result {
  case let .success(messageCountByChannel):
    if let myChannelCount = messageCountByChannel["my_channel"] {
      print("The current message count for `my_channel` is \(myChannelCount)")
    }
  case let .failure(error):
    print("Failed Message Count Response: \(error.localizedDescription)")
  }
}

Other Examples​

Retrieve message counts for multiple channels with the same timetoken 15526611838554310​

pubnub.messageCounts(
  channels: ["my_channel", "other_channel", "their_channel"],
  timetoken: 15526611838554310
) { result in
  switch result {
  case let .success(messageCountByChannel):
    messageCountByChannel.forEach { (channel, messageCount) in
      print("The current message count for `\(channel)` is \(messageCount)")
    }
  case let .failure(error):
    print("Failed Message Count Response: \(error.localizedDescription)")
  }
}

Retrieve message counts for multiple channels with different timetokens​

pubnub.messageCounts(
  channels: [
    "my_channel": 15526611838554309,
    "other_channel": 15526611838554310,
    "their_channel": 1
  ]
) { result in
  switch result {
  case let .success(messageCountByChannel):
    messageCountByChannel.forEach { (channel, messageCount) in
      print("The current message count for `\(channel)` is \(messageCount)")
    }
  case let .failure(error):
    print("Failed Message Count Response: \(error.localizedDescription)")
  }
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