Tauri v2+ cross-platform app development with Rust backend. Use when configuring tauri.conf.json, implementing Rust commands (#[tauri::command]), setting up IPC patterns (invoke, emit, channels), configuring permissions/capabilities, troubleshooting build issues, or deploying desktop/mobile apps. Tr

Tauri v2+ Development Skill Build cross platform desktop and mobile apps with web frontends and Rust backends. Before You Start This skill prevents 8+ common errors and saves ~60% tokens. Metric Without Skill With Skill Setup Time ~2 hours ~30 min Common Errors 8+ 0 Token Usage High (exploration) Low (direct patterns) Known Issues This Skill Prevents 1. Permission denied errors from missing capabilities 2. IPC failures from unregistered commands in generate handler! 3. State management panics from type mismatches 4. Mobile build failures from missing Rust targets 5. White screen issues from misconfigured dev URLs Quick Start Step 1: Create a Tauri Command Why this matters: Commands not in generate handler![] silently fail when invoked from frontend. main.rs stays thin: src tauri/src/main.rs should only be a thin passthrough — all application logic lives in lib.rs : This split is required for mobile builds — Tauri replaces main() with mobile entry point on mobile targets. Step 2: Call from Frontend Why this matters: Use @tauri apps/api/core (not @tauri apps/api/tauri that's v1 API). Step 3: Add Required Permissions Why this matters: Tauri v2 denies everything by default explicit permissions required for all operations. Critical Rules Always Do Register every command in tauri::generate handler![cmd1, cmd2, ...] Return Result<T, E from commands for proper error handling Use Mutex<T for shared state accessed from multiple commands Add capabilities before using any plugin features Use lib.rs for shared code (required for mobile builds) Use [cfg attr(mobile, tauri::mobile entry point)] on pub fn run() in lib.rs for mobile compatibility Never Do Never use borrowed types ( &str ) in async commands use owned types Never block the main thread use async for I/O operations Never hardcode paths use Tauri path APIs ( app.path() ) Never skip capability setup even "safe" operations need permissions Common Mistakes Wrong Borrowed type in async: Correct Owned type: Why: Async commands cannot borrow data across await points; Tauri requires owned types for async command parameters. Known Issues Prevention Issue Root Cause Solution "Command not found" Missing from generate handler! Add command to handler macro "Permission denied" Missing capability Add to capabilities/default.json Plugin feature silently fails Plugin installed but permission not in capability Add plugin permission string to capabilities/default.json Updater fails in production Unsigned artifacts or HTTP endpoint Generate keys with cargo tauri signer generate , use HTTPS endpoint only Sidecar not found externalBin not in tauri.conf.json or missing executable Add path to bundle.externalBin , ensure binary is bundled Feature works on desktop, breaks on mobile Desktop only API used Check if API has mobile support — some plugins are desktop only State panic on access Type mismatch in State<T Use exact type from .manage() White screen on launch Frontend not building Check beforeDevCommand in config IPC timeout Blocking async command Remove blocking code or use spawn Mobile build fails Missing Rust targets Run rustup target add <target Deep Dive References Security & permissions → [ references/capabilities reference.md ](references/capabilities reference.md) IPC decision guide → [ references/ipc patterns.md ](references/ipc patterns.md) Official plugins → [ references/plugin reference.md ](references/plugin reference.md) Updater & distribution → [ references/updater distribution reference.md ](references/updater distribution reference.md) Tray, sidecars, deep links → [ references/advanced runtime reference.md ](references/advanced runtime reference.md) Configuration Reference tauri.conf.json Key settings: build.devUrl : Must match your frontend dev server port app.security.capabilities : Array of capability file identifiers Plugin configuration — Some plugins require additional tauri.conf.json blocks (e.g., store , updater ). Always check the specific plugin docs at v2.tauri.app/plugin/<plugin name / for required config keys. Project Structure Why lib.rs owns all logic: Tauri replaces main() with [cfg attr(mobile, tauri::mobile entry point)] on mobile. All commands, state, and builder setup must live in lib.rs::run() . Cargo.toml Key settings: [lib] section: Required for mobile builds crate type : Must include all three types for cross platform Common Patterns Error Handling Pattern Use Result<T, E and thiserror for type safe error propagation across the IPC boundary. See [ references/ipc