diff --git a/.changes/cli-plugin-template-updates.md b/.changes/cli-plugin-template-updates.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..de98339e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/cli-plugin-template-updates.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+"tauri-cli": "patch:enhance"
+"@tauri-apps/cli": "patch:enhance"
+---
+
+Enhance the plugin template to include `permissions/default.toml` and default capabilities file for the example application.
diff --git a/tooling/cli/src/plugin/init.rs b/tooling/cli/src/plugin/init.rs
index 236041ed7..f5dd40b45 100644
--- a/tooling/cli/src/plugin/init.rs
+++ b/tooling/cli/src/plugin/init.rs
@@ -239,9 +239,17 @@ pub fn command(mut options: Options) -> Result<()> {
     .with_context(|| "failed to render plugin Android template")?;
   }
 
-  std::fs::create_dir(template_target_path.join("permissions"))
+  let permissions_dir = template_target_path.join("permissions");
+  std::fs::create_dir(&permissions_dir)
     .with_context(|| "failed to create `permissions` directory")?;
 
+  let default_permissions = r#"[default]
+description = "Default permissions for the plugin"
+permissions = ["allow-ping"]
+"#;
+  std::fs::write(permissions_dir.join("default.toml"), default_permissions)
+    .with_context(|| "failed to write `permissions/default.toml`")?;
+
   Ok(())
 }
 
diff --git a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/__example-api/tauri-app/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/__example-api/tauri-app/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bc594466d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/__example-api/tauri-app/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "../gen/schemas/desktop-schema.json",
+  "identifier": "default",
+  "description": "enables the default permissions",
+  "windows": ["main"],
+  "permissions": [
+    "path:default",
+    "event:default",
+    "window:default",
+    "webview:default",
+    "app:default",
+    "resources:default",
+    "image:default",
+    "menu:default",
+    "tray:default",
+    "{{ plugin_name }}:default"
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/__example-api/tauri-app/src/App.svelte b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/__example-api/tauri-app/src/App.svelte
index 7c05b2716..df696ffbf 100644
--- a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/__example-api/tauri-app/src/App.svelte
+++ b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/__example-api/tauri-app/src/App.svelte
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 <script>
   import Greet from './lib/Greet.svelte'
-  import { execute } from 'tauri-plugin-{{ plugin_name }}-api'
+  import { ping } from 'tauri-plugin-{{ plugin_name }}-api'
 
 	let response = ''
 
 	function updateResponse(returnValue) {
-		response += `[${new Date().toLocaleTimeString()}]` + (typeof returnValue === 'string' ? returnValue : JSON.stringify(returnValue)) + '<br>'
+		response += `[${new Date().toLocaleTimeString()}] ` + (typeof returnValue === 'string' ? returnValue : JSON.stringify(returnValue)) + '<br>'
 	}
 
-	function _execute() {
-		execute().then(updateResponse).catch(updateResponse)
+	function _ping() {
+		ping("Pong!").then(updateResponse).catch(updateResponse)
 	}
 </script>
 
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
   </div>
 
   <div>
-    <button on:click="{_execute}">Execute</button>
+    <button on:click="{_ping}">Ping</button>
     <div>{@html response}</div>
   </div>
 
diff --git a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/__example-basic/vanilla/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/__example-basic/vanilla/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bc594466d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/__example-basic/vanilla/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "../gen/schemas/desktop-schema.json",
+  "identifier": "default",
+  "description": "enables the default permissions",
+  "windows": ["main"],
+  "permissions": [
+    "path:default",
+    "event:default",
+    "window:default",
+    "webview:default",
+    "app:default",
+    "resources:default",
+    "image:default",
+    "menu:default",
+    "tray:default",
+    "{{ plugin_name }}:default"
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/build.rs b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/build.rs
index a10892a6d..e0ff2ccce 100644
--- a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/build.rs
+++ b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/build.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const COMMANDS: &[&str] = &["ping", "execute"];
+const COMMANDS: &[&str] = &["ping"];
 
 fn main() {
   tauri_plugin::Builder::new(COMMANDS)
diff --git a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/guest-js/index.ts b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/guest-js/index.ts
index 6697605d5..cbbafe2ed 100644
--- a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/guest-js/index.ts
+++ b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/guest-js/index.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
 {{/if}}
 import { invoke } from '@tauri-apps/api/core'
 
