How can I track and update vendor locations in React Native when the app is closed?

Below are some important points and workarounds to consider based on what’s possible with React Native and the underlying mobile platforms:

1. Getting Real-Time Location When the App Is Closed

• OS Limitations:
  When an app is completely closed (i.e., not running in the foreground or even in the background), neither iOS nor Android permits you to fetch real-time location updates. The operating systems restrict background execution to save battery and protect user privacy.

  • On iOS, background location updates are allowed only if the app is suspended—not force-closed—and the user has granted background location permissions.
  • On Android, while you can run foreground services that track location even when the app is not visible, if the app is completely killed, you lose that access.

• Persistent Connections:
  Establishing a persistent connection (such as via WebSockets) between the React Native app and your Laravel backend is not feasible if the app is not running. Background services might work if the app is in a suspended state, but not when it’s fully closed.

• Alternatives & Workarounds:

  • Background Location Tracking: Use third-party libraries such as react-native-background-geolocation that rely on native implementations to continue receiving location updates when the app is in the background. However, these still depend on the app being allowed to run in the background—not after a force quit.
  • System-Triggered Updates: On Android, you might explore native services (e.g., a persistent foreground service) if it fits within your use case, but be aware that iOS won’t allow this behavior.
  • Push Notification Interaction: Consider designing your workflow so that push notifications trigger a user action that opens the app. Then, you can capture the vendor’s current location once the app is active.

2. Updating Location in the Database

• When the App Is Active or in the Background:
  If you can get background location updates (using the approaches mentioned above), you can update the vendor’s location by sending the new coordinates to your Laravel API using regular fetch or any HTTP client (like Axios). For example:

  JSCopied
  // Example: sending location update from React Native to Laravel API
  const updateLocation = async (latitude, longitude) => {
    try {
      await fetch('https://your-laravel-app.com/api/update-location', {
        method: 'POST',
        headers: {
          'Content-Type': 'application/json',
          // add appropriate authentication headers
        },
        body: JSON.stringify({ latitude, longitude }),
      });
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Error updating location:', error);
    }
  };

  This function can be called within your background location handler as the vendor moves.

• When the App Is Closed:
  Unfortunately, there isn’t a reliable way to continue updating the location if the app is completely closed because you won’t have any code running to make the API calls.

Recommendations

1. Leverage Background Location Updates:
   Ensure that your app requests the proper permissions and uses platform-specific background location modes. Keep in mind that continuously tracking location in the background can affect battery life and must be clearly communicated to the user.

2. Design Around OS Restrictions:
   Accept that if an app is force closed, you cannot update its location. Instead, focus on updating the location as frequently as possible while the app is in use or only in the background.

3. User Engagement via Push Notifications:
   For vendors who need to receive job notifications, the push notification system (using FCM for Android and APNs for iOS) can be used to wake the app or prompt vendors to open the app. Once opened, you can then update their current location.

4. Consult Native Code Options:
   If your business requirements demand location tracking even when the app is closed, you may need to investigate deeply into native solutions. However, be cautious as such approaches may run afoul of platform guidelines and potentially drain battery life.

In summary, while you can implement background tracking with careful use of permissions and native modules, real-time location fetching when an app is completely closed isn’t practically achievable. Adjusting your workflow to update locations when possible (active or in the background) and using push notifications to engage vendors is the recommended approach.