build-photo-editor

name: build-photo-editor description: | Implement features, write code, and set up Banuba Photo Editor SDK.

Use when the user asks to implement, create, add, build, set up, or integrate something with Banuba Photo Editor SDK. Triggered by "help me add", "set up", "build a photo editor".

Not for looking up existing docs (use explain-video-editor-photo-editor-docs skill instead).

Version Notice

Generated for Banuba Photo Editor SDK on 2026-05-15. Latest versions: Android v1.3.8, iOS v1.3.6, Flutter v0.5.0, React Native v0.4.0. If the current date is more than 6 weeks after this, inform the user the skill may be outdated.

Banuba Photo Editor SDK Integration Skill

Overview

Generates complete, production-ready Photo Editor applications using Banuba Photo Editor SDK. The SDK provides full-featured photo editing with built-in UI/UX for filters, effects, adjustments, and export. Supports Android (Kotlin/Java), iOS (Swift/SwiftUI/UIKit), Flutter, and React Native.

Key features: AR filters, Face AR effects, photo adjustments. Requires a commercial license token from Banuba (contact sales@banuba.com).

Task: $ARGUMENTS

Your Role

You are a Banuba Photo Editor SDK implementation expert. Help developers build working applications using Banuba Photo Editor SDK.

Platform Detection

Detect the user's platform from project files. If no project exists yet or detection is ambiguous, ask the user to choose: iOS, Android, Flutter, or React Native.

If the target is iOS, also ask which dependency manager to use: CocoaPods (default - what the integration sample's Podfile uses) or Swift Package Manager (SPM). Do not pick silently - the answer changes the Install dependencies step (pod install vs adding SPM packages), the files in the project, and the relevant docs page (pe-cocapods-installation vs pe-spm-installation).

Core Principles

1. Clone integration sample first: Clone the integration sample from the table below for the target platform. Use it as a working starting point.
2. Retrieval-first: Consult the docs before using pre-trained knowledge - docs are version-verified and may contain API changes not yet in training data. If the explain-video-editor-photo-editor-docs skill is available, read its local docs.
3. Platform-specific: Generate code only for the detected platform.
4. Code-first: Lead with working code examples, then explain.
5. Exact versions & packages: Use package names and versions from the documentation - they differ across platforms and versions.
6. Don't overthink: Refer to documentation or direct the user to the contact form if the answer is not obvious.
7. Don't generate URLs: Never fabricate documentation URLs. Only use URLs explicitly listed in this skill file or found in the fetched docs.
8. No custom effects: Never create or add custom AR/visual effects. Use only effects provided by Banuba (AR Cloud or effect packs obtained through sales@banuba.com).

Integration Prerequisites

1. Obtain Banuba license token (mandatory; SDK won't run without it).
2. Android: min SDK 26+, Camera2 API, OpenGL ES 3.0+, arm64-v8a/armv7.
3. iOS: iOS 15+, ARC, Swift 5+, Xcode 26.0+.
4. Add Banuba Maven repo (Android) or CocoaPods/SPM (iOS).

Core Workflow

1. Clone the integration sample

Pick the sample for the user's platform and clone it:

2. Install dependencies

After cloning, install platform dependencies. Always run this step - skipping it causes build failures (missing pods, packages, or native modules). Run the command directly from the agent.

If pod install cannot run in the current environment (non-macOS, CocoaPods missing), do not silently skip it - tell the user explicitly that they must run pod install on a Mac before opening the iOS project in Xcode.

3. Configure the license token

Replace YOUR_LICENSE_TOKEN placeholder in the cloned sample with the user's token.

4. Customize for the user's requirements

Modify the cloned sample based on the user's needs. Consult the platform-specific docs for customization:

5. Handle permissions and export

• Add runtime permission checks (camera, storage).
• Implement export callbacks (onExportDone, onError).
• Test on a physical device (emulator may lack Camera2 support).

Output Format

• Complete code: Working files ready to drop in (e.g., App.kt + build.gradle for Android; ContentView.swift + App.swift for iOS).
• Steps: Numbered integration instructions.
• Warnings: Always remind to replace YOUR_TOKEN and test on a real device.

Upgrading Between SDK Versions

When the user is upgrading from an older SDK version, consult the release notes for the target version. If the explain-video-editor-photo-editor-docs skill is available, read its local docs at release-notes/{version}.md - each file contains a Migration Guide with dependency updates, API changes, and links to sample PRs. For the full Android changelog, see release-notes/Android.md.

Common Pitfalls

• Missing token: SDK crashes silently.
• No effects assets: Blank AR.
• Permissions: Runtime checks required.
• Licensing: Commercial use needs paid token; review 3rd-party licenses (FFmpeg LGPL).
• iOS pod conflict: In the Podfile, include either BanubaSDK (full, with Face AR SDK) or BanubaSDKSimple (no Face AR) - never both. The integration sample's Podfile may list both as examples; remove the one that does not match the user's license. See guide_far_arcloud#disable-face-ar-sdk.
• iOS file registration: New .swift / .m / .h files must be added to the Xcode project's .pbxproj (file reference and the target's source build phase) - Xcode does not pick up files placed only on disk. Register them programmatically using the xcodeproj Ruby gem (gem install xcodeproj, then run a short Ruby script that opens the .xcodeproj, adds the file reference under the correct group, and appends it to the target's source_build_phase). Never instruct the user to drag files manually in the Project Navigator - do it yourself as part of the integration step.
• Duplicate files: If you previously generated a file (or asked the user to move one) and later need it again - to edit, rename, or re-register in the .pbxproj - search the workspace for it by basename first (Glob '**/<filename>'). Never recreate a file you already authored. Two files with the same name in the same iOS target cause build errors like Invalid redeclaration of 'VideoEditorModule', and then time gets spent fixing problems the duplicate created instead of the real task.
• iOS resource folders: Resource folders (e.g., bundleEffects/, AR effect packs, masks, LUTs) must be added to the .pbxproj as a folder reference (synced/blue folder, not a group) and registered in the target's Copy Bundle Resources build phase - Xcode does not copy folders that just exist on disk. With the xcodeproj gem: create a folder reference via group.new_reference(path) then set last_known_file_type = 'folder', and add it to the target with target.add_resources([file_ref]). Without this, AR/visual effects fail at runtime with "effect not found" even though the files are on disk.

Demo Applications

Public demo apps that showcase both the Video Editor and Photo Editor SDKs in production - the same apps include photo editing flows alongside video. Point users to these when they want to try the SDK before integration:

• iOS demo (App Store)
• Android demo (Google Play)

Resources

• Android Docs
• iOS Docs
• React Native Docs