-export async function execute() {
-  await invoke('plugin:{{ plugin_name }}|execute')
+export async function ping(value: string): Promise<string | null> {
+  return await invoke<{value?: string}>('plugin:{{ plugin_name }}|ping', {
+    payload: {
+      value,
+    },
+  }).then((r) => (r.value ? r.value : null));
 }
diff --git a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/src/commands.rs b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/src/commands.rs
index c1272703a..80c544642 100644
--- a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/src/commands.rs
+++ b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/src/commands.rs
@@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
 {{#if license_header}}
 {{ license_header }}
 {{/if}}
-use tauri::{AppHandle, command, Runtime, State, Window};
+use tauri::{AppHandle, command, Runtime};
 
-use crate::{MyState, Result};
+use crate::models::*;
+use crate::Result;
+use crate::{{ plugin_name_pascal_case }}Ext;
 
 #[command]
-pub(crate) async fn execute<R: Runtime>(
-  _app: AppHandle<R>,
-  _window: Window<R>,
-  state: State<'_, MyState>,
-) -> Result<String> {
-  state.0.lock().unwrap().insert("key".into(), "value".into());
-  Ok("success".to_string())
+pub(crate) async fn ping<R: Runtime>(
+    app: AppHandle<R>,
+    payload: PingRequest,
+) -> Result<PingResponse> {
+    app.{{ plugin_name_snake_case }}().ping(payload)
 }
diff --git a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/src/lib.rs b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/src/lib.rs
index 07bfd6770..874b99f67 100644
--- a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/src/lib.rs
+++ b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/src/lib.rs
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ use tauri::{
   Manager, Runtime,
 };
 
-use std::{collections::HashMap, sync::Mutex};
-
 pub use models::*;
 
 #[cfg(desktop)]
@@ -26,9 +24,6 @@ use desktop::{{ plugin_name_pascal_case }};
 #[cfg(mobile)]
 use mobile::{{ plugin_name_pascal_case }};
 
-#[derive(Default)]
-struct MyState(Mutex<HashMap<String, String>>);
-
 /// Extensions to [`tauri::App`], [`tauri::AppHandle`] and [`tauri::Window`] to access the {{ plugin_name }} APIs.
 pub trait {{ plugin_name_pascal_case }}Ext<R: Runtime> {
   fn {{ plugin_name_snake_case }}(&self) -> &{{ plugin_name_pascal_case }}<R>;
@@ -43,16 +38,13 @@ impl<R: Runtime, T: Manager<R>> crate::{{ plugin_name_pascal_case }}Ext<R> for T
 /// Initializes the plugin.
 pub fn init<R: Runtime>() -> TauriPlugin<R> {
   Builder::new("{{ plugin_name }}")
-    .invoke_handler(tauri::generate_handler![commands::execute])
+    .invoke_handler(tauri::generate_handler![commands::ping])
     .setup(|app, api| {
       #[cfg(mobile)]
       let {{ plugin_name_snake_case }} = mobile::init(app, api)?;
       #[cfg(desktop)]
       let {{ plugin_name_snake_case }} = desktop::init(app, api)?;
       app.manage({{ plugin_name_snake_case }});
-
-      // manage state so it is accessible by the commands
-      app.manage(MyState::default());
       Ok(())
     })
     .build()
diff --git a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/src/models.rs b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/src/models.rs
index 04f81da9c..914fb2388 100644
--- a/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/src/models.rs
+++ b/tooling/cli/templates/plugin/src/models.rs
@@ -3,13 +3,13 @@
 {{/if}}
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
-#[derive(Debug, Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
 pub struct PingRequest {
   pub value: Option<String>,
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, Deserialize, Serialize)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
 pub struct PingResponse {
   pub value: Option<String>,