capacitor-best-practices

---
name: capacitor-best-practices
description: Best practices for Capacitor app development including project structure, plugin usage, performance optimization, security, and deployment. Use this skill when reviewing Capacitor code, setting up new projects, or optimizing existing apps.
---

# Capacitor Best Practices

Comprehensive guidelines for building production-ready Capacitor applications.

## When to Use This Skill

- Setting up a new Capacitor project
- Reviewing Capacitor app architecture
- Optimizing app performance
- Implementing security measures
- Preparing for app store submission

## Project Structure

### Recommended Directory Layout

```text
my-app/
├── src/                      # Web app source
├── android/                  # Android native project
├── ios/                      # iOS native project
├── capacitor.config.ts       # Capacitor configuration
├── package.json
└── tsconfig.json
```

### Configuration Best Practices

**capacitor.config.ts** (CORRECT):
```typescript
import type { CapacitorConfig } from '@capacitor/cli';

const config: CapacitorConfig = {
  appId: 'com.company.app',
  appName: 'My App',
  webDir: 'dist',
  server: {
    // Only enable for development
    ...(process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' && {
      url: 'http://localhost:5173',
      cleartext: true,
    }),
  },
  plugins: {
    SplashScreen: {
      launchAutoHide: false,
    },
  },
};

export default config;
```

**capacitor.config.json** (AVOID):
```json
{
  "server": {
    "url": "http://localhost:5173",
    "cleartext": true
  }
}
```
*Never commit development server URLs to production*

## Plugin Usage

### CRITICAL: Always Use Latest Capacitor

Keep Capacitor core packages in sync:

```bash
npm install @capacitor/core@latest @capacitor/cli@latest
npm install @capacitor/ios@latest @capacitor/android@latest
npx cap sync
```

### Plugin Installation Pattern

**CORRECT**:
```bash
# 1. Install the package
npm install @capgo/capacitor-native-biometric

# 2. Sync native projects
npx cap sync

# 3. For iOS: Install pods (or use SPM)
cd ios/App && pod install && cd ../..
```

**INCORRECT**:
```bash
# Missing sync step
npm install @capgo/capacitor-native-biometric
# App crashes because native code not linked
```

### Plugin Initialization

**CORRECT** - Check availability before use:
```typescript
import { NativeBiometric, BiometryType } from '@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric';

async function authenticate() {
  const { isAvailable, biometryType } = await NativeBiometric.isAvailable();

  if (!isAvailable) {
    // Fallback to password
    return authenticateWithPassword();
  }

  try {
    await NativeBiometric.verifyIdentity({
      reason: 'Authenticate to access your account',
      title: 'Biometric Login',
    });
    return true;
  } catch (error) {
    // User cancelled or biometric failed
    return false;
  }
}
```

**INCORRECT** - No availability check:
```typescript
// Will crash if biometrics not available
await NativeBiometric.verifyIdentity({ reason: 'Login' });
```

## Performance Optimization

### CRITICAL: Lazy Load Plugins

**CORRECT** - Dynamic imports:
```typescript
// Only load when needed
async function scanDocument() {
  const { DocumentScanner } = await import('@capgo/capacitor-document-scanner');
  return DocumentScanner.scanDocument();
}
```

**INCORRECT** - Import everything at startup:
```typescript
// Increases initial bundle size
import { DocumentScanner } from '@capgo/capacitor-document-scanner';
import { NativeBiometric } from '@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric';
import { Camera } from '@capacitor/camera';
// ... 20 more plugins
```

### HIGH: Optimize WebView Performance

**CORRECT** - Use hardware acceleration:
```xml
<!-- android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml -->
<application
    android:hardwareAccelerated="true"
    android:largeHeap="true">
```

```xml
<!-- ios/App/App/Info.plist -->
<key>UIViewGroupOpacity</key>
<false/>
```

### HIGH: Minimize Bridge Calls

**CORRECT** - Batch operations:
```typescript
// Single call with batch data
await Storage.set({
  key: 'userData',
  value: JSON.stringify({ name, email, preferences }),
});
```

**INCORRECT** - Multiple bridge calls:
```typescript
// Each call crosses the JS-native bridge
await Storage.set({ key: 'name', value: name });
await Storage.set({ key: 'email', value: email });
await Storage.set({ key: 'preferences', value: JSON.stringify(preferences) });
```

### MEDIUM: Image Optimization

**CORRECT**:
```typescript
import { Camera, CameraResultType } from '@capacitor/camera';

const photo = await Camera.getPhoto({
  quality: 80,           // Not 100
  width: 1024,           // Reasonable max
  resultType: CameraResultType.Uri,  // Not Base64 for large images
  correctOrientation: true,
});
```

**INCORRECT**:
```typescript
const photo = await Camera.getPhoto({
  quality: 100,
  resultType: CameraResultType.Base64,  // Memory intensive
  // No size limits
});
```

