How to Integrate ChatGPT API in React Native
Tags: chatgpt, reactnative, react, node
Published: 2023-07-26 04:36:30

---
title: How to Integrate ChatGPT API in React Native
published: true
description: 
tags: chatgpt, reactnative, react, node
# cover_image: https://direct_url_to_image.jpg
# Use a ratio of 100:42 for best results.
# published_at: 2023-07-26 04:34 +0000
---

Here's a step-by-step tutorial on how to integrate the OpenAI's ChatGPT API into a React Native application. This tutorial assumes you already have a basic knowledge of JavaScript and React Native. If you're new to these technologies, consider learning them first.

You can jump straight to the code by downloading this [React Native ChatGPT](https://instamobile.io/app-templates/chatgpt-react-native/) repo.

# Integrating ChatGPT API in React Native

## Table of Contents

- [Prerequisites](#prerequisites)
- [Project Setup](#project-setup)
- [Installing Required Libraries](#installing-required-libraries)
- [Setting Up the ChatGPT API Service](#setting-up-the-chatgpt-api-service)
- [Creating the Chat Interface](#creating-the-chat-interface)
- [Connecting the Interface with the ChatGPT Service](#connecting-the-interface-with-the-chatgpt-service)

## Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

1. Node.js and npm/yarn installed on your computer. If not, download them from [here](https://nodejs.org/en/).
2. The latest version of React Native CLI installed. You can install it by running `npm install -g react-native-cli`.
3. An OpenAI API key. You can get one from the OpenAI [dashboard](https://beta.openai.com/signup/).

## Project Setup

Start by creating a new React Native project:

```bash
npx react-native init chatGPTApp
```

Then, move into your project's directory:

```bash
cd chatGPTApp
```

## Installing Required Libraries

We will be using `axios` for making HTTP requests to the ChatGPT API and `react-native-dotenv` for managing our environment variables (such as the OpenAI API key). Install these libraries with:

```bash
npm install axios @react-native-community/dotenv
```

Then, to setup `react-native-dotenv`, add the following lines to the `babel.config.js`:

```javascript
module.exports = {
  presets: ['module:metro-react-native-babel-preset'],
  plugins: [
    ["module:react-native-dotenv"]
  ]
};
```

Now, create a `.env` file in the root directory of your project and add your OpenAI API key:

```bash
OPENAI_KEY=your_api_key_here
```

## Setting Up the ChatGPT API Service

Create a new file named `ChatGPTService.js` in your project's root directory and write the following code:

```javascript
import axios from 'axios';
import { OPENAI_KEY } from '@env';

const instance = axios.create({
  baseURL: 'https://api.openai.com/v1/engines/davinci-codex/completions',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${OPENAI_KEY}`
  }
});

export const generateResponse = async (message) => {
  try {
    const response = await instance.post('', {
      prompt: message,
      max_tokens: 60
    });
    return response.data.choices[0].text;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error(error);
    return '';
  }
};
```

## Creating the Chat Interface

This tutorial doesn't focus on creating a sophisticated UI, so for brevity, we'll create a simple chat interface with a `TextInput` for the user input and a `Button` for sending messages. 

In your `App.js`, replace the boilerplate code with:

```javascript
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { View, TextInput, Button, Text, ScrollView } from 'react-native';

const App = () => {
  const [messages, setMessages] = useState([]);
  const [userInput, setUserInput] = useState('');

  const sendMessage = async () => {
    // Logic to send message will go here
  };

  return (
    <View>
      <ScrollView>
        {messages.map((msg, index) => (
          <Text key={index}>{msg}</Text>
        ))}
      </ScrollView>
      <View>
        <TextInput 
          value={userInput}
          onChangeText={setUserInput}
          placeholder="Type a message"
        />
        <Button title="Send" onPress={sendMessage} />
      </View>
    </View>
  );
};

export default App;
```

## Connecting the Interface with the ChatGPT Service

Finally, we need to connect our chat interface with the ChatGPT service. Modify the `sendMessage` function in `App.js` to:

```javascript
import { generateResponse } from './ChatGPTService';

// ...previous code

const sendMessage = async () => {
  if (!userInput) return;

  setMessages(prevMessages => [...prevMessages, `User: ${userInput}`]);
  const botResponse = await generateResponse(userInput);
  setMessages(prevMessages => [...prevMessages, `ChatGPT: ${botResponse}`]);
  setUserInput('');
};
```

That's it! You now have a React Native application integrated with the ChatGPT API. You can run your app using `npx react-native run-android` or `npx react-native run-ios` depending on your target platform.

Remember to keep your API key secure and do not expose it on the client-side in a real-world application. It's recommended to setup a backend server that communicates with the OpenAI API, and your React Native application should communicate with this server.

If you are interested in skipping all these steps and get a ready to use template, check out this premium [React Native ChatGPT app](https://instamobile.io/app-templates/chatgpt-react-native/) offered by Instamobile.