watchos_skill

Overview

This skill provides practical guidance for building watchOS apps with SwiftUI, Watch Connectivity, complications, and watch-specific UI patterns. It focuses on watch-first design, performance, and battery-aware architecture to deliver fast, glanceable experiences. Use it for code reviews, best practices, or implementation help across common watchOS features.

How this skill works

The skill inspects design choices, architecture patterns, and code snippets for NavigationStack, List styles, Watch Connectivity session setup, complication providers, and workout/HealthKit integration. It explains appropriate data transfer methods (application context, sendMessage, transferUserInfo, transferFile), complication timelines, and WidgetKit-based complications. It highlights platform-specific APIs like digital crown handling, haptics, and Now Playing integration.

When to use it

• Designing a watch-first UI that’s glanceable and fast
• Implementing or reviewing Watch Connectivity sync and transfer strategies
• Creating complications using ClockKit or WidgetKit providers
• Optimizing battery, background work, and complication update cadence
• Building workout or HealthKit-powered watch experiences

Best practices

• Design for quick interactions (≤2 seconds) and show only essential info
• Prefer independent watch apps and cache data locally for offline use
• Use appropriate connectivity APIs: applicationContext for state, sendMessage for real-time, transferUserInfo for queued delivery
• Limit background and network work; prefer timeline-based complication updates
• Use large touch targets, clear icons, loading states, and haptic feedback

Example use cases

• Code review of a SwiftUI watch app using NavigationStack and TabView
• Implementing a complication with timeline entries or a WidgetKit accessory
• Syncing settings and small data from iPhone using updateApplicationContext
• Building a workout session with HealthKit and live metrics
• Tuning battery usage by batching network requests and reducing location polls