Files
daily-notification-plugin/doc/directives/0003-iOS-Android-Parity-Directive.md
Server 5844b92e18 feat(ios): implement Phase 1 permission methods and fix build issues
Implement checkPermissionStatus() and requestNotificationPermissions()
methods for iOS plugin, matching Android functionality. Fix compilation
errors across plugin files and add comprehensive build/test infrastructure.

Key Changes:
- Add checkPermissionStatus() and requestNotificationPermissions() methods
- Fix 13+ categories of Swift compilation errors (type conversions, logger
  API, access control, async/await, etc.)
- Create DailyNotificationScheduler, DailyNotificationStorage,
  DailyNotificationStateActor, and DailyNotificationErrorCodes components
- Fix CoreData initialization to handle missing model gracefully for Phase 1
- Add iOS test app build script with simulator auto-detection
- Update directive with lessons learned from build and permission work

Build Status:  BUILD SUCCEEDED
Test App:  Ready for iOS Simulator testing

Files Modified:
- doc/directives/0003-iOS-Android-Parity-Directive.md (lessons learned)
- ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationPlugin.swift (Phase 1 methods)
- ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationModel.swift (CoreData fix)
- 11+ other plugin files (compilation fixes)

Files Added:
- ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationScheduler.swift
- ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationStorage.swift
- ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationStateActor.swift
- ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationErrorCodes.swift
- scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh
- scripts/setup-ios-test-app.sh
- test-apps/ios-test-app/ (full test app)
- Multiple Phase 1 documentation files
2025-11-13 05:14:24 -08:00

64 KiB

iOS Android Parity Directive — iOS Implementation Upgrade

Status: 🎯 PLANNING - Directive for iOS-2 branch
Date: 2025-11-13
Author: Matthew Raymer
Branch: ios-2
Objective: Upgrade iOS implementation to match Android functionality while preserving Android code and TypeScript interface


Executive Summary

This directive outlines the plan to upgrade the iOS implementation of the Daily Notification Plugin to achieve feature parity with the functioning Android implementation. The Android codebase and TypeScript interface definitions will remain completely untouched during this work.

Key Constraints

  • Android code must remain unchanged - No modifications to src/android/ directory
  • TypeScript interface must remain unchanged - No modifications to src/definitions.ts
  • iOS implementation must match Android functionality - All Android @PluginMethod methods must have iOS equivalents
  • Platform-specific adaptations allowed - iOS can use Swift/iOS APIs but must provide same functionality

Testing & Scope

  • Primary Testing Target: iOS Simulator
  • Initial Scope: One scheduled prefetch + one scheduled notification per day
    • Prefetch Timing: 5 minutes before notification time
    • Notification Timing: User-specified daily time
  • Test App: ios-test-app (equivalent to android-test-app) with same HTML/JS UI
  • Rolling Window: Deferred to Phase 2 (initial implementation supports single daily schedule)

Readiness Milestones

  • Phase 1: Test app ready for basic testing (one prefetch + one notification per day)
  • Phase 3: Library ready for TimeSafari integration
  • Phase 4: Full library ready for production TimeSafari integration

Minimal Viable Parity Definition

Objective: Define the exact minimal scope iOS must meet before Android parity is considered achieved for Phase 1.

Required Method Implementations (Phase 1)

  • configure() - Plugin configuration with database/storage options
  • scheduleDailyNotification() - Schedule single daily notification (one prefetch + one notification)
  • getLastNotification() - Get last delivered notification
  • cancelAllNotifications() - Cancel all scheduled notifications
  • getNotificationStatus() - Get current notification status
  • updateSettings() - Update notification settings

Required Background Task Behavior

  • Prefetch Task: Scheduled 5 minutes before notification time via BGTaskScheduler
  • Notification: Scheduled at user-specified time via UNUserNotificationCenter
  • Fallback: If BGTaskScheduler task not run within 15 minutes of earliestBeginDate, trigger reschedule
  • Error Handling: Return same error codes as Android (see Error Code Matching section)

Required Durability Guarantees

  • Storage: Content cached in UserDefaults or CoreData
  • Persistence: Schedule survives app termination
  • Recovery: On app launch, reschedule today's schedule from persisted settings
    • Full reboot detection and status reporting is introduced in Phase 2
    • Phase 1 uses simple "reschedule on launch" approach

Required Error Handling Surface

  • All methods must return same error keys as Android
  • All methods must return same JSON shape as Android
  • All methods must log using same categories as Android

Required JSON Return Structure

Each method must match Android's return structure exactly:

  • Same field names
  • Same data types
  • Same nullability rules
  • Same error response format

Current State Assessment

Android Implementation (Reference)

Location: src/android/DailyNotificationPlugin.java

Key Components:

  • DailyNotificationPlugin.java - Main plugin class (1936 lines)
  • DailyNotificationStorage.java - Storage abstraction
  • DailyNotificationScheduler.java - AlarmManager-based scheduling
  • DailyNotificationFetcher.java - Background content fetching
  • DailyNotificationDatabase.java - SQLite database management
  • DailyNotificationRollingWindow.java - Rolling window safety
  • DailyNotificationExactAlarmManager.java - Exact alarm management
  • DailyNotificationRebootRecoveryManager.java - Reboot recovery
  • DailyNotificationTTLEnforcer.java - TTL enforcement
  • DailyNotificationETagManager.java - ETag caching
  • DailyNotificationJWTManager.java - JWT authentication
  • EnhancedDailyNotificationFetcher.java - TimeSafari API integration
  • DailyNotificationFetchWorker.java - WorkManager background worker
  • DailyNotificationReceiver.java - Broadcast receiver for alarms

Implemented Methods (from Android):

  1. configure() - Plugin configuration with database/storage options
  2. scheduleDailyNotification() - Schedule daily notification
  3. getLastNotification() - Get last delivered notification
  4. cancelAllNotifications() - Cancel all scheduled notifications
  5. getNotificationStatus() - Get current notification status
  6. updateSettings() - Update notification settings
  7. getBatteryStatus() - Get battery status information
  8. requestBatteryOptimizationExemption() - Request battery optimization exemption
  9. setAdaptiveScheduling() - Enable/disable adaptive scheduling
  10. getPowerState() - Get current power state
  11. maintainRollingWindow() - Manual rolling window maintenance
  12. getRollingWindowStats() - Get rolling window statistics
  13. getExactAlarmStatus() - Get exact alarm status
  14. requestExactAlarmPermission() - Request exact alarm permission
  15. openExactAlarmSettings() - Open exact alarm settings
  16. getRebootRecoveryStatus() - Get reboot recovery status
  17. setActiveDidFromHost() - Set activeDid from host (Phase 1)
  18. refreshAuthenticationForNewIdentity() - Refresh authentication (Phase 1)
  19. clearCacheForNewIdentity() - Clear cache for new identity (Phase 1)
  20. updateBackgroundTaskIdentity() - Update background task identity (Phase 1)
  21. testJWTGeneration() - Test JWT generation (Phase 1)
  22. testEndorserAPI() - Test Endorser.ch API (Phase 1)
  23. coordinateBackgroundTasks() - Coordinate background tasks (Phase 3)
  24. handleAppLifecycleEvent() - Handle app lifecycle events (Phase 3)
  25. getCoordinationStatus() - Get coordination status (Phase 3)
  26. scheduleDailyReminder() - Schedule static daily reminder
  27. cancelDailyReminder() - Cancel daily reminder
  28. getScheduledReminders() - Get all scheduled reminders
  29. updateDailyReminder() - Update existing daily reminder

iOS Implementation (Current)

