# Shiny HTTP Transfers > Guide for generating code that uses Shiny.NET HTTP Transfers for background uploads and downloads on iOS/Android, Windows, Linux, macOS, and Blazor WASM (Service Worker Background Sync), including transfer progress surfaces - iOS Live Activities and the Android foreground-service notification - Skill: `shinyorg/shiny-http-transfers` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add shinyorg/shiny-http-transfers` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/shinyorg/shiny-http-transfers/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: shinyorg (https://skillmd.com/u/shinyorg) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/shinyorg/shiny-http-transfers --- # Shiny HTTP Transfers Background HTTP upload and download management. On iOS, backed by native `NSURLSession` background sessions. On Android, Windows, Linux, macOS, and base .NET, backed by an in-process managed loop using `HttpClient` + `IConnectivity` that wakes on connectivity changes and supports **resumable downloads** via HTTP Range requests (uploads always restart); on Android this loop runs inside a foreground service. On Blazor WASM, backed by the Service Worker Background Sync API (IndexedDB queue drained by the SW via `fetch()` while the tab is closed). ## When to Use This Skill Use this skill when the user needs to: - Upload or download files in the background on iOS/Android - Monitor progress of HTTP file transfers - Queue background transfers that survive app suspension - Handle transfer errors with automatic retry logic - Upload files to Azure Blob Storage - Upload files to AWS S3 - Build a UI that tracks active transfers with progress reporting - Perform multipart or raw file uploads - Download files with progress tracking and estimated time remaining ## Library Overview | Item | Value | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | NuGet | `Shiny.Net.Http`, `Shiny.Net.Http.Blazor` | | Namespace | `Shiny.Net.Http` | | Platforms | iOS, tvOS (native NSURLSession); Android, Windows, Linux, macOS, .NET base (managed HttpClient loop); Blazor WASM (Service Worker) | | DI Setup | `services.AddHttpTransfers()` (iOS/tvOS/Android/Windows), `services.AddHttpClientTransfers()` (Linux/macOS/plain .NET), or `services.AddBlazorHttpTransfers()` (Blazor) | The registration extension methods live in the `Shiny` namespace and are available on `IServiceCollection`. **tvOS** uses `services.AddHttpTransfers()` and the same background `NSUrlSession` as iOS, so transfers continue while the app is suspended. Storage is the difference worth calling out: an Apple TV has no user-visible file system and a small, evictable app container — write transfer output to the cache directory and treat a completed download as something the OS may reclaim between launches. ## Setup ### 1. Register Services In your `MauiProgram.cs`: ```csharp using Shiny; builder.Services.AddHttpTransfers(); ``` ### 2. Implement the Delegate Create a class that implements `IHttpTransferDelegate` (or inherits from the abstract `HttpTransferDelegate` base class for built-in retry logic): ```csharp using Shiny.Net.Http; public class MyHttpTransferDelegate : HttpTransferDelegate { public MyHttpTransferDelegate( ILogger logger, IHttpTransferManager manager ) : base(logger, manager, maxErrorRetries: 3) { } public override Task OnCompleted(HttpTransferRequest request) { // Handle successful transfer completion return Task.CompletedTask; } // Optional: override for 401 handling protected override Task OnAuthorizationFailed( HttpTransferRequest request, int retries) { // Return a new request with refreshed auth headers, or null to cancel return Task.FromResult(null); } } ``` On Android, the delegate must also implement `IAndroidForegroundServiceDelegate`: ```csharp #if ANDROID public partial class MyHttpTransferDelegate : IAndroidForegroundServiceDelegate { public void Configure(AndroidX.Core.App.NotificationCompat.Builder builder) { builder .SetContentTitle("File Transfer") .SetContentText("Transferring files in the background"); } } #endif ``` ### Linux / macOS / Plain .NET Setup On non-platform .NET hosts (Linux, macOS server, console