# mapbox-navigation-patterns

Tells your agent how to wire up turn-by-turn navigation, multi-stop routes and voice guidance on Mapbox.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 401 installs · ★ 83
- Author: mapbox
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/mapbox/mapbox-agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/mapbox-navigation-patterns/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/mapbox-navigation-patterns

## What it does

This skill covers the navigation side of Mapbox: route calculation, turn-by-turn instructions, alternative routes, delivery optimization and live traffic. It ships as a set of reference files split by platform — Directions API for the web, Navigation SDK for iOS and Android, a separate file on Android performance antipatterns, plus notes on route caching and error handling.

The main fork is spelled out in the skill itself: web apps and plain route display mean Directions API with pay-per-request pricing, while native turn-by-turn and voice guidance require a Navigation SDK billed by MAU. Directions API accepts up to 25 waypoints, so long delivery chains either get split or move to the Optimization API. There is no voice guidance on the web at all, which is worth deciding on before you commit to a browser build.

For iOS the skill recommends starting with a SwiftUI shell and a wrapped `NavigationViewController` through `UIViewControllerRepresentable`, and only going fully custom with Core UI when that is explicitly wanted. Before writing code you need the SPM packages `MapboxNavigationCore` and `MapboxNavigationUIKit`, an `MBXAccessToken`, location permissions and the background `audio` and `location` modes.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mapbox/mapbox-agent-skills --skill mapbox-navigation-patterns -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/mapbox-navigation-patterns/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/mapbox-navigation-patterns/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mapbox/mapbox-agent-skills --skill mapbox-navigation-patterns -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/mapbox-navigation-patterns/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mapbox/mapbox-agent-skills --skill mapbox-navigation-patterns -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/mapbox-navigation-patterns/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install mapbox/mapbox-agent-skills mapbox-navigation-patterns
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/mapbox-navigation-patterns/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mapbox/mapbox-agent-skills --skill mapbox-navigation-patterns -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/mapbox/mapbox-agent-skills --path skills/mapbox-navigation-patterns
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/mapbox-navigation-patterns/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mapbox/mapbox-agent-skills --skill mapbox-navigation-patterns -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/mapbox/mapbox-agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/mapbox-navigation-patterns/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- add turn-by-turn navigation to a mobile app
- draw a route with directions on a web map
- reorder stops for a delivery route
- enable voice guidance in a given language
- factor live traffic into an ETA

## Example prompts
- I need turn-by-turn navigation in a SwiftUI iOS app
- Show a route with turn-by-turn instructions on a web map using the Directions API
- Add voice guidance and real-time rerouting to the Android app

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: c7d9a1eaa9e0103c.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE c7d9a1eaa9e0103c
```text
---
name: mapbox-navigation-patterns
description: Navigation implementation patterns for turn-by-turn directions, route optimization, real-time traffic, multi-stop routing, and voice guidance across web, iOS, and Android platforms
---

# Mapbox Navigation Patterns

Expert guidance for implementing navigation and routing features using Mapbox Directions API and Navigation SDKs. Covers turn-by-turn navigation, route optimization, real-time traffic integration, multi-stop routing, and navigation UI components.

## Use This Skill When

User says things like:

- "I need turn-by-turn navigation in my app"
- "How do I add driving directions?"
- "I want to show a route on the map"
- "I need multi-stop routing"
- "How do I add voice guidance?"
- "I want real-time traffic updates"
- "I need to optimize delivery routes"

## Product Overview

### Directions API (REST)

**Best for:** Web applications, simple routing, backend route calculation

**Features:**

- Route calculation (driving, walking, cycling, traffic)
- Alternative routes
- Turn-by-turn instructions
- Multi-stop routing (up to 25 waypoints)
- Route optimization
- Real-time traffic data
- Avoid specific roads/areas

**Pricing:** Pay per request

### Navigation SDK for iOS

**Best for:** Native iOS apps with turn-by-turn navigation

**Defaults:** SwiftUI app shell + wrap drop-in `NavigationViewController` via `UIViewControllerRepresentable` (official getting-started path). Use a fully custom Core UI ([CoreSDKExample](https://github.com/mapbox/mapbox-navigation-ios/tree/main/Examples/CoreSDKExample)) only when the user explicitly wants to build their own nav chrome.

**Before coding:** SPM (`MapboxNavigationCore` + `MapboxNavigationUIKit`), `MBXAccessToken`, location permissions, background `audio`/`location` — see [install guide](https://docs.mapbox.com/ios/navigation/guides/install/) and the iOS reference checklist. Stable Core/UIKit releases do not need a `.netrc` download token.

**Features:**

- Drop-in turn-by-turn UI (`NavigationViewController`) — default
- Optional fully custom Core UI (route progress / banner publishers)
- Voice guidance (30+ languages)
- Real-time rerouting
- Traffic-aware routing
- Offline maps and routing
- Route progress tracking
- Speed limit display

**Pricing:** Monthly Active Users (MAU) based

### Navigation SDK for Android
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE c7d9a1eaa9e0103c

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First 2351 of 6447 bytes. © mapbox · MIT · https://github.com/mapbox/mapbox-agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/mapbox-navigation-patterns/SKILL.md

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---
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