How They Look
The typing indicator appears at the bottom of the message list, showing:
- The person's display name
- Three animated bouncing dots ("...")
If multiple people are typing simultaneously, each person's indicator is shown.
How They Work
Typing indicators use Firebase Realtime Database for instant, low-latency updates:
- When you start typing, your device writes your display name to a typing path in RTDB
- All connected hub members receive the update in real time
- The indicator appears in the relevant channel or DM conversation
- After you stop typing for 3 seconds, the indicator automatically clears
- When you send the message, the indicator is also cleared
💡 Tip
Typing indicators are debounced — they won't fire on every keystroke. This keeps network usage minimal while still providing timely feedback.
Hub-Wide Visibility
Typing indicators are subscribed to at the hub level. This means:
- You'll see typing indicators for all channels, not just your current one
- The indicator only shows in the channel or DM where the person is actually typing
- This allows you to notice activity on other channels without switching to them
Technical Details
- Path:
typing/{hubId}/{channelKey}/{userId}in Firebase RTDB - Auto-clear: 3-second debounce timer
- Data stored: Display name only (no message content)
- Cleanup: Indicators are removed when the user sends a message, navigates away, or the timer expires