## Security Best Practices

### CRITICAL: Secure Storage

**CORRECT** - Use secure storage for sensitive data:
```typescript
import { NativeBiometric } from '@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric';

// Store credentials securely
await NativeBiometric.setCredentials({
  username: 'user@example.com',
  password: 'secret',
  server: 'api.myapp.com',
});

// Retrieve with biometric verification
const credentials = await NativeBiometric.getCredentials({
  server: 'api.myapp.com',
});
```

**INCORRECT** - Plain storage:
```typescript
import { Preferences } from '@capacitor/preferences';

// NEVER store sensitive data in plain preferences
await Preferences.set({
  key: 'password',
  value: 'secret',  // Stored in plain text!
});
```

### CRITICAL: Certificate Pinning

For production apps handling sensitive data:

```typescript
// capacitor.config.ts
const config: CapacitorConfig = {
  plugins: {
    CapacitorHttp: {
      enabled: true,
    },
  },
  server: {
    // Disable cleartext in production
    cleartext: false,
  },
};
```

### HIGH: Root/Jailbreak Detection

```typescript
import { IsRoot } from '@capgo/capacitor-is-root';

async function checkDeviceSecurity() {
  const { isRooted } = await IsRoot.isRooted();

  if (isRooted) {
    // Show warning or restrict functionality
    showSecurityWarning('Device appears to be rooted/jailbroken');
  }
}
```

### HIGH: App Tracking Transparency (iOS)

```typescript
import { AppTrackingTransparency } from '@capgo/capacitor-app-tracking-transparency';

async function requestTracking() {
  const { status } = await AppTrackingTransparency.requestPermission();

  if (status === 'authorized') {
    // Enable analytics
  }
}
```

## Error Handling

### CRITICAL: Always Handle Plugin Errors

**CORRECT**:
```typescript
import { Camera, CameraResultType } from '@capacitor/camera';

async function takePhoto() {
  try {
    const image = await Camera.getPhoto({
      quality: 90,
      resultType: CameraResultType.Uri,
    });
    return image;
  } catch (error) {
    if (error.message === 'User cancelled photos app') {
      // User cancelled, not an error
      return null;
    }
    if (error.message.includes('permission')) {
      // Permission denied
      showPermissionDialog();
      return null;
    }
    // Unexpected error
    console.error('Camera error:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}
```

**INCORRECT**:
```typescript
// No error handling
const image = await Camera.getPhoto({ quality: 90 });
```

## Live Updates

### Using Capacitor Updater

```typescript
import { CapacitorUpdater } from '@capgo/capacitor-updater';

// Notify when app is ready
CapacitorUpdater.notifyAppReady();

// Listen for updates
CapacitorUpdater.addListener('updateAvailable', async (update) => {
  // Download in background
  const bundle = await CapacitorUpdater.download({
    url: update.url,
    version: update.version,
  });

  // Apply on next app start
  await CapacitorUpdater.set(bundle);
});
```

### Update Strategy

**CORRECT** - Background download, apply on restart:
```typescript
// Download silently
const bundle = await CapacitorUpdater.download({ url, version });

// User continues using app...

// Apply when they close/reopen
await CapacitorUpdater.set(bundle);
```

**INCORRECT** - Interrupt user:
```typescript
// Don't force reload while user is active
const bundle = await CapacitorUpdater.download({ url, version });
await CapacitorUpdater.reload();  // Disrupts user
```

## Native Project Management

### iOS: Use Swift Package Manager (SPM)

Modern approach - prefer SPM over CocoaPods:

```ruby
# Podfile - Remove plugin pods, use SPM instead
target 'App' do
  capacitor_pods
  # Plugin dependencies via SPM in Xcode
end
```

### Android: Gradle Configuration

```groovy
// android/app/build.gradle
android {
    defaultConfig {
        minSdkVersion 22
        targetSdkVersion 34
    }

    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled true
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}
```

## Testing

### Plugin Mocking

```typescript
// Mock for web testing
jest.mock('@capgo/capacitor-native-biometric', () => ({
  NativeBiometric: {
    isAvailable: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({
      isAvailable: true,
      biometryType: 'touchId',
    }),
    verifyIdentity: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({}),
  },
}));
```

### Platform Detection

```typescript
import { Capacitor } from '@capacitor/core';

if (Capacitor.isNativePlatform()) {
  // Native-specific code
} else {
  // Web fallback
}

// Or check specific platform
if (Capacitor.getPlatform() === 'ios') {
  // iOS-specific code
}
```

## Deployment Checklist

- [ ] Remove development server URLs from config
- [ ] Enable ProGuard for Android release builds
- [ ] Set appropriate iOS deployment target
- [ ] Test on real devices, not just simulators
- [ ] Verify all permissions are declared
- [ ] Test with poor network conditions
- [ ] Verify deep links work correctly
- [ ] Test app backgrounding/foregrounding
- [ ] Verify push notifications work
- [ ] Test biometric authentication edge cases

## Resources

- Capacitor Documentation: https://capacitorjs.com/docs
- Capgo Documentation: https://capgo.app/docs
- Ionic Framework: https://ionicframework.com/docs