The demand for cross-platform apps gets hotter than ever nowadays, there also increase the demand for the framework which can help the developers to create the perfect mobile app. Apache Cordova is the one that can help the developers to create the perfect mobile application. It is the platform to build mobile applications by using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Apache Cordova is the open source mobile development framework which allows the developers to use standard web technologies for cross development platform by avoiding each mobile platforms native development language.

It is completely true that there are several ways to build the mobile apps for suitable smartphone, but the main issue that developers usually face is that they do not have many frameworks which would allow the users to use this app in all platforms. It helps to save a lot of time and money for the Mobile App development company if they are able to develop a common app.

Apache Cordova Framework

Apache Cordova, also called as PhoneGap, is the framework which can be installed in any device as it has the cross-platform capacity. The applications can be executed within the wrappers targeted to each platform and can rely on standards complaint API bindings to access each device sensor’s, data and network status.

The benefit of using this framework is only if you are a mobile developer and want to extend an application across more than one platform, without having to re-implement it with each platform’s language and toolset. This framework is also useful to use for the web developer if they want to deploy the web app which is packaged for distribution in various app store portals. One of the major benefits of using this framework is that its native capabilities are above and beyond of what is normally supported on the mobile browser. Unfortunately, for mobile developers, there is much mobile application which is required to do more than HTML and web browsers could support.

The architecture of Apache Cordova

There are several components of Cordova application which clearly defines the working of the Cordova framework. Let us discuss the components of Apache Cordova in detail below:

• Web View

The Cordova enabled Webview may offer all the applications with its complete user interface. On some platforms, it can also be the components within the larger, hybrid application that mixes the webview with the native application components.

• Web App

This is the part where your application code resides and the application itself is implemented as the web page, by default a local file named index.html which references CSS, JavaScript, images or other resources of files required to run it. The app executes in the Webview within the native application wrapper which you distribute to app stores.

• Plugins

Plugins are an integral part of the Cordova ecosystem which provides an interface for Cordova and native components to communicate with each other and bindings to standard device APIs. This enables you to invoke native code from JavaScript. Apache Cordova projects help to maintain the set of plugins which are called as core plugins. These core plugins provide your application to access device capabilities such as a battery, camera, contacts etc.

• Development Paths

Cordova provides us the two basic workflows for creating the mobile application. While you can often use either workflow to accomplish the same task, they each offer two benefits such as Cross-platform workflow, which is used if you want your app to run on as many different mobile operating systems as possible. And the other one is platform centered workflow which can be used if you want to focus on the building of an app for the single platform and need to be able to modify it at a lower level.

Advantages of Apache Cordova

There are many benefits of Apache Cordova, and especially if you are planning to use this framework as your mobile app development. Some of the major benefits are as follows:

• Target any platform

In the past, if the developer needs to make an app then he had to target the four major platforms like android, iOS, windows, and blackberry, and then he had to create the app in the platform-specific app. But now, when you are using Apache Cordova, then you need not to have to worry about the platform the app will be working in.

• Good for Business

Business owners prefer to use Apache Cordova because they can leverage the benefits of any platform that they are planning to install this in. If the market share is dwindling, then they no longer have to worry about it, they can still make the app which can work like a native app in the same thing like other different platforms.

• Money Saver

As you need not have to make different apps in Apache Cordova, it goes without saying that you can save infrastructure costs, time and earn more ROI. You may, however, have to hire the developer who is proficient with all the three platforms because that would help you to release the app in the entire platform with the slight adjustments.

• First choice of programmers

Programmers who are masters in Javascript, CSS, and HTML etc they can develop native apps in the framework they are used to. The programmer has to develop the app in such a manner that certain parts of the app, the user interface will be common in each of them, but the other aspects will be in the native language of the platform for which it is released.

• Great community of supporters

As Apache Cordova has won the hearts of developers and programmers, it has a huge and vibrant community, complete with the tutorial on how to use the framework to its fullest capacity. With existing knowledge of JavaScript, CSS, and HTML, they can easily make the app which users can download on their smartphones and tablets.

• Layer of interface

As mobile users are increasing tremendously, the organizations are hotly pursuing the different ways through which they can create and market the apps. Since they do not have the time to create apps for different platforms, they benefit a lot from Apache Cordova.

Conclusion

Apache Cordova comes with the lots of functionality features that help the mobile app development services grow more and quickly adapt the necessities organization needs in their business. This framework is more secure