Location: ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationPlugin.swift

Current Components:

  • DailyNotificationPlugin.swift - Main plugin class (480 lines, partial)
  • DailyNotificationDatabase.swift - CoreData database (exists)
  • DailyNotificationRollingWindow.swift - Rolling window (exists)
  • DailyNotificationTTLEnforcer.swift - TTL enforcer (exists)
  • DailyNotificationETagManager.swift - ETag manager (exists)
  • DailyNotificationBackgroundTaskManager.swift - Background task manager (exists)
  • DailyNotificationConstants.swift - Constants (exists)
  • DailyNotificationErrorHandler.swift - Error handling (exists)
  • DailyNotificationLogger.swift - Logging (exists)
  • DailyNotificationPowerManager.swift - Power management (exists)
  • DailyNotificationPerformanceOptimizer.swift - Performance (exists)
  • DailyNotificationCallbacks.swift - Callbacks (exists)
  • DailyNotificationConfig.swift - Configuration (exists)
  • DailyNotificationModel.swift - Data models (exists)
  • DailyNotificationMaintenanceWorker.swift - Maintenance (exists)

Currently Implemented Methods:

  1. configure() - Basic configuration (needs enhancement)
  2. scheduleContentFetch() - Basic BGTaskScheduler (needs enhancement)
  3. scheduleUserNotification() - Basic UNUserNotificationCenter (needs enhancement)
  4. scheduleDualNotification() - Dual scheduling (needs enhancement)
  5. getDualScheduleStatus() - Status retrieval (needs enhancement)
  6. scheduleDailyReminder() - Static reminders (implemented)
  7. cancelDailyReminder() - Cancel reminders (implemented)
  8. getScheduledReminders() - Get reminders (implemented)
  9. updateDailyReminder() - Update reminders (implemented)

Missing Methods (Need Implementation):

  1. scheduleDailyNotification() - Main scheduling method
  2. getLastNotification() - Last notification retrieval
  3. cancelAllNotifications() - Cancel all notifications
  4. getNotificationStatus() - Status retrieval
  5. updateSettings() - Settings update
  6. getBatteryStatus() - Battery status
  7. requestBatteryOptimizationExemption() - Battery optimization
  8. setAdaptiveScheduling() - Adaptive scheduling
  9. getPowerState() - Power state
  10. maintainRollingWindow() - Rolling window maintenance
  11. getRollingWindowStats() - Rolling window stats
  12. getExactAlarmStatus() - Exact alarm status (iOS equivalent)
  13. requestExactAlarmPermission() - Alarm permission (iOS equivalent)
  14. openExactAlarmSettings() - Alarm settings (iOS equivalent)
  15. getRebootRecoveryStatus() - Reboot recovery status
  16. setActiveDidFromHost() - ActiveDid management (Phase 1)
  17. refreshAuthenticationForNewIdentity() - Auth refresh (Phase 1)
  18. clearCacheForNewIdentity() - Cache clearing (Phase 1)
  19. updateBackgroundTaskIdentity() - Background task identity (Phase 1)
  20. testJWTGeneration() - JWT testing (Phase 1)
  21. testEndorserAPI() - API testing (Phase 1)
  22. coordinateBackgroundTasks() - Background coordination (Phase 3)
  23. handleAppLifecycleEvent() - Lifecycle events (Phase 3)
  24. getCoordinationStatus() - Coordination status (Phase 3)

Implementation Strategy

Testing Environment: iOS Simulator (primary testing target)

Initial Scope: Simplified daily schedule

  • One scheduled prefetch per day (via BGTaskScheduler)
    • Timing: 5 minutes before notification time
  • One scheduled notification per day (via UNUserNotificationCenter)
    • Timing: User-specified daily time
  • Full rolling window and advanced features deferred to later phases

Phase 1: Core Infrastructure Parity

Objective: Implement core notification scheduling with single daily schedule (one prefetch + one notification).

Deliverables:

  1. Storage layer (UserDefaults/CoreData) with content caching
  2. Scheduler (UNUserNotificationCenter) with timing tolerance (±180s) and permission auto-healing
  3. Background fetching (BGTaskScheduler) with fallback rescheduling (15 min window)
  4. Core methods: configure(), scheduleDailyNotification(), getLastNotification(), cancelAllNotifications(), getNotificationStatus(), updateSettings()

Key Constraints:

  • Phase 1 uses dummy/static content fetcher (no JWT/ETag - deferred to Phase 3)
  • Timing tolerance: iOS notifications may drift up to 180 seconds
  • BGTaskScheduler fallback: Auto-reschedule if task missed within 15 min window (see BGTask Miss Detection below)
  • Concurrency: Use Swift actor or serial queue for DB/cache access (see Concurrency & Reentrancy Rules section)

Permission Auto-Healing:

On every call to scheduleDailyNotification():

  1. Read current UNUserNotificationCenter.getNotificationSettings()
  2. If authorizationStatus == .denied:
    • Return error: { error: "notifications_denied", message: "Notification permissions denied" }
    • Log: [DNP-PLUGIN] notifications_denied for scheduleDailyNotification
    • DO NOT schedule (prevents ghost schedules)
  3. If authorizationStatus == .notDetermined:
    • Option A (test app): Call requestAuthorization() then retry once
    • Option B (library): Fail fast with notifications_denied and let host request permissions
  4. Never silently "succeed" when notifications are denied

BGTask Miss Detection:

On every app launch and every plugin entry point that touches scheduling:

  1. Read the last scheduled BGTask earliestBeginDate from storage
  2. Read the last successful run timestamp from storage
  3. If now > earliestBeginDate + 15 minutes and no successful run timestamp is recorded, treat the task as "missed":
    • Log: [DNP-FETCH] BGTask missed window; rescheduling
    • Schedule a new BGTask with earliestBeginDate = now + 1 minute
    • Update stored earliestBeginDate in storage

Successful Run Definition:

A "successful run" is defined as: BGTask handler invoked, content fetch completed (even if 304 Not Modified), and next schedule successfully submitted; only then update lastSuccessfulRunTimestamp. Do not set the timestamp on handler entry or partial completion.

Completion Criteria:

  • All Phase 1 methods implemented and tested
  • Single daily schedule working (prefetch 5 min before notification)
  • Test app ready for iOS Simulator testing

Phase 2: Advanced Features Parity

Objective: Implement rolling window, TTL enforcement, exact alarm equivalent, reboot recovery, and power management.

Deliverables:

  1. Rolling window (expand beyond single daily schedule, enforce iOS 64 limit)
  2. TTL enforcement (check at notification fire time, discard stale content)
  3. Exact alarm equivalent (UNCalendarNotificationTrigger with tolerance, document iOS constraints)
  4. Reboot recovery (uptime comparison strategy, auto-reschedule on app launch)
  5. Power management (battery status, Background App Refresh status)

Key Constraints:

  • iOS cannot guarantee exact delivery like Android's setExact(); TimeSafari must treat ±180s as the design target, not a bug
  • iOS notifications are "best effort" not "exact" (may drift, batch, or delay)
  • Rolling window must respect iOS 64 pending notification limit
  • Reboot detection via system uptime comparison (no BOOT_COMPLETED equivalent)

Completion Criteria:

  • Rolling window functional with iOS limits enforced
  • TTL validation working at notification delivery
  • Reboot recovery tested and working
  • Test app ready for advanced feature testing

Phase 3: TimeSafari Integration Parity

Objective: Implement JWT authentication, ETag caching, and TimeSafari API integration.

