version: "1.0.0" name: meteor-native description: > Use when building or maintaining Meteor 3 Android/iOS apps through Cordova. Triggers on meteor add-platform, android-device, ios-device, mobile-config.js, Cordova plugins, native signing or store artifacts, and mobile hot code push compatibility. Use this skill when the task already concerns Meteor's Cordova app workflow; use meteor-debugging for an unexplained cross-layer failure and meteor-deployment for the backend. React Native/Expo, Capacitor, and native Node.js addons are separate workflows. metadata: author: meteor kind: workflow meteor: ">=3.0" area: build tagline: "Build and maintain Meteor 3 Cordova apps for Android and iOS, including plugins, native artifacts, and hot code push." docs_synced_at: "2026-09-29" license: MIT

Meteor native apps

Turn the existing Meteor application into a reproducible Cordova build and verify the requested device or distribution behavior. Meteor manages the web bundle, Cordova project and platform versions; Android Studio and Xcode provide native debugging, signing and distribution tools.

Choose the workflow

1. Read .meteor/release, .meteor/platforms, .meteor/cordova-plugins,

.meteor/versions, package.json, and mobile-config.js when present. Record host OS, target device/platform, installed native binary version, and whether the task needs a development run, web update, or new binary.

1. Match prerequisites to the selected Meteor release and resolved Cordova

platform. Meteor 3.5.2 uses cordova-lib@13.0.0, cordova-android@15.1.0, and cordova-ios@7.1.1; earlier releases have different pins. Do not select the newest standalone Cordova platform merely because it is available.

1. Choose the relevant reference below. Keep durable changes in the app's

platform/plugin declarations, configuration and assets; inspect generated native output to verify what Meteor actually produced.

1. Rebuild/reinstall when native plugins, platform versions, permissions or

native configuration change. HCP can update compatible web code/assets; it cannot supply missing native code or change installed binary metadata.

1. Verify on the target emulator/device or inspect the requested artifact.

Record command, versions, endpoint and observable result. A successful web build alone does not validate a native app or a signed store artifact.

Persistent state and runtime boundaries

• .meteor/local/cordova-build/ is generated by default. If

METEOR_LOCAL_DIR is set, resolve the actual local directory before opening or clearing its cordova-build child. Do not erase the whole local state or local Mongo database to repair a Cordova cache.

• mobile-config.js is a build-time configuration file, not an application

module. App.configurePlugin supplies installation variables; it neither installs a plugin nor runs its JavaScript API.

• Call native plugin APIs from client code guarded by Meteor.isCordova,

inside Meteor.startup or after equivalent device readiness. Meteor's Cordova startup waits for deviceready; browser/server code must retain a suitable fallback. Startup does not grant OS permissions automatically.

• A physical device's localhost is the device. Match --mobile-server

during development and meteor build --server for distribution to a reachable endpoint. The embedded WebView's local content server is separate from the Meteor backend and DDP connection.

Neighboring workflows

Acceptance

Use evaluation cases to check native decisions, earlier-release behavior, and neighboring-skill routing.