Cross-Platform Mobile App Using Apache Cordova

Abstract

This article is all a couple of basic introduction to Cordova. we’ll see the design of Cordova, that however Cordova works, a way to produce apps in Cordova, a way to set a platform for the app, directory structure, and readying of apps on phone.

Introduction

Cordova is supercharged by Apache Foundation. it’s an associate ASCII text file mobile development framework. you’ll be able to use normal internet technologies like HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript to make cross-platform mobile applications like humanoid, iOS, and Blackberry apps.

Advantages to use Cordova:

1. Extend your existing mobile application to the other platform while not re-writing code once more.
2. It helps you to access device API while not writing any native part
3. It provides a special web-view that will access device-level API’s
4. It is compounding native elements and internet read to make cross-platform apps

Cordova design

Web View

Cordova provides WebView, that is employed within the entire application, no matter you create exploitation HTML and CSS can mix within WebView to show computer program. So, it builds a hybrid application, that mixes internet read and native application elements.

Web App

It is a locality wherever you write your application interface code. It is enforced as an internet page solely. Generally, we have a tendency to used index.html whereas building any internet application and used CSS, JS together to form it interactive and useful. You’re code because the app runs within WebView with a native wrapper of any platform like humanoid or iOS.

The native wrapper of your application contains config.xml, which is answerable for containing every info concerning the app. It tells specifically however it affects our application functioning. it’s the realm that you describe plugins used (to access device-level APIs) within the app and alternative configurations like portrait mode, app icon, and app start-up screen.

Plugins

Plugins are wont to access device-level API’s and thru them, you’ll be able to communicate between native elements and your normal app code. It binds one another so that you’ll be able to decide or invoke native code from your JavaScript.

Cordova has some constitutional core plugin to access different functioning of devices like accessing camera, contact, location, gallery, and battery info. These are known as core plugins.

Create your initial app exploitation Cordova

1. First, transfer and install Node.js on your machine and check npm running on your prompt (terminal)
2. Now ought to install Cordova in your machine, which ought to be other in your npm utility.
3. Hit this command from your terminal npm install -g Cordova

After doing the on top of steps, you’ll} able to run Cordova commands from your terminal.

Let’s begin making associate app exploitation Cordova.

1. Create any folder in your directory.
2. Go to that folder from the terminal.
3. Now hit the command, given below, from terminal
4. Cordova produces com. hello.myfirstapp MyFirstApp

This command can produce one directory by the name of MyFirstApp, that has all the specified folders for Cordova. therefore currently you produce with success the primary app exploitation Cordova.

Set platform for app

Till currently you simply produce a skeleton of your Cordova app. currently you would like to supply a native wrapper for your app, that is mobile OS specific like humanoid or iOS. you’ll be able to run these 2 commands or either one solely as per your demand. Below command add platform for your application.

Cordova platform add android

Cordova platform add iOS

The directory structure of your Cordova app and wherever to place your code in the Cordova App

Till currently we tend to create an associate app and set a platform for our app. currently you’ll} place your code in Cordova structure so that you’ll be able to able to build the app and acquire the specified output.

In folder structure, you have got a World Wide Web folder that contains all of your HTML, JavaScript, and media assets. once writing your code in HTML, CSS, and JS you’ll be able to copy your all files within this folder.

IMPORTANT

There is a default index.html file, that is made by Cordova itself. don’t replace it together with your code. Cordova can rummage around for index.html file whereas building your application. you’ll be able to modify this file per your want however don’t take away the cordova.js script from it.

How to build an associate app and deploy it on your phone?

Now we tend to can build our app for testing over the phone.

Cordova build (it is employed to make all platform laid out in the app)

Cordova build associate humanoid (it is employed to make platform-specific)

It will produce a build within your Cordova project from wherever you’ll be able to copy

APK file and install it on your phone. Here is the path of the build app.

C:\Apps\MyFirstApp\platforms\android\build\outputs\apk

Finally, you’ll be able to install your initial app on your phone.

Take facilitate from an adept mobile app development company like us. Contact us with any questions and that we can assist you out with our fast response.