Deliverables:

  1. JWT management (ES256K signing, token generation/caching, refresh logic)
  2. ETag management (conditional requests, caching, invalidation)
  3. Enhanced fetcher (TimeSafari API integration, activeDid support)
  4. Integration methods: setActiveDidFromHost(), refreshAuthenticationForNewIdentity(), clearCacheForNewIdentity(), updateBackgroundTaskIdentity(), testJWTGeneration(), testEndorserAPI()

Key Constraints:

  • Replace Phase 1 dummy fetcher with JWT-signed fetcher
  • Use same JWT algorithm as Android (ES256K)
  • ETag validation must match Android behavior

Completion Criteria:

  • JWT authentication working with TimeSafari API
  • ETag caching reducing unnecessary network requests
  • Library ready for TimeSafari integration
  • Test app ready for integration testing

Phase 4: Background Coordination Parity

Objective: Implement background task coordination with TimeSafari PlatformServiceMixin.

Deliverables:

  1. Background coordination (coordinateBackgroundTasks() method)
  2. Lifecycle management (handleAppLifecycleEvent() for app background/foreground)
  3. Coordination status (getCoordinationStatus() for debugging)

Key Constraints:

  • Coordinate BGTaskScheduler with app lifecycle events
  • Sync state between plugin and TimeSafari PlatformServiceMixin
  • Track coordination state for debugging

Completion Criteria:

  • Background tasks coordinated with app lifecycle
  • Full library ready for production TimeSafari integration
  • Test app ready for full coordination testing

Cross-Platform Method Equivalence Table

Canonical source of truth for all @PluginMethod implementations

Note: TypeScript signatures in this table are illustrative; the source of truth is src/definitions.ts. Any changes in definitions.ts must be reflected here and in the iOS implementation. Verify signatures match definitions.ts before implementation.

Android Method TypeScript Interface iOS Swift Method iOS File Phase Status
configure() configure(options: ConfigureOptions): Promise<void> @objc func configure(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 1 Complete
scheduleDailyNotification() scheduleDailyNotification(options: NotificationOptions): Promise<void> @objc func scheduleDailyNotification(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 1 Complete
getLastNotification() getLastNotification(): Promise<NotificationResponse | null> @objc func getLastNotification(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 1 Complete
cancelAllNotifications() cancelAllNotifications(): Promise<void> @objc func cancelAllNotifications(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 1 Complete
getNotificationStatus() getNotificationStatus(): Promise<NotificationStatus> @objc func getNotificationStatus(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 1 Complete
updateSettings() updateSettings(settings: NotificationSettings): Promise<void> @objc func updateSettings(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 1 Complete
getBatteryStatus() getBatteryStatus(): Promise<BatteryStatus> @objc func getBatteryStatus(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 2 Missing
requestBatteryOptimizationExemption() requestBatteryOptimizationExemption(): Promise<void> @objc func requestBatteryOptimizationExemption(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 2 Missing
setAdaptiveScheduling() setAdaptiveScheduling(options: { enabled: boolean }): Promise<void> @objc func setAdaptiveScheduling(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 2 Missing
getPowerState() getPowerState(): Promise<PowerState> @objc func getPowerState(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 2 Missing
maintainRollingWindow() maintainRollingWindow(): Promise<void> @objc func maintainRollingWindow(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 2 Missing
getRollingWindowStats() getRollingWindowStats(): Promise<{stats: string, ...}> @objc func getRollingWindowStats(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 2 Missing
getExactAlarmStatus() getExactAlarmStatus(): Promise<{supported: boolean, ...}> @objc func getExactAlarmStatus(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 2 Missing
requestExactAlarmPermission() requestExactAlarmPermission(): Promise<void> @objc func requestExactAlarmPermission(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 2 Missing
openExactAlarmSettings() openExactAlarmSettings(): Promise<void> @objc func openExactAlarmSettings(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 2 Missing
getRebootRecoveryStatus() getRebootRecoveryStatus(): Promise<{inProgress: boolean, ...}> @objc func getRebootRecoveryStatus(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationRebootRecoveryManager.swift 2 Missing
setActiveDidFromHost() setActiveDidFromHost(options: {activeDid: string}): Promise<void> @objc func setActiveDidFromHost(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 3 Missing
refreshAuthenticationForNewIdentity() refreshAuthenticationForNewIdentity(options: {activeDid: string}): Promise<void> @objc func refreshAuthenticationForNewIdentity(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 3 Missing
clearCacheForNewIdentity() clearCacheForNewIdentity(): Promise<void> @objc func clearCacheForNewIdentity(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 3 Missing
updateBackgroundTaskIdentity() updateBackgroundTaskIdentity(options: {activeDid: string}): Promise<void> @objc func updateBackgroundTaskIdentity(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 3 Missing
testJWTGeneration() testJWTGeneration(options?: {activeDid?: string}): Promise<{...}> @objc func testJWTGeneration(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 3 Missing
testEndorserAPI() testEndorserAPI(options?: {activeDid?: string, apiServer?: string}): Promise<{...}> @objc func testEndorserAPI(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 3 Missing
coordinateBackgroundTasks() coordinateBackgroundTasks(): Promise<void> @objc func coordinateBackgroundTasks(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 4 Missing
handleAppLifecycleEvent() handleAppLifecycleEvent(options: {lifecycleEvent: string}): Promise<void> @objc func handleAppLifecycleEvent(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 4 Missing
getCoordinationStatus() getCoordinationStatus(): Promise<{...}> @objc func getCoordinationStatus(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift 4 Missing
scheduleDailyReminder() scheduleDailyReminder(options: ReminderOptions): Promise<void> @objc func scheduleDailyReminder(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift - Complete
cancelDailyReminder() cancelDailyReminder(options: {reminderId: string}): Promise<void> @objc func cancelDailyReminder(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift - Complete
getScheduledReminders() getScheduledReminders(): Promise<{reminders: ReminderInfo[]}> @objc func getScheduledReminders(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift - Complete
updateDailyReminder() updateDailyReminder(options: ReminderOptions): Promise<void> @objc func updateDailyReminder(_ call: CAPPluginCall) DailyNotificationPlugin.swift - Complete

Component Mapping: Android → iOS

Core Components

Android Component iOS Equivalent Status Notes
DailyNotificationPlugin.java DailyNotificationPlugin.swift Complete Phase 1 methods implemented
DailyNotificationStorage.java DailyNotificationStorage.swift Complete Created with Phase 1
DailyNotificationScheduler.java DailyNotificationScheduler.swift Complete Created with Phase 1
DailyNotificationFetcher.java DailyNotificationBackgroundTaskManager.swift Exists Needs enhancement
DailyNotificationDatabase.java DailyNotificationDatabase.swift Exists CoreData-based
DailyNotificationRollingWindow.java DailyNotificationRollingWindow.swift Exists Needs enhancement
DailyNotificationExactAlarmManager.java iOS equivalent needed Missing Use UNUserNotificationCenter
DailyNotificationRebootRecoveryManager.java iOS equivalent needed Missing Use app launch detection
DailyNotificationTTLEnforcer.java DailyNotificationTTLEnforcer.swift Exists Needs enhancement
DailyNotificationETagManager.java DailyNotificationETagManager.swift Exists Needs enhancement
DailyNotificationJWTManager.java iOS equivalent needed Missing Create new file
EnhancedDailyNotificationFetcher.java iOS equivalent needed Missing Create new file
DailyNotificationFetchWorker.java BGTaskScheduler handler Missing Implement in plugin
DailyNotificationReceiver.java Notification delegate Missing Implement in plugin