apps, etc.) call `AddHttpClientTransfers()` instead of `AddHttpTransfers()`. It registers `HttpClientHttpTransferManager` backed by an `HttpClient` loop driven by `IConnectivity` that wakes immediately on connectivity changes. Downloads resume after network interruption via HTTP Range requests (`Range: bytes=N-`, `FileMode.Append` when the server responds with `206 Partial Content`); uploads always restart from scratch. The managed loop resolves its `HttpClient` from `IHttpClientFactory` using the named client `HttpClientHttpTransferProcess.HttpClientName` (`"Shiny.Net.Http"`). To customize it (timeouts, default headers, a custom primary handler, Polly, etc.), configure that named client after registering transfers: `services.AddHttpClient("Shiny.Net.Http").ConfigureHttpClient(c => c.Timeout = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(10));`. (iOS/Mac Catalyst use `NSUrlSession` and ignore this.) You must register an `IConnectivity` implementation yourself (e.g. `AddConnectivity()` from `Shiny.Core.Linux` or `Shiny.Core.Blazor`). A default JSON filesystem repository is registered automatically and persists transfer state to `{LocalApplicationData}/Shiny` across process restarts. Cancelled downloads clean up any partial file on disk so a subsequent re-queue starts fresh. ### Blazor WASM Setup (`Shiny.Net.Http.Blazor`) ```csharp using Shiny; builder.Services.AddBlazorHttpTransfers(opts => { opts.ServiceWorkerPath = "./_content/Shiny.Net.Http.Blazor/http-transfer-sw.js"; }); ``` The Blazor package uses the Service Worker Background Sync API. Queued transfers are written to IndexedDB; the Service Worker's `sync` event handler drains the queue via `fetch()` and stores download bodies as `Blob`s back into IndexedDB. When the tab reopens, the C# `HttpTransferManager` reconciles results from IndexedDB and fires the `IHttpTransferDelegate` callbacks. Ship the bundled SW file or import its handlers from your own service worker: ```js // my-sw.js importScripts('./_content/Shiny.Net.Http.Blazor/http-transfer-sw.js'); ``` **Blazor limitations (v1)**: - **No resumable downloads** — the SW receives a whole response `Blob`; partial-body appending is not supported. - **Pause/Resume is best-effort** — `Pause(identifier)` marks the IndexedDB entry `paused` so the SW drain skips it (it only processes `pending`/`error`), and `Resume(identifier)` re-queues it. An already in-flight SW `fetch()` cannot be aborted (no `AbortController` wiring), so it runs to completion; and because downloads aren't resumable, a resumed download restarts from zero. Pausing a not-yet-started (or retry-pending) transfer works cleanly. - **Upload bodies are base64-bridged through JS interop** and persisted as IndexedDB `Blob`s. Fine for small/medium files; very large uploads should wait for a future OPFS streaming path. - **Browser support for Background Sync is Chromium-only** (no Firefox, no Safari). On unsupported browsers queued transfers drain while the tab is foreground and then sit in IndexedDB until next visit. - **Retrieving completed downloads**: use `(manager as Shiny.Net.Http.Blazor.HttpTransferManager).GetDownloadBytes(identifier)` which reads the blob back out of IndexedDB as a `byte[]`. **Do not confuse with `Shiny.Jobs` on Blazor** — Jobs only run while the tab is open because the WASM runtime cannot execute inside a Service Worker. HTTP transfers are the one exception because `fetch()` is pure JS that the SW can run on its own. ## Code Generation Instructions When generating code that uses Shiny HTTP Transfers, follow these conventions: ### Queuing Transfers - Always use `IHttpTransferManager` via dependency injection; never instantiate directly. - `HttpTransferRequest` requires 4 positional parameters: `Identifier`, `Uri`, `TransferType`, `LocalFilePath`: ```csharp var request = new HttpTransferRequest( "my-download", "https://example.com/file.zip", TransferType.Download, Path.Combine(FileSystem.AppDataDirectory, "file.zip") ); await transferManager.Queue(request); ``` - Use a unique `Identifier` for each `HttpTransferRequest` so individual transfers can be tracked and cancelled. - For uploads, ensure the `LocalFilePath` points to an existing file before queuing. - Set `UseMeteredConnection = false` to restrict large transfers to Wi-Fi only. - Choose the correct `TransferType`: `UploadMultipart` for form-based uploads, `UploadRaw` for streaming the file body directly, `Download` for downloads. ### Monitoring Progress - Subscribe to the `UpdateReceived` C# event on `IHttpTransferManager` for a global stream of all transfer updates (`event EventHandler`). Rx has been removed from `Shiny.Net.Http`; remember to `-=` your handler when done. - Subscribe to the `CountChanged` event (`event EventHandler`) to react to the number of active transfers. - Use the `WatchTransfer(identifier)` extension method to `await` a single transfer to completion — it returns `Task` and unsubscribes from `UpdateReceived` internally. - For UI binding, use `HttpTransferMonitor` -- call `Start()` to begin monitoring and bind to the `Transfers` collection of `HttpTransferObject` items. These implement `INotifyPropertyChanged`. ### Pausing & Resuming - Call `transferManager.Pause(identifier)` to stop a transfer **without cancelling it**. The transfer stays in the queue and reports `HttpTransferState.Paused`. Use this instead of `Cancel(identifier)` (which removes the transfer and deletes a download's partial file) when the user may want to continue later. - Call `transferManager.Resume(identifier)` to continue a paused transfer. **Downloads** resume from where they left off (HTTP Range on managed platforms; native `NSUrlSessionTask.Resume()` on iOS/Mac Catalyst). **Uploads** are not resumable — resuming an upload restarts it from the beginning. - A user-paused transfer is not auto-resumed when the app relaunches or when connectivity returns; it stays paused until you call `Resume`. ### Building Requests - Use `TransferHttpContent.FromJson(obj)` to attach a JSON body to an upload. - Use `TransferHttpContent.FromFormData(...)` to attach form-encoded data. - Use `AzureBlobStorageUploadRequest` for Azure Blob Storage uploads -- call `.WithBlobContainer(tenant, container)` or `.WithCustomUri(uri)`, configure auth via `.WithSasToken()` or `.WithSharedKeyAuthorization()`, then call `.Build()` to get an `HttpTransferRequest`. - Use `AwsS3UploadRequest` for AWS S3 uploads -- call `.WithBucket(bucket, region)`, configure auth via `.WithPresignedUrl()` or `.WithCredentials(accessKeyId, secretAccessKey)`, optionally set `.WithObjectKey()`, `.WithContentType()`, `.WithStorageClass()`, then call `.Build()` to get an `HttpTransferRequest`. Uses AWS Signature V4 signing with `UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD` -- no AWS SDK required. - Use `AppleHttpTransferRequest` (inherits `HttpTransferRequest`) when Apple-specific options are needed (e.g., `AllowsConstrainedNetworkAccess`, `AllowsCellularAccess`, `AssumesHttp3Capable`). ### Foreground (Non-Background) Transfers - For transfers that only need to run while the app is in the foreground, use the `HttpClient` extension methods `Upload(...)` and `Download(...)`. They return `Task` and accept an optional `Action onProgress` callback for real-time progress reporting (Rx removed). ### Platform Configuration (Apple) - Optionally register an `INativeConfigurator` implementation to customize `NSUrlSessionConfiguration` and `NSMutableUrlRequest` objects before they are sent. ## Transfer progress surfaces (Live Activity / notification) Showing progress to a user who has left the app is one call. Do **not** hand-roll this from `UpdateReceived`. ```csharp builder.Services.AddHttpTransfers(); builder.Services.AddTransferProgress(opts => { opts.Scope = TransferProgressScope.Summary; // one surface for all (default), or PerTransfer opts.Fields = TransferProgressFields.Default; // file, direction, %, bytes, speed, ETA opts.ShortStatus = TransferProgressShortStatus.Percent; // Dynamic Island / status bar chip }); ``` `TransferProgressManager` is one manager for every platform: it subscribes at startup (`IShinyStartupTask`, because iOS relaunches the app in the background to finish a transfer), coalesces the progress firehose to one update a second, aggregates a batch, and starts/updates/retires