[Bug]: Not sending HTTP requests on background

[bimix]

Required Reading

• Confirmed

Plugin Version

4.19.3

Mobile operating-system(s)

• iOS
• Android

Device Manufacturer(s) and Model(s)

Samsung A55

Device operating-systems(s)

Android 15

React Native / Expo version

0.83.0

What happened?

I have configured the package to send HTTP requests to the given API every 60 seconds (fastest interval for testing purposes), but it is never sending anything. I have also tried it with locationTemplate (see commented code), but the same issue remains.
As a final resort, I decided to go with heartbeatInterval, but even that is not working as it should. It does not trigger every 60 seconds as is specified, but at irregular intervals (over 5 minutes).

Plugin Code and/or Config

useEffect(() => {
        let onHttp = null;

        const initBackgroundGeolocationService = async () => {
            const userToken = await getStorageValue('user', true);
            if (userToken?.token && userToken?.id) {
                console.log('[Auth Debug] User ID:', userToken.id);
                console.log('[Auth Debug] Token:', userToken.token?.substring(0, 20) + '...');

                // Ready the plugin
                BackgroundGeolocation.ready({
                    // Geolocation Config
                    desiredAccuracy: BackgroundGeolocation.DESIRED_ACCURACY_MEDIUM,
                    distanceFilter: 0,
                    // locationUpdateInterval: 60000,
                    // fastestLocationUpdateInterval: 60000,
                    disableMotionActivityUpdates: true,
                    // Activity Recognition
                    stopTimeout: 1,
                    isMoving: true, // Force moving state to keep polling
                    preventSuspend: true,
                    // Application config
                    debug: true,
                    heartbeatInterval: 60,
                    locationAuthorizationRequest: 'Always',
                    allowIdenticalLocations: true,
                    logLevel: BackgroundGeolocation.LOG_LEVEL_VERBOSE,
                    stopOnTerminate: false,
                    enableHeadless: true,
                    foregroundService: true,
                    startOnBoot: true,
                    // Notification config
                    notification: {
                        title: "Background Tracking",
                        text: "Location tracking active",
                        channelName: "Location Tracking",
                        priority: BackgroundGeolocation.NOTIFICATION_PRIORITY_LOW,
                        sound: null,
                    },
                    // HTTP Config
                    // url: REPORT_USER_GPS_COORDINATES,
                    // method: 'POST',
                    batchSync: false,
                    autoSync: true,
                    autoSyncThreshold: 0,
                    maxRecordsToPersist: 0,
                    maxDaysToPersist: 0,
                    // headers: {
                    //     'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded',
                    //     'Accept': 'application/json', // Ensure the server sends JSON response
                    // },
                    backgroundPermissionRationale: {
                        title: "Allow ESi Centro to access this device's location even when closed or not in use.",
                        message: "ESi Centro collects location data to enable full functionality of the geofence feature.",
                        positiveAction: "Change to 'Always Allow'",
                        negativeAction: "Cancel",
                    },
                    // params: {
                    //     user_id: String(userToken.id),
                    //     token: userToken.token,
                    //     // latitude: '<%= latitude %>',
                    //     // longitude: '<%= longitude %>'
                    // },
                    // Use locationTemplate to send exact URL-encoded format
                    // locationTemplate: '{"latitude":"<%= latitude %>","longitude":"<%= longitude %>"}',
                    // extras: {
                    //     user_id: String(userToken.id),
                    //     token: userToken.token,
                    // },

                    httpRootProperty: '.', // Send locationTemplate as root, not nested under "location"
                }).then((state) => {
                    console.log("✅ BackgroundGeolocation configured and ready:", state.enabled);
                    console.log("- URL:", REPORT_USER_GPS_COORDINATES);
                    console.log("- User ID:", userToken.id);
                    BackgroundGeolocation.destroyLocations();
                    if (!state.enabled) {
                        BackgroundGeolocation.start(function (state) {
                            console.log("- Start success:", state);
                        });
                    };
                    BackgroundGeolocation.onLocation(location => {
                        console.log('[onLocation]', location);
                    }, error => {
                        console.warn('[onLocation] ERROR:', error);
                    });

                    BackgroundGeolocation.onMotionChange(event => {
                        console.log('[onMotionChange]', event);
                    });

                    BackgroundGeolocation.onActivityChange(event => {
                        console.log('[onActivityChange]', event);
                    });

                    BackgroundGeolocation.onProviderChange(event => {
                        console.log('[onProviderChange]', event);
                    });

                    BackgroundGeolocation.onGeofence(event => {
                        console.log('[onGeofence]', event);
                    });

                    BackgroundGeolocation.onConnectivityChange(event => {
                        console.log('[onConnectivityChange]', event);
                    });

                    BackgroundGeolocation.onEnabledChange(enabled => {
                        console.log('[onEnabledChange]', enabled);
                    });

                    BackgroundGeolocation.onHttp(event => {
                        console.log('[onHttp]', event);
                    });