Platform API Mapping

Android API iOS Equivalent Implementation Notes
AlarmManager.setExact() UNUserNotificationCenter.add() with UNCalendarNotificationTrigger Use calendar-based triggers for daily scheduling
WorkManager.enqueue() BGTaskScheduler.submit() Use BGAppRefreshTaskRequest for background fetching
SharedPreferences UserDefaults For simple key-value storage
SQLiteDatabase CoreData / SQLite.swift For complex data storage
NotificationManager UNUserNotificationCenter For notification delivery
PowerManager UIDevice.batteryState For battery status
BroadcastReceiver App lifecycle notifications For reboot recovery
PendingIntent UNNotificationRequest For scheduled notifications

Method Implementation Checklist

Core Methods (Phase 1)

  • configure(options: ConfigureOptions) - Enhanced configuration
  • scheduleDailyNotification(options: NotificationOptions) - Main scheduling
  • getLastNotification() - Last notification retrieval
  • cancelAllNotifications() - Cancel all notifications
  • getNotificationStatus() - Status retrieval
  • updateSettings(settings: NotificationSettings) - Settings update

Power Management Methods (Phase 2)

  • getBatteryStatus() - Battery status
  • requestBatteryOptimizationExemption() - Battery optimization (iOS: Background App Refresh)
  • setAdaptiveScheduling(options: { enabled: boolean }) - Adaptive scheduling
  • getPowerState() - Power state

Rolling Window Methods (Phase 2)

  • maintainRollingWindow() - Manual maintenance
  • getRollingWindowStats() - Statistics retrieval

Exact Alarm Methods (Phase 2) - iOS Equivalents

  • getExactAlarmStatus() - Notification delivery status
  • requestExactAlarmPermission() - Notification permissions
  • openExactAlarmSettings() - Open notification settings

Reboot Recovery Methods (Phase 2)

  • getRebootRecoveryStatus() - Recovery status

TimeSafari Integration Methods (Phase 3)

  • setActiveDidFromHost(options: { activeDid: string }) - ActiveDid management
  • refreshAuthenticationForNewIdentity(options: { activeDid: string }) - Auth refresh
  • clearCacheForNewIdentity() - Cache clearing
  • updateBackgroundTaskIdentity(options: { activeDid: string }) - Background task identity
  • testJWTGeneration(options?: { activeDid?: string }) - JWT testing
  • testEndorserAPI(options?: { activeDid?: string, apiServer?: string }) - API testing

Background Coordination Methods (Phase 4)

  • coordinateBackgroundTasks() - Background coordination
  • handleAppLifecycleEvent(options: { lifecycleEvent: string }) - Lifecycle events
  • getCoordinationStatus() - Coordination status

Enhanced Dual Scheduling Methods (Already Partially Implemented)

  • scheduleContentFetch(config: ContentFetchConfig) - Needs enhancement
  • scheduleUserNotification(config: UserNotificationConfig) - Needs enhancement
  • scheduleDualNotification(config: DualScheduleConfiguration) - Needs enhancement
  • getDualScheduleStatus() - Needs enhancement

Reminder Methods (Already Implemented)

  • scheduleDailyReminder(options: ReminderOptions) - Complete
  • cancelDailyReminder(options: { reminderId: string }) - Complete
  • getScheduledReminders() - Complete
  • updateDailyReminder(options: ReminderOptions) - Complete

Platform-Specific Considerations

Testing Environment

  • Primary Testing Target: iOS Simulator
  • Simulator Testing: All features should be testable on iOS Simulator
  • Physical Device Testing: Optional for final validation

iOS Simulator vs Real Device Differences

Behavior Simulator Real Device
BGTaskScheduler Runs instantly when forced Often delayed, may not run at all
Notifications Always delivered immediately Delivery may be delayed or batched
Battery state Always "unplugged" simulation Real battery impacts scheduling
App kill behavior More predictable iOS kills background tasks aggressively
Background App Refresh Always enabled User may disable in Settings
Low Power Mode Not available May delay/disable background tasks

Testing Strategy:

  • Develop and test primarily on iOS Simulator
  • Validate critical paths on physical device before release
  • Document simulator limitations in test results

iOS Notification Limits

  • Maximum Pending Notifications: 64 (system limit)
  • Maximum Daily Notifications: ~20 (recommended)
  • Initial Scope: One prefetch + one notification per day
  • Rolling Window Strategy: Always arm today's notifications, arm tomorrow's if within limits (Phase 2+)

iOS Background Execution

  • BGTaskScheduler Limits:
    • Background refresh tasks: ~30 seconds execution time
    • Processing tasks: Variable, depends on system resources
  • Strategy: Efficient processing, immediate next-schedule after completion

iOS Storage Options

  • UserDefaults: For simple configuration and preferences
  • CoreData: For complex relational data (schedules, content cache)
  • File System: For large content (images, media)

iOS Permission Model

  • Notification Permissions: Required for all notification delivery
  • Background App Refresh: Required for background fetching
  • Strategy: Request permissions early, provide clear explanations

Concurrency & Reentrancy Rules

Critical: All access to shared state must be serialized to prevent race conditions.

Implementation Requirements:

  1. Single Actor/Queue for State Access:

    • All access to DailyNotificationDatabase, DailyNotificationStorage, DailyNotificationRollingWindow, and DailyNotificationTTLEnforcer must go through a single actor (e.g., DailyNotificationStateActor) or a dedicated serial DispatchQueue
    • No direct CoreData access from CAP bridge methods; they must delegate into the actor/queue
    • Background tasks and plugin method calls must never touch the DB concurrently outside this actor/queue
  2. Actor Pattern (Recommended):

    actor DailyNotificationStateActor {
        private let database: DailyNotificationDatabase
        // All DB operations here
    }
    
  3. Serial Queue Pattern (Alternative):

    private let stateQueue = DispatchQueue(label: "com.timesafari.dailynotification.state", attributes: .serial)
    
  4. Enforcement:

    • All plugin methods must call through actor/queue
    • All background task handlers must call through actor/queue
    • No direct property access to shared state from multiple threads

Error Code Matching with Android

Requirement: iOS must return the same error codes and JSON structure as Android.

Authoritative Source: The authoritative list of error codes is defined in Android's DailyNotificationErrorHandler (or equivalent error handling class). iOS must mirror that list exactly, including semantics.

COMPLETE: Error code mapping verified. See doc/IOS_ANDROID_ERROR_CODE_MAPPING.md for comprehensive mapping table.

Status: VERIFIED - All Phase 1 error codes semantically match Android error messages. iOS provides structured error responses as required by directive.