patterns.md ](references/ipc patterns.md) for full implementation details. Serde Boundary Rules All command arguments must implement serde::Deserialize , and return types must implement serde::Serialize . This is how Tauri bridges JSON over the IPC boundary. Common serde pitfalls: Field names are camelCase in JS, snake case in Rust — Tauri automatically converts between them Option<T maps to optional JS arguments (can be undefined or null ) Complex enums need [serde(tag = "type")] or similar to be JSON safe Error types must also implement Serialize (see Error Handling Pattern above) State Management Pattern Tauri state manages application data across commands. See [ references/ipc patterns.md ](references/ipc patterns.md) for more complex state patterns. Event Emission Pattern Events are fire and forget notifications. See [ references/ipc patterns.md ](references/ipc patterns.md) for bidirectional examples. Channel Streaming Pattern Channels provide high frequency, typed streaming from Rust to Frontend. See [ references/ipc patterns.md ](references/ipc patterns.md) for full implementation details. Window Access Pattern Tauri v2 uses WebviewWindow for unified window and webview management. Why this matters: Use tauri::WebviewWindow and app.get webview window("label") in v2 — the v1 app.get window() API is removed in v2. Bundled Resources References Located in references/ : [ capabilities reference.md ](references/capabilities reference.md) Permission patterns and examples [ ipc patterns.md ](references/ipc patterns.md) Complete IPC examples [ plugin reference.md ](references/plugin reference.md) Official plugin install, registration, and permission strings [ updater distribution reference.md ](references/updater distribution reference.md) Signing, HTTPS requirements, and bundle shipping [ advanced runtime reference.md ](references/advanced runtime reference.md) TrayIconBuilder , sidecars, deep links, and asset protocols Note: For deep dives on specific topics, see the reference files above. Dependencies Required Package Version Purpose @tauri apps/cli ^2 (v2+) CLI tooling @tauri apps/api ^2 (v2+) Frontend APIs tauri ^2 (v2+) Rust core tauri build ^2 (v2+) Build scripts \ Last verified: 2026 04 02. Always check [official changelog](https://github.com/tauri apps/tauri/blob/dev/crates/tauri/CHANGELOG.md) for feature timing. Optional (Plugins) Package Version Purpose Key Permission tauri plugin fs ^2 (v2+) File system access fs:default tauri plugin dialog ^2 (v2+) Native dialogs dialog:default tauri plugin shell ^2 (v2+) Shell commands, open URLs shell:default tauri plugin http ^2 (v2+) HTTP client http:default tauri plugin store ^2 (v2+) Key value storage store:default Plugin permissions are mandatory. Installing a plugin without adding its permission string to a capability file causes silent runtime failures. See [ references/plugin reference.md ](references/plugin reference.md) for full install + permission details for all official plugins. Official Documentation [Tauri v2+ Documentation](https://v2.tauri.app/) [Commands Reference](https://v2.tauri.app/develop/calling rust/) [Capabilities & Permissions](https://v2.tauri.app/security/capabilities/) [Configuration Reference](https://v2.tauri.app/reference/config/) Troubleshooting White Screen on Launch Symptoms: App launches but shows blank white screen Solution: 1. Verify devUrl matches your frontend dev server port 2. Check beforeDevCommand runs your dev server 3. Open DevTools (Cmd+Option+I / Ctrl+Shift+I) to check for errors Command Returns Undefined Symptoms: invoke() returns undefined instead of expected value Solution: 1. Verify command is in generate handler![] 2. Check Rust command actually returns a value 3. Ensure argument names match (camelCase in JS, snake case in Rust by default) Mobile Build Failures Symptoms: Android/iOS build fails with missing target Solution: Desktop vs Mobile Behavioral Differences Not all Tauri APIs and plugins support mobile (iOS/Android). Before using any plugin or API in a mobile build: 1. Check the plugin page at v2.tauri.app/plugin/<name / for platform support matrix 2. Common desktop only items : System tray ( TrayIconBuilder ), window labels/multi window, some shell plugin features 3. Mobile safe patterns : IPC commands/events/channels work on all platforms; tauri::AppHandle is mobile safe 4. Conditional compilation : Use [cfg(desktop)] / [cfg(mobile)] for platform specific Rust logic Setup Checklist Before using this skill, verify: [ ] npx tauri info shows correct Tauri v2 versions [ ] src tauri/capabilities/default.json exists with at least core:default [ ] All commands registered in generate handler![] [ ] lib.rs contains shared code (for mobile support) [ ] Required Rust targets installed for target platforms

tauri-v2