                    BackgroundGeolocation.onPowerSaveChange(enabled => {
                        console.log('[onPowerSaveChange]', enabled);
                    });

                    BackgroundGeolocation.onSchedule(state => {
                        console.log('[onSchedule]', state);
                    });

                    BackgroundGeolocation.onAuthorization(event => {
                        console.log('[onAuthorization]', event);
                    });

                    BackgroundGeolocation.onHeartbeat(async event => {
                        console.log('[onHeartbeat]', event);
                        await reportLocationCoordinates({ latitude: event.location.coords.latitude, longitude: event.location.coords.longitude })
                            .then(data => {
                                console.log('reportLocationCoordinates response: ', data);
                                return data;
                            })
                            .catch(error => {
                                console.error(error);
                                return null;
                            });
                    });
                }).catch((error) => {
                    console.error("❌ BackgroundGeolocation configuration error:", error);
                });
            } else {
                console.error("❌ No user token found - cannot initialize BackgroundGeolocation");
            };
        };

        initBackgroundGeolocationService();

        return () => {
            if (onHttp?.remove) {
                onHttp.remove();
            }
            console.log("-----------BackgroundGeolocationService destroyed---------------");
        };
    }, []);

Relevant log output

[christocracy]

Are you observing the device logs at $ adb logcat? See wiki "Debugging".

[bimix]

@christocracy what does logcat has anything to do with the issue? Yes, I do check the logs, not using logcat but the DevTools. I just tried with logcat and the same logs. I re-ran the app, and now I can see the heartbeat is running on a more accurate interval (every around 2 minutes, still not every 60 seconds).

[christocracy]

what does logcat has anything to do with the issue?

Because of the title of your post.

heartbeat

You'll never get an exact heartbeat (especially not every 60s). The OS will throttle the timer as it sees fit. There's nothing you can do about it.

[bimix]

Do you have any idea why isnt the 'url' built-in feature working? It's basically never triggered.

Moreover, if I decide to go with the heartbeat (despite the inaccurate intervals), can I call JavaScript functions in it which are located in another file of the project? If yes, what happens when the app is killed, isnt the JavaScript removed from the memory?

[christocracy]

The answer to http requests not arriving at your server are printed in the logs. See wiki "Debugging".

Heartbeat: you provide your own callback function to plug-in events. Where you organize your methods is of no concern to the plug-in.

For the Android terminated state, see app docs Config.enableHeadless.

On ios, heartbeat halts when app is terminated.

[bimix]

I checked the wiki "Debugging", and I am using Logcat to check the logs, but there is nothing when using HTTP requests via the URL option.
Anyways, to be clearer, here is what I need to implement: when the app goes to the background/killed/terminated, I just need to poll the device coordinates to an API every minute. To do so, should I go with the heartBeat option or http requests? Also, would I need to implement registerHeadlessTask ? Note: I understand that once the app is killed in iOS, there is no way to run such a background task, but at least it should work while on background. Whereas in Android, I believe it should be doable no matter if the app is in the background or terminated.

[christocracy]

Search api docs .emailLog. This provides 3 days worth of logs.

Attach the received log file here.

[bimix]

ok before I do that, can I get quick answer to this:

"Anyways, to be clearer, here is what I need to implement: when the app goes to the background/killed/terminated, I just need to poll the device coordinates to an API every minute. To do so, should I go with the heartBeat option or http requests? Also, would I need to implement registerHeadlessTask ? Note: I understand that once the app is killed in iOS, there is no way to run such a background task, but at least it should work while on background. Whereas in Android, I believe it should be doable no matter if the app is in the background or terminated."

[christocracy]

To do so, should I go with the heartBeat option or http requests?

Your question doesn't make sense.

Heartbeat is nothing more than a periodic event that executes your registered callback. What you do in that callback is up to you. People typically call .getCurrentPosition which would transit those coords to the server via http request.

[bimix]

I understand that. What I am asking is if I should make the HTTP requests inside the heartBeat callback or should I use the built-in solution which is suppose to handle it automatically based on the configs:

...
BackgroundGeolocation.ready({
      url: "some_url",
      method: 'POST',
})
...

IMPORTANT: it MUST run on background AND when app is terminated.

[christocracy]

Like I said, people typically call .getCurrentPosition in their heartbeat callback.

If you have configured a url, calling .getCurrentPosition causes the plug-in to automatically transit that location to your server via its built-in http service, regardless if terminated (on Android).

[bimix]

Alright thanks. But since the interval cannot really be controlled as specified earlier, would using the following be a better solution? Would this do exactly the same but with a more accurate interval?

...
BackgroundGeolocation.ready({
      distanceFilter: 0,
      locationUpdateInterval: 60000,
      fastestLocationUpdateInterval: 60000,
      url: "some_url",
      method: 'POST',
})
...

[bimix]

It looks like the heartbeat is highly unreliable. I must send device coordinates at least every 10 minutes but sometimes it doesn't even send for 20-30 minutes at all.

[christocracy]

It's an OS limitation.