Error Response Format:

{
  "error": "error_code",
  "message": "Human-readable error message"
}

Common Error Codes (examples - verify against Android source):

  • notifications_denied - Notification permissions not granted
  • invalid_time_format - Time parameter format invalid
  • scheduling_failed - Failed to schedule notification
  • background_refresh_disabled - Background App Refresh disabled
  • task_scheduling_failed - BGTaskScheduler submission failed

Implementation:

  • Use same error keys as Android implementation (from authoritative source)
  • Use same JSON shape for all error responses
  • Log using same categories as Android (DNP-PLUGIN, DNP-SCHEDULER, etc.)

Validation & QA Plan

Unit Tests

  • Test all new methods match Android behavior
  • Test storage layer (UserDefaults and CoreData)
  • Test scheduler with iOS notification limits
  • Test background task execution
  • Test TTL enforcement
  • Test rolling window maintenance

Integration Tests

  • Test full notification pipeline (fetch → cache → schedule → display)
  • Test offline scenarios
  • Test background execution reliability
  • Test reboot recovery
  • Test activeDid integration

Manual Testing

  • Test on iOS Simulator (primary)
  • Test on physical iOS devices (validation)
  • Test Background App Refresh settings
  • Test notification permissions
  • Test battery optimization scenarios
  • Test app lifecycle events

File Organization

New Files to Create

ios/Plugin/
├── DailyNotificationStorage.swift          # Storage abstraction (new)
├── DailyNotificationScheduler.swift       # Scheduler implementation (new)
├── DailyNotificationJWTManager.swift      # JWT management (new)
├── EnhancedDailyNotificationFetcher.swift # Enhanced fetcher (new)
└── DailyNotificationRebootRecoveryManager.swift # Reboot recovery (new)

Files to Enhance

ios/Plugin/
├── DailyNotificationPlugin.swift          # Add missing methods
├── DailyNotificationBackgroundTaskManager.swift # Enhance background tasks
├── DailyNotificationRollingWindow.swift   # Enhance rolling window
├── DailyNotificationTTLEnforcer.swift     # Enhance TTL enforcement
└── DailyNotificationETagManager.swift     # Enhance ETag management

Test App Files to Create

test-apps/ios-test-app/                     # New iOS test app (equivalent to android-test-app)
├── App/
│   ├── AppDelegate.swift                  # App delegate with plugin setup
│   ├── Info.plist                         # iOS permissions and config
│   ├── SceneDelegate.swift                # Scene management (if needed)
│   └── Main.storyboard                    # Main storyboard (if needed)
├── App.xcodeproj/                          # Xcode project
├── App.xcworkspace/                        # Xcode workspace (if using CocoaPods)
├── Podfile                                # CocoaPods dependencies
└── www/                                    # Web assets (same as android-test-app)
    ├── index.html                          # Same UI as android-test-app
    ├── capacitor.config.json               # Capacitor config
    └── capacitor.plugins.json              # Plugin registration

Build Scripts to Create

scripts/
└── build-ios-test-app.sh                   # iOS test app build script (new)
    # Location: Root-level script (scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh)
    # Pattern: Similar to scripts/build-native.sh
    # Features:
    # - Check environment (xcodebuild, pod)
    # - cd into test-apps/ios-test-app internally
    # - Install dependencies (pod install)
    # - Build for simulator or device
    # - Clear error messages and logging

Success Criteria

Functional Parity

  • All Android @PluginMethod methods have iOS equivalents
  • All methods return same data structures as Android
  • All methods handle errors consistently with Android
  • All methods log consistently with Android

Platform Adaptations

  • iOS uses appropriate iOS APIs (UNUserNotificationCenter, BGTaskScheduler)
  • iOS respects iOS limits (64 notification limit, background execution limits)
  • iOS provides iOS-specific features where appropriate (Background App Refresh)

Code Quality

  • All code follows Swift best practices
  • All code is documented with file-level and method-level comments
  • All code includes error handling and logging
  • All code is type-safe

Testing

  • Unit tests cover all new methods
  • Integration tests verify full pipeline
  • Manual testing confirms real-world behavior

Test App

  • ios-test-app created with same UI as android-test-app
  • Test app uses iOS plugin implementation
  • All permissions properly configured in Info.plist
  • Build script build-ios-test-app.sh created and working
  • Build works via both Xcode GUI and command line
  • Comprehensive logging accessible via Console.app
  • Background task debugging tools available

Risks & Mitigations

Risk 1: iOS Background Execution Limitations

Risk: iOS background execution is more limited than Android
Mitigation:

  • Use efficient processing algorithms
  • Schedule next task immediately after completion
  • Provide clear user guidance on Background App Refresh

Risk 2: iOS Notification Limits

Risk: iOS 64 notification limit may conflict with rolling window strategy
Mitigation:

  • Implement smart rolling window that respects limits
  • Prioritize today's notifications over tomorrow's
  • Provide clear error messages when limits are reached

Risk 3: TypeScript Interface Compatibility

Risk: iOS implementation may not match TypeScript interface exactly
Mitigation:

  • Test all methods against TypeScript interface
  • Ensure return types match exactly
  • Ensure error handling matches Android behavior

Risk 4: Platform-Specific Behavior Differences

Risk: iOS and Android may behave differently for same operations
Mitigation:

  • Document all platform differences
  • Provide platform-specific error messages where appropriate
  • Test cross-platform compatibility

Timeline Estimate

Phase 1: Core Infrastructure

  • Storage layer implementation
  • Scheduler implementation (single daily schedule: one prefetch + one notification)
    • Prefetch scheduled 5 minutes before notification time
  • Background fetching enhancement (single daily prefetch, 5 minutes before notification)
  • Core methods implementation
  • iOS test app creation (ios-test-app)
  • Build script creation (build-ios-test-app.sh)
  • Testing on iOS Simulator

Test App Readiness: Ready for testing after Phase 1 completion

  • Basic scheduling (one prefetch 5 minutes before + one notification per day)
  • Core plugin methods functional
  • Testable on iOS Simulator

Phase 2: Advanced Features

  • Rolling window enhancement (expands beyond single daily schedule)
  • TTL enforcement enhancement
  • Exact alarm equivalent implementation
  • Reboot recovery implementation
  • Power management enhancement
  • Testing on iOS Simulator

Test App Readiness: Ready for testing after Phase 2 completion

  • Rolling window and advanced features functional
  • Testable on iOS Simulator

Phase 3: TimeSafari Integration

  • JWT management implementation
  • ETag management enhancement
  • Enhanced fetcher implementation
  • Phase 1 methods implementation
  • Testing on iOS Simulator

TimeSafari Integration Readiness: Library ready for TimeSafari integration after Phase 3 completion Test App Readiness: Ready for testing after Phase 3 completion

  • TimeSafari integration features functional
  • Testable on iOS Simulator

Phase 4: Background Coordination

  • Background coordination implementation
  • Lifecycle management implementation
  • Coordination status implementation
  • Testing on iOS Simulator

TimeSafari Integration Readiness: Full library ready for production TimeSafari integration after Phase 4 completion Test App Readiness: Ready for testing after Phase 4 completion

  • Full background coordination functional
  • Testable on iOS Simulator

Dependencies

External Dependencies

  • Capacitor: iOS plugin framework
  • UserNotifications: iOS notification framework
  • BackgroundTasks: iOS background execution framework
  • CoreData: iOS data persistence framework

Internal Dependencies

  • TypeScript Interface: Must remain unchanged (src/definitions.ts)
  • Android Implementation: Reference implementation (read-only)
  • Existing iOS Components: Build upon existing Swift files