the surface. Renderers only draw. | Platform | Surface | |---|---| | Android 16+ | The foreground-service notification, promoted ongoing (status bar chip, AOD) | | Android 8-15 | The foreground-service notification with a determinate bar | | iOS/iPadOS 16.2+ | A Live Activity on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island | | Elsewhere (macOS, Mac Catalyst, tvOS, Windows, Linux, Blazor) | No renderer; the manager no-ops | Both renderers ship **inside `Shiny.Net.Http`** - there is no second package and no second registration call. On iOS the package pulls `Shiny.Mobile.LiveActivities` for you (that reference is on the `-ios` target only, so no other head carries ActivityKit) and `AddTransferProgress()` registers `ILiveActivityManager` itself if you have not already called `AddLiveActivities()`. iOS additionally needs the widget extension from `templates/WidgetExtension` in the app bundle and `NSSupportsLiveActivities` in Info.plist. Without them the activity starts and renders nothing - a silent failure, so check this first when an iOS activity never appears. The two iOS-only knobs live on the same options object: ```csharp builder.Services.AddTransferProgress(opts => { opts.LiveActivity.Kind = "shiny.httptransfers"; // your widget branches on this opts.LiveActivity.RequestPushToken = true; // see "the iOS suspension gap" below }); ``` **Configuring what shows.** `Fields` is a `[Flags]` enum (`FileName`, `Direction`, `Percent`, `TransferredBytes`, `Speed`, `TimeRemaining`, `Host`) gating the human-readable text only; unselected fields are simply not written. Raw values (`bytes`, `total`, `percent`, `bps`, `etaSeconds`, `state`, `direction`, `transferId`, `fileName`, `uri`) always ride in `TransferProgressContent.Data` unless `IncludeRawData = false`. Percent is omitted from the body when it is already the `ShortStatus`, so it never prints twice. For custom wording or localization, subclass `TransferProgressDelegate` and override only what you need (returning null keeps the built-in string), then register with `AddTransferProgress()`. **The iOS suspension gap.** A background `NSURLSession` delivers no progress callbacks while the app is suspended, so a fraction-based bar freezes for most of a long transfer. `ProjectTimeRemaining` (default on) emits a self-animating time range instead, anchored in the past so the bar already sits at the true fraction rather than snapping to zero on every update. Android resolves the range back to a fraction - its foreground service is alive throughout. For uploads, `opts.LiveActivity.RequestPushToken` lets a server push byte-accurate progress through the suspended window - the receiving server knows how many bytes actually landed. It buys nothing for downloads, where no server knows how far the device has got. The token arrives on `ILiveActivityDelegate.OnPushTokenChanged`. **Custom renderers.** Implement `ITransferProgressRenderer` (`IsAvailable`, `Show`, `Hide`, `Reconcile`) and register it; the same manager drives it. `TransferProgressContentBuilder.FormatBytes/FormatRate/ FormatDuration/FormatPercent` are public statics, reusable in ordinary in-app progress UI. ## Best Practices 1. **Use the abstract base class** -- `HttpTransferDelegate` provides built-in retry and 401-handling logic. Only implement `IHttpTransferDelegate` directly if you need full control. 2. **Validate before queuing** -- Call `request.AssertValid()` to check the request is well-formed before calling `Queue()`. 3. **Observe on the main thread** -- When binding `HttpTransferMonitor` to UI, pass a `SynchronizationContext` to `Start()` so collection mutations marshal to the UI thread. 4. **Clean up the monitor** -- `HttpTransferMonitor` implements `IDisposable`. Dispose it when the page or view model is torn down. 5. **Handle metered connections** -- Set `UseMeteredConnection = false` for large files so the system waits for an unmetered (Wi-Fi) connection. 6. **Unique identifiers** -- Always provide meaningful, unique identifiers for transfers so they can be individually tracked, cancelled, and retried. ## Reference Files - [API Reference](reference/api-reference.md)