Setup

Configuring Task Services for background execution

Prerequisites

• Essential Kit imported into the project from My Assets section of Package Manager

• iOS and Android build targets configured

• Understanding of async/await patterns in C#

Setup Checklist

1. Open Essential Kit Settings (Window > Voxel Busters > Essential Kit > Open Settings), switch to the Services tab, and enable Task Services

2. Essential Kit automatically configures platform-specific background execution during build

3. Changes to the settings asset are saved automatically. If you use source control, commit the updated Resources/EssentialKitSettings.asset file

Configuration Reference

Setting	Platform	Required?	Notes
Enable Task Services	All	Yes	Toggles the feature in builds; disabling strips related native code

Zero Configuration Required: Task Services has no additional configuration options. Simply enable the feature and it's ready to use.

Platform-Specific Notes

iOS

• Automatically configures UIKit.framework during build

• Uses iOS Background Task API (UIApplication.beginBackgroundTask)

• Background Time Limit: Approximately 30 seconds (system-enforced)

• System may terminate app earlier if resources are critically low

• Background execution does NOT guarantee task completion—always handle quota expiration

Android

• Automatically handles background execution configuration during build

• Uses Android foreground service patterns for extended execution

• Background Time Limit: Few minutes depending on Android version and device manufacturer

• Android 12+ has stricter background limits

• Consider foreground services (separate feature) for longer-running tasks

Background Limits Are System-Enforced: Essential Kit cannot extend platform background execution limits. iOS typically allows 30 seconds, Android allows a few minutes. If your tasks require longer execution, design them to checkpoint progress and resume on next app launch.

Need a working baseline? Run the sample at Assets/Plugins/VoxelBusters/EssentialKit/Examples/Scenes/TaskServicesDemo.unity to confirm your settings before wiring the feature into production code. Note: Testing requires building to a device as background behavior differs significantly from Unity Editor.

What Happens During Build

Essential Kit's build pipeline automatically:

• iOS: Links UIKit.framework, configures background capabilities

• Android: Adds necessary permissions for background execution, configures manifest entries

You don't need to manually configure Xcode projects or Android manifests—Essential Kit handles all platform setup transparently.

Next Steps

After enabling Task Services in settings:

1. Review Usage Guide to understand background task patterns

2. Implement save-on-pause logic in OnApplicationPause

3. Test on physical devices to verify background execution behavior

4. Implement quota expiration callbacks for graceful degradation