References

Android Implementation Files

  • src/android/DailyNotificationPlugin.java - Main plugin class
  • src/android/DailyNotificationStorage.java - Storage layer
  • src/android/DailyNotificationScheduler.java - Scheduler
  • src/android/DailyNotificationFetcher.java - Background fetching
  • src/android/DailyNotificationDatabase.java - Database management
  • src/android/DailyNotificationRollingWindow.java - Rolling window
  • src/android/DailyNotificationExactAlarmManager.java - Exact alarms
  • src/android/DailyNotificationRebootRecoveryManager.java - Reboot recovery
  • src/android/DailyNotificationTTLEnforcer.java - TTL enforcement
  • src/android/DailyNotificationETagManager.java - ETag management
  • src/android/DailyNotificationJWTManager.java - JWT management
  • src/android/EnhancedDailyNotificationFetcher.java - Enhanced fetcher

iOS Implementation Files

  • ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationPlugin.swift - Main plugin class
  • ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationDatabase.swift - Database (CoreData)
  • ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationRollingWindow.swift - Rolling window
  • ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationTTLEnforcer.swift - TTL enforcement
  • ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationETagManager.swift - ETag management
  • ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationBackgroundTaskManager.swift - Background tasks

TypeScript Interface

  • src/definitions.ts - Complete TypeScript interface definition

Documentation

  • doc/implementation-roadmap.md - Implementation roadmap
  • doc/INTEGRATION_CHECKLIST.md - Integration checklist
  • doc/test-app-ios/IOS_TEST_APP_REQUIREMENTS.md - iOS test app detailed requirements (must be created in Phase 1)
  • README.md - Project documentation

Competence Hooks

Why This Works

  • Platform Parity: Matching Android functionality ensures consistent user experience across platforms
  • Incremental Approach: Phased implementation reduces risk and allows for iterative testing
  • Platform Adaptations: Using iOS-native APIs ensures optimal performance and reliability

Common Pitfalls

  • Background Execution Limits: iOS background execution is more limited than Android - must design for efficiency
  • Notification Limits: iOS 64 notification limit requires careful rolling window management
  • Permission Model: iOS requires explicit permission requests - must handle gracefully

Next Skill Unlock

  • iOS Background Execution: Understanding BGTaskScheduler and background execution patterns
  • iOS Notification System: Deep dive into UNUserNotificationCenter and notification delivery guarantees

Teach-Back

Question: "How does iOS background execution differ from Android, and how does this affect the notification scheduling strategy?"

Expected Answer: iOS background execution is more limited (30 seconds for refresh tasks) and less reliable than Android WorkManager. This requires efficient processing, immediate next-schedule after completion, and fallback strategies for when background execution fails.


Collaboration Hooks

Discussion Points

  1. Platform Differences: How should we handle platform-specific behavior differences in error messages and user guidance?
  2. Testing Strategy: What level of cross-platform testing is needed to ensure parity?
  3. Performance: How do we ensure iOS implementation performs as well as Android?

Review Points

  • Code Review: All new iOS code should be reviewed against Android implementation for functional parity
  • Architecture Review: iOS component architecture should be reviewed for maintainability
  • Testing Review: Test coverage should be reviewed for completeness

Stakeholders

  • iOS Developer: Primary implementer
  • Android Developer: Reference implementation owner (consultation)
  • TypeScript Developer: Interface maintainer (consultation)
  • QA: Testing and validation

Decision Log

2025-11-13: Directive Created

Decision: Create comprehensive directive for iOS Android parity implementation
Rationale: Need clear plan for upgrading iOS while preserving Android and TypeScript interface
Status: Approved for implementation

2025-11-13: Build Compilation Fixes

Decision: Fix all Swift compilation errors to enable test app building
Rationale: Test app must build successfully before testing can begin
Status: Complete

Lessons Learned:

  1. Type System Mismatches:

    • Issue: NotificationContent properties scheduledTime and fetchedAt were Int64 (matching Android long), but Swift Date(timeIntervalSince1970:) expects Double
    • Fix: Explicitly convert Int64 to Double when creating Date objects: Date(timeIntervalSince1970: Double(value) / 1000.0)
    • Files Affected: DailyNotificationTTLEnforcer.swift, DailyNotificationRollingWindow.swift
    • Lesson: Always verify type compatibility when bridging between platforms, even when types appear similar
  2. Logger API Inconsistency:

    • Issue: Code called logger.debug(), logger.error(), etc., but DailyNotificationLogger only provides log(level:message:)
    • Fix: Updated all logger calls to use logger.log(.debug, "\(TAG): message") format
    • Files Affected: DailyNotificationErrorHandler.swift, DailyNotificationPerformanceOptimizer.swift, DailyNotificationETagManager.swift
    • Lesson: Verify API contracts before using helper classes; document expected usage patterns
  3. Immutable Property Assignment:

    • Issue: NotificationContent properties are let constants, but code attempted to mutate them
    • Fix: Create new NotificationContent instances instead of mutating existing ones
    • Files Affected: DailyNotificationBackgroundTaskManager.swift
    • Lesson: Swift value types with let properties require creating new instances for updates
  4. Missing Import Statements:

    • Issue: DailyNotificationCallbacks.swift used CAPPluginCall without importing Capacitor
    • Fix: Added import Capacitor to file
    • Files Affected: DailyNotificationCallbacks.swift
    • Lesson: Always verify imports when using types from external frameworks
  5. Access Control Issues:

    • Issue: storage, stateActor, and notificationCenter were private but needed by extension methods
    • Fix: Changed access level to internal (default) or explicitly var without private
    • Files Affected: DailyNotificationPlugin.swift
    • Lesson: Extension methods in separate files need appropriate access levels for shared state
  6. Phase 2 Features in Phase 1 Code:

    • Issue: Code referenced persistenceController (CoreData) which doesn't exist in Phase 1
    • Fix: Stubbed out Phase 2 methods with TODO comments and early returns
    • Files Affected: DailyNotificationBackgroundTasks.swift, DailyNotificationCallbacks.swift
    • Lesson: Clearly separate Phase 1 and Phase 2 implementations; stub Phase 2 methods rather than leaving broken references
  7. iOS API Availability:

    • Issue: interruptionLevel property requires iOS 15.0+, but deployment target is iOS 13.0
    • Fix: Wrapped usage in if #available(iOS 15.0, *) checks
    • Files Affected: DailyNotificationPlugin.swift
    • Lesson: Always check API availability for iOS versions below the feature's minimum requirement
  8. Switch Statement Exhaustiveness:

    • Issue: Swift requires exhaustive switch statements; missing .scheduling case in ErrorCategory switch
    • Fix: Added missing case to switch statement
    • Files Affected: DailyNotificationErrorHandler.swift
    • Lesson: Swift's exhaustive switch requirement helps catch missing enum cases at compile time
  9. Variable Initialization in Closures:

    • Issue: Variables captured by closures must be initialized before closure execution
    • Fix: Extract values from closures into local variables before use
    • Files Affected: DailyNotificationErrorHandler.swift
    • Lesson: Swift's closure capture semantics require careful initialization order
  10. Capacitor Plugin Call Reject Signature:

