Networking

You MUST use this skill for ANY networking work including HTTP requests, WebSockets, TCP connections, or network debugging.

Quick Reference

Symptom / Task

Reference

URLSession with structured concurrency

See skills/networking-discipline.md

Network.framework anti-patterns

See skills/networking-discipline.md

Deprecated API migration

See skills/networking-discipline.md

Pressure scenarios (reachability, sockets)

See skills/networking-discipline.md

NetworkConnection (iOS 26+) API reference

See skills/network-framework-ref.md

NWConnection (iOS 12-18) API reference

See skills/network-framework-ref.md

TLV framing, Coder protocol

See skills/network-framework-ref.md

NetworkListener, NetworkBrowser, Wi-Fi Aware

See skills/network-framework-ref.md

Connection timeouts, TLS failures

See skills/networking-diag.md

Data not arriving, connection drops

See skills/networking-diag.md

ATS / HTTP / App Store rejection

See skills/networking-diag.md

Production crisis diagnosis

See skills/networking-diag.md

NWConnection patterns (iOS 12-18)

See skills/networking-legacy.md

UDP batch, NWListener, NWBrowser

See skills/networking-legacy.md

BSD sockets → NWConnection migration

See skills/networking-migration.md

NWConnection → NetworkConnection migration

See skills/networking-migration.md

URLSession StreamTask → NetworkConnection

See skills/networking-migration.md

Decision Tree

digraph networking {

    start [label="Networking task" shape=ellipse];

    what [label="What do you need?" shape=diamond];

    start -> what;

    what -> "skills/networking-discipline.md" [label="implement patterns,\nanti-patterns,\npressure scenarios"];

    what -> "skills/network-framework-ref.md" [label="API reference\n(iOS 26+ or 12-18)"];

    what -> "skills/networking-diag.md" [label="debug connection\nfailures"];

    what -> "skills/networking-legacy.md" [label="iOS 12-18\nNWConnection patterns"];

    what -> "skills/networking-migration.md" [label="migrate from\nsockets/URLSession"];

}

• URLSession with structured concurrency? → skills/networking-discipline.md

• Network.framework / NetworkConnection (iOS 26+)? → skills/network-framework-ref.md

• NWConnection (iOS 12-18)? → skills/networking-legacy.md

• Migrating from sockets/URLSession? → skills/networking-migration.md

• Connection issues / debugging? → skills/networking-diag.md

• ATS / HTTP / App Store rejection for networking? → skills/networking-diag.md + networking-auditor

• Certificate pinning, signing API requests, encrypting payloads? → /skill axiom-security

• UIWebView or deprecated API rejection? → networking-auditor (Agent)

• Want deprecated API / anti-pattern scan? → networking-auditor (Agent)

#### Platform-specific networking

• watchOS low-level-networking limits (TN3135) → See axiom-watchos (skills/background-and-networking.md)

Pressure Resistance

When user has invested significant time in custom implementation:

Do NOT capitulate to sunk cost pressure. The correct approach is:

• Diagnose first — Understand what's actually failing before recommending changes

• Recommend correctly — If standard APIs (URLSession, Network.framework) would solve the problem, say so professionally

• Respect but don't enable — Acknowledge their work while providing honest technical guidance

Critical Patterns

Networking (skills/networking-discipline.md):

• URLSession with structured concurrency

• 8 red-flag anti-patterns (SCNetworkReachability, blocking sockets, hardcoded IPs)

• Decision tree for choosing TCP/UDP/TLS patterns

• NetworkConnection patterns (iOS 26+): TLS, UDP, TLV framing, Coder protocol

• 3 pressure scenarios with professional push-back templates

• Pre-shipping checklist

Network Framework Reference (skills/network-framework-ref.md):

• NetworkConnection (iOS 26+): all 12 WWDC 2025 examples

• NWConnection (iOS 12-18): complete API with examples

• TLV framing, Coder protocol, NetworkListener, NetworkBrowser

• Mobility: viability, better path, Multipath TCP, NWPathMonitor

• Security: TLS, certificate pinning, cipher suites

• Performance: user-space networking, ECN, service class, TCP Fast Open

Diagnostics (skills/networking-diag.md):

• Systematic decision tree for all connection failure types

• DNS failures, TLS certificate validation, message framing

• TCP congestion, IPv6-only cellular, VPN interference, ATS

• Production crisis scenario with professional communication templates

Legacy (skills/networking-legacy.md):

• NWConnection with TLS (completion handlers)

• UDP batch (30% CPU reduction)

• NWListener, NWBrowser (Bonjour discovery)

Automated Scanning

Networking audit → Launch networking-auditor agent or /axiom:audit networking (deprecated APIs, anti-patterns, and completeness gaps — transition handling, TLS coverage, connection cleanup, framework selection)

Anti-Rationalization

Thought

Reality

"URLSession is simple, I don't need a skill"

URLSession with structured concurrency has async/cancellation patterns. skills/networking-discipline.md covers them.

"I'll debug the connection timeout myself"

Connection failures have 8 causes (DNS, TLS, proxy, cellular). skills/networking-diag.md diagnoses systematically.

"I just need a basic HTTP request"

Even basic requests need error handling, retry, and cancellation patterns.

"My custom networking layer works fine"

Custom layers miss cellular/proxy edge cases. Standard APIs handle them automatically.

Example Invocations

User: "My API request is failing with a timeout"

→ Read: skills/networking-diag.md

User: "How do I use URLSession with async/await?"

→ Read: skills/networking-discipline.md

User: "I need to implement a TCP connection"

→ Read: skills/network-framework-ref.md

User: "Should I use NWConnection or NetworkConnection?"

→ Read: skills/network-framework-ref.md

User: "My app was rejected for using HTTP connections"

→ Read: skills/networking-diag.md (ATS compliance)

User: "App Store says I'm using UIWebView"

→ Invoke: networking-auditor agent (deprecated API scan)

User: "Check my networking code for deprecated APIs"

→ Invoke: networking-auditor agent