Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Master React Native alongside me https://cwb.sh/rn
Learn how to build a complete real-time chat application from scratch using React Native, Expo SDK 55, and Instant as the backend. We cover authentication with magic codes, guest sign-in, real-time messaging, database schema design, and keyboard handling - all coded by hand without AI.
- Instant Docs: instantdb.com/docs
- React Native course & Inkigo source code: https://codewithbeto.dev
- Source Code: github.com/betomoedano/instant-realtime-chat.git
📬 Newsletter: https://cwb.sh/newsletter?r=yt
💬 Join the Discord community: https://cwb.sh/discord
For other ways to support my work, please consider:
- GitHub Sponsors: github.com/sponsors/betomoedano
- Become a Code with Beto channel member: https://cwb.sh/join
🐦 Follow Beto on X: https://x.com/betomoedano
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/betomoedano
💻 GitHub: github.com/betomoedano
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/codewithbeto
🎵 TikTok: tiktok.com/@codewithbeto
🧵 Threads: threads.com/@codewithbeto
🦋 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/codewithbeto.dev
⌚️ Timestamps ⌚️
00:00 Intro
00:26 What is Instant?
00:45 Creating a new Expo project
03:52 Expo SDK 55 native tabs overview
04:54 Installing Instant in the project
07:03 Authenticating with Instant CLI
07:55 Instant sandbox & dashboard
09:47 Installing instant-react-native
12:00 Resetting & simplifying the project
12:50 Real-time functionality demo
14:00 Environment variables setup
16:13 Creating a new Instant app
18:14 Schema & permissions setup
22:00 Default schema overview
23:08 Implementing authentication
24:54 Magic code email auth
27:00 Creating auth screen component
31:00 Building email & code step components
38:54 Auth screen styling
44:00 Testing auth on iOS
46:15 Email step & code step flow
55:07 Auth persistence & sign out
57:42 Creating the home screen
01:04:15 Auth persistence confirmation
01:05:01 Guest authentication
01:10:31 Starting conversations - schema design
01:12:04 Database schema with channels & messages
01:16:03 Creating data in Instant Explorer
01:19:04 Building the channels list UI
01:26:00 Dynamic routes with Expo Router
01:32:00 Querying messages by channel
01:40:01 Message container styling
01:49:03 Real-time messaging demo
01:51:04 Keyboard handling setup
02:00:00 Input & send button UI
02:11:03 Submitting messages
02:27:00 Author linking & profiles
02:38:00 Wrap-up
#Coding #ReactNative #InstantDB
Master React Native alongside me https://cwb.sh/rn
Learn how to build a complete real-time chat application from scratch using React Native, Expo SDK 55, and Instant as the backend. We cover authentication with magic codes, guest sign-in, real-time messaging, database schema design, and keyboard handling - all coded by hand without AI.
- Instant Docs: instantdb.com/docs
- React Native course & Inkigo source code: https://codewithbeto.dev
- Source Code: github.com/betomoedano/instant-realtime-chat.git
📬 Newsletter: https://cwb.sh/newsletter?r=yt
💬 Join the Discord community: https://cwb.sh/discord
For other ways to support my work, please consider:
- GitHub Sponsors: github.com/sponsors/betomoedano
- Become a Code with Beto channel member: https://cwb.sh/join
🐦 Follow Beto on X: https://x.com/betomoedano
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/betomoedano
💻 GitHub: github.com/betomoedano
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/codewithbeto
🎵 TikTok: tiktok.com/@codewithbeto
🧵 Threads: threads.com/@codewithbeto
🦋 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/codewithbeto.dev
⌚️ Timestamps ⌚️
00:00 Intro
00:26 What is Instant?
00:45 Creating a new Expo project
03:52 Expo SDK 55 native tabs overview
04:54 Installing Instant in the project
07:03 Authenticating with Instant CLI
07:55 Instant sandbox & dashboard
09:47 Installing instant-react-native
12:00 Resetting & simplifying the project
12:50 Real-time functionality demo
14:00 Environment variables setup
16:13 Creating a new Instant app
18:14 Schema & permissions setup
22:00 Default schema overview
23:08 Implementing authentication
24:54 Magic code email auth
27:00 Creating auth screen component
31:00 Building email & code step components
38:54 Auth screen styling
44:00 Testing auth on iOS
46:15 Email step & code step flow
55:07 Auth persistence & sign out
57:42 Creating the home screen
01:04:15 Auth persistence confirmation
01:05:01 Guest authentication
01:10:31 Starting conversations - schema design
01:12:04 Database schema with channels & messages
01:16:03 Creating data in Instant Explorer
01:19:04 Building the channels list UI
01:26:00 Dynamic routes with Expo Router
01:32:00 Querying messages by channel
01:40:01 Message container styling
01:49:03 Real-time messaging demo
01:51:04 Keyboard handling setup
02:00:00 Input & send button UI
02:11:03 Submitting messages
02:27:00 Author linking & profiles
02:38:00 Wrap-up
#Coding #ReactNative #InstantDB