    • Issue: call.reject() signature differs from expected; doesn't accept dictionary as error parameter
    • Fix: Use call.reject(message, code) format instead of passing error dictionary
    • Files Affected: DailyNotificationPlugin.swift
    • Lesson: Verify Capacitor API signatures; don't assume parameter types match Android patterns
  11. Database Method Naming:

    • Issue: Code called database.execSQL() but method is named executeSQL()
    • Fix: Updated all calls to use correct method name
    • Files Affected: DailyNotificationPerformanceOptimizer.swift
    • Lesson: Consistent naming conventions help prevent these errors; verify method names match declarations
  12. Async/Await in Synchronous Context:

    • Issue: URLSession.shared.data(for:) is async but called in non-async function
    • Fix: Made function async throws and used await for async calls
    • Files Affected: DailyNotificationETagManager.swift
    • Lesson: Modern Swift async/await requires proper function signatures; can't mix sync and async patterns
  13. Codable Conformance:

    • Issue: NotificationContent needed to conform to Codable for JSON encoding/decoding
    • Fix: Added Codable conformance to class declaration
    • Files Affected: NotificationContent.swift
    • Lesson: Verify protocol conformance when using encoding/decoding APIs

Build Status: BUILD SUCCEEDED (2025-11-13)

Total Errors Fixed: 13 categories, ~50+ individual compilation errors

2025-11-13: Build Script Improvements

Decision: Improve iOS test app build script with auto-detection and better error handling
Rationale: Build script should work reliably across different development environments
Status: Complete

Improvements Made:

  1. Simulator Auto-Detection:

    • Before: Hardcoded "iPhone 15" simulator name (not available on all systems)
    • After: Auto-detects available iPhone simulators using device ID (UUID)
    • Implementation: Extracts device ID from xcrun simctl list devices available
    • Fallback: Uses device name if ID extraction fails, then generic destination
    • Files Affected: scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh
    • Lesson: Auto-detection improves portability across different Xcode versions and simulator configurations
  2. Workspace Path Correction:

    • Issue: Build script looked for workspace in wrong directory
    • Fix: Updated to look in test-apps/ios-test-app/ios/App/App.xcworkspace
    • Files Affected: scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh
    • Lesson: Verify file paths match actual project structure
  3. CocoaPods Path Handling:

    • Issue: Script needed to handle rbenv CocoaPods installation path
    • Fix: Detects CocoaPods via which pod or ~/.rbenv/shims/pod
    • Files Affected: scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh
    • Lesson: Support multiple installation methods for better developer experience

Build Script Features:

  • Auto-detects available iPhone simulators
  • Handles CocoaPods installation paths (system, rbenv)
  • Clear error messages and logging
  • Supports both simulator and device builds
  • Verifies environment before building
  • Finds built app in DerivedData (not local build folder)
  • Automatically boots simulator if not running
  • Automatically installs and launches app on simulator

2025-11-13: Build Script Build Folder and Simulator Launch Fixes

Decision: Fix build folder detection and add automatic simulator boot/launch
Rationale: Script was looking in wrong location and not launching simulator automatically
Status: Complete

Issues Fixed:

  1. Missing Build Folder:

    • Issue: Script searched find build -name "*.app" but Xcode builds to DerivedData
    • Fix: Updated to search ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData for built app
    • Files Affected: scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh
    • Lesson: Xcode command-line builds go to DerivedData, not a local build folder
  2. Simulator Not Launching:

    • Issue: Script only built app, didn't boot simulator or launch app
    • Fix: Added automatic simulator boot detection, booting, app installation, and launch
    • Implementation:
      • Detects if simulator is booted
      • Boots simulator if needed
      • Opens Simulator.app if not running
      • Waits up to 60 seconds for boot completion (with progress feedback)
      • Installs app automatically
      • Launches app with fallback methods
    • Files Affected: scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh
    • Lesson: Full automation requires boot detection, waiting for readiness, and multiple launch attempts

Build Script Now:

  • Finds app in correct location (DerivedData)
  • Boots simulator automatically
  • Installs app automatically
  • Launches app automatically
  • Provides clear feedback and fallback instructions

2025-11-13: App Launch Verification Improvements

Decision: Improve app launch detection and error reporting
Rationale: Script was reporting success even when app launch failed
Status: Complete

Issues Fixed:

  1. False Success Reporting:

    • Issue: Script reported " App launched successfully!" even when launch command failed
    • Fix: Capture actual launch output and exit code; verify launch actually succeeded
    • Implementation: Check if simctl launch returns a PID (success) vs error message
    • Files Affected: scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh
    • Lesson: Always verify command success, not just check exit code; capture error output
  2. Simulator Readiness:

    • Issue: Simulator may be "Booted" but not ready to launch apps (takes time to fully initialize)
    • Fix: Added readiness check using simctl get_app_container to verify simulator is responsive
    • Implementation: Wait up to 10 seconds for simulator to be ready after boot
    • Files Affected: scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh
    • Lesson: "Booted" state doesn't mean "ready"; need to verify simulator is actually responsive
  3. Launch Error Visibility:

    • Issue: Launch errors were hidden by redirecting stderr to /dev/null
    • Fix: Capture full error output and display it to user
    • Implementation: Store launch output in variable, check for errors, display if launch fails
    • Files Affected: scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh
    • Lesson: Always capture and display errors to help diagnose issues
  4. Launch Verification:

    • Issue: No verification that app actually launched after command succeeded
    • Fix: Added verification step using simctl get_app_container to confirm app is accessible
    • Implementation: After launch, verify app container can be accessed
    • Files Affected: scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh
    • Lesson: Verify actual state, not just command success
  5. Bundle Identifier Mismatch:

    • Issue: Script was using com.timesafari.dailynotification.test but actual bundle ID is com.timesafari.dailynotification
    • Fix: Updated all launch commands to use correct bundle ID com.timesafari.dailynotification
    • Root Cause: Project file has .test suffix but Info.plist resolves to base bundle ID
    • Files Affected: scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh
    • Lesson: Always verify actual bundle ID from installed app, not just project settings; bundle ID resolution can differ from project settings

Known Limitations:

  • Simulator boot can take 60+ seconds on slower systems
  • App launch may fail if simulator isn't fully ready (even if "Booted")
  • Manual launch may be required if automatic launch fails
  • Bundle identifier may differ between project settings and actual installed app

Workarounds:

  • If automatic launch fails, script provides clear manual instructions
  • User can manually tap app icon in Simulator
  • User can run launch command manually with displayed command
  • Verify bundle ID from installed app: xcrun simctl listapps booted | grep -i "appname"

2025-11-13: Permission Request Implementation

Decision: Implement requestNotificationPermissions and checkPermissionStatus methods for iOS plugin
Rationale: Test app needs permission management functionality to match Android behavior
Status: Complete

Implementation Details:

  1. Method Exposure:

    • Issue: Methods must be marked with @objc to be exposed to JavaScript via Capacitor bridge
    • Fix: Both checkPermissionStatus and requestNotificationPermissions marked with @objc func
    • Files Affected: ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationPlugin.swift
    • Lesson: Capacitor automatically exposes @objc methods to JavaScript; method names must match exactly
  2. Async Permission Handling:

    • Issue: UNUserNotificationCenter.requestAuthorization() is async and must be awaited
    • Fix: Used Swift Task with await for async permission checks and requests
    • Files Affected: ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationPlugin.swift, ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationScheduler.swift
    • Lesson: iOS permission APIs are async; must use Swift concurrency (Task, await) properly
  3. Permission State Management:

    • Issue: iOS only shows permission dialog once; if denied, user must go to Settings
    • Fix: Check current status first; if .authorized, return immediately; if .denied, return error with Settings guidance
    • Files Affected: ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationPlugin.swift
    • Lesson: iOS permission model is stricter than Android; must handle .notDetermined, .authorized, and .denied states explicitly
  4. Logging Visibility:

    • Issue: print() statements may not appear in simulator logs; NSLog() is more reliable
    • Fix: Changed from print() to NSLog() for better console visibility
    • Files Affected: ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationPlugin.swift
    • Lesson: Use NSLog() for debugging iOS plugins; appears in both Xcode console and simctl log output
  5. Main Thread Dispatch:

    • Issue: call.resolve() and call.reject() must be called on main thread
    • Fix: Wrapped all call.resolve() and call.reject() calls in DispatchQueue.main.async
    • Files Affected: ios/Plugin/DailyNotificationPlugin.swift
    • Lesson: Capacitor plugin callbacks must execute on main thread; use DispatchQueue.main.async when calling from background tasks
  6. Permission Reset for Testing:

    • Issue: Simulator permissions persist across app launches; need to reset for testing
    • Fix: Use xcrun simctl privacy booted reset all <bundle-id> to reset permissions
    • Command: xcrun simctl privacy booted reset all com.timesafari.dailynotification
    • Lesson: Simulator permissions don't reset automatically; must manually reset for testing different permission states
  7. JavaScript Method Existence Check:

    • Issue: JavaScript may call methods that don't exist yet, causing silent failures
    • Fix: Added method existence checks in HTML before calling plugin methods
    • Files Affected: test-apps/ios-test-app/App/App/Public/index.html
    • Lesson: Always check for method existence in JavaScript before calling; provides better error messages

Debugging Tips:

  • Check Xcode console (not browser console) for NSLog() output
  • Use xcrun simctl spawn booted log stream --predicate 'process == "App"' for real-time logs
  • Verify methods are exposed: console.log(Object.keys(window.DailyNotification))
  • Reset permissions between tests: xcrun simctl privacy booted reset all <bundle-id>
  • Rebuild app after adding new @objc methods (Capacitor needs to regenerate bridge)

Status: METHODS IMPLEMENTED (2025-11-13)

  • checkPermissionStatus() - Returns current notification permission status
  • requestNotificationPermissions() - Requests notification permissions (shows system dialog if .notDetermined)


Validation Matrix

Cross-platform feature validation checklist

Feature Android Behavior iOS Equivalent Verified By Phase
Daily notification Exact ±0s ±180s tolerance¹ Test case: verify observed delivery within 3 min window 1
Daily prefetch Worker at exact time BGTask within 15 min window Logs + UI: check fetch timestamp 1
Rolling window 2 days ahead iOS 64 limit enforced Stats call: verify pending count ≤ 64 2
TTL enforcement Discard stale at fire Same: discard stale at fire Deliver-time check: verify TTL validation 2
Reboot recovery BOOT_COMPLETED Uptime comparison App launch: verify reschedule after reboot 2
JWT authentication ES256K signing Same algorithm Test method: verify token generation 3
ETag caching Conditional requests Same: If-None-Match headers Network logs: verify 304 responses 3
Background coordination WorkManager sync BGTaskScheduler sync Lifecycle events: verify coordination 4

¹ Note: If drift exceeds 180s, log [DNP-SCHEDULER] notification drift > 180s and capture in diagnostics; retry logic is not required for v1.


Glossary

ETag: HTTP entity tag used for conditional requests. Allows server to return 304 Not Modified if content unchanged.

Rolling Window: Strategy of scheduling notifications for today and tomorrow to ensure delivery even if system delays occur.

Prefetch: Background task that fetches notification content before the notification is scheduled to fire.

ActiveDID: Decentralized identifier (DID) representing the currently active user identity in TimeSafari.

Exact Alarm: Android feature allowing precise scheduling at exact time. iOS equivalent uses calendar triggers with tolerance.

TTL (Time To Live): Maximum age of cached content. Content older than TTL is considered stale and discarded.

BGTaskScheduler: iOS framework for scheduling background tasks (fetch, processing) that run when system conditions allow.

UNUserNotificationCenter: iOS framework for scheduling and delivering local notifications to users.


Developer Onboarding

Required Environment

  • Xcode Version: 15.0 or later (for iOS 17+ features)
  • macOS Version: 13.0 (Ventura) or later
  • Swift Version: 5.9 or later
  • iOS Deployment Target: iOS 15.0 or later

Running the Plugin from Test App

  1. Build Test App:

    # From repo root
    ./scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh --simulator
    

    Note: The build script handles cd into test-apps/ios-test-app internally.

  2. Open in Xcode:

    cd test-apps/ios-test-app
    open App.xcworkspace  # or App.xcodeproj
    
  3. Run on Simulator:

    • Select target device (iPhone 15, etc.)
    • Press Cmd+R to build and run

Common Failure Modes

  1. BGTaskScheduler Not Running:

    • Check Info.plist has BGTaskSchedulerPermittedIdentifiers
    • Verify task registered in AppDelegate before app finishes launching
    • Simulator-only debugging trick: Use LLDB command to manually trigger: e -l objc -- (void)[[BGTaskScheduler sharedScheduler] _simulateLaunchForTaskWithIdentifier:@"com.timesafari.dailynotification.fetch"]
      • Note: This is for simulator testing only, not available in production
  2. Notifications Not Delivering:

    • Check notification permissions: UNUserNotificationCenter.current().getNotificationSettings()
    • Verify notification scheduled: UNUserNotificationCenter.current().getPendingNotificationRequests()
    • Check notification category registered
  3. Build Failures:

    • Ensure CocoaPods installed: pod install
    • Check Capacitor plugin path in capacitor.plugins.json
    • Verify Xcode scheme matches workspace
  4. Background Tasks Expiring:

    • BGTaskScheduler tasks have ~30 second execution window
    • Must call task.setTaskCompleted(success:) before expiration
    • Schedule next task immediately after completion

iOS Test App Requirements

Note: Detailed test app requirements have been moved to a separate document for clarity.

Reference: See doc/test-app-ios/IOS_TEST_APP_REQUIREMENTS.md for:

  • UI parity requirements
  • iOS permissions configuration
  • Build options (Xcode GUI and command-line)
  • Debugging strategy
  • Test app implementation checklist

Important: If doc/test-app-ios/IOS_TEST_APP_REQUIREMENTS.md does not yet exist, it MUST be created as part of Phase 1 before implementation starts.

Quick Reference:

  • Test app location: test-apps/ios-test-app/
  • Build script: scripts/build-ios-test-app.sh (root-level)
  • Same UI as android-test-app (HTML/JS)

Status: PHASE 1 COMPLETE - Build Compilation Fixed
Next Steps: Test app ready for iOS Simulator testing

Phase 1 Completion Summary: See doc/PHASE1_COMPLETION_SUMMARY.md for detailed implementation status.

Build Status: BUILD SUCCEEDED (2025-11-13)

  • All Swift compilation errors resolved
  • Test app builds successfully for iOS Simulator
  • Ready for functional testing

Lessons Learned: See Decision Log section above for compilation error fixes and patterns.