Apache Cordova is an open-source framework. It lets web developers build a native application for many platforms with their JavaScript, HTML and CSS content.
Cordova builds a web application inside a WebView. You can think of a WebView as a web browser with no interface elements. Like any web application, it can run JavaScript code and talk to remote servers. We often call these applications hybrid applications.
A plain web application cannot reach many features of the software and hardware on your device. For example, it cannot read data like email and phone numbers.
On the other hand, Cordova provides JavaScript APIs that give access to many device features. To do this, Apache Cordova uses plugins. These plugins open a path between the native features of the device and the web application.
The History of Apache Cordova
In 2008, some engineers from the company Nitobi explored the idea of using the native WebView to run web applications in a native environment. It worked. They kept going and later created a framework from the solution. The team first named it PhoneGap, because it bridged the gap between web apps and the native abilities of the device. More plugins followed, and the phone gave access to more functions.
Later, in 2011, they gave the PhoneGap framework to the Apache foundation. The foundation renamed it Cordova.
Apache Cordova Can Help Your Business When
- You want to extend an application to multiple platforms. You will not have to re-implement it in a different language for each platform.
- You want to deploy a web app that is packaged for distribution in different portals and app stores.
- You want to mix native application components with a WebView.
How Apache Cordova Deployment Works
Teams mostly build apps that use the internet and talk to a remote server with Apache Cordova app development services. Cordova fetches data from a server and then shows it to the user. It also listens and responds to user input. Further, you can build self-contained apps as well.
The user interface of Cordova is a WebView. A Cordova application is compiled, but it does not take CSS, JavaScript or HTML code as it is. Instead, it converts the application into native code for each platform. When you write an app with web technology, Cordova wraps it and keeps it intact. This makes it available to the WebView.
Native Device Functionality
With plugins, Cordova gives you access to the functions of the native device. These plugins expose a JavaScript API, so you reach native device abilities through it.
Plugins are written in native code. Because of this, you must install the SDK for each platform to write native code for it. Then JavaScript can call this native code and give access to the WebView.
The Cordova plugin ecosystem has two types of plugins. The first type is official plugins, which the Cordova community maintains.
The second type is custom plugins. Individual developers build these, mostly to solve specific issues, such as making keyboard interaction easy.
Advantages of Using Apache Cordova
- Open source: Anyone can build and add custom plugins. Anyone can also contribute code to the Cordova source code. This improves Cordova and makes it easy for many people to use.
- Easy: Cordova is easy to learn and use. Its requirements are simple. If you know the basic Cordova commands, you can work with it quite easily.
- Free: Money is a big hurdle in any developer’s life. However, Cordova is completely free.
- Native functions are accessible: You can reach major native device features, like camera, contacts, SMS and geolocation, with Cordova.
- Easy execution on different app stores: Cordova compiles applications into a package file. You can deploy it on platforms like App Store, iOS and Windows by creating APK, IPA and APPX versions.
Limitations of Apache Cordova
Like any other technology, Cordova has some limitations. It reaches native device abilities through plugins. As a result, apps that rely on the GPU and CPU run slower than native apps.
Moreover, if no plugin exists for a specific function, you must build one on your own.
Conclusion
You need a fair idea about Cordova and should know its abilities. We hope this article gives you good insight into Apache Cordova. We believe you can now decide whether or not to use it. Visit the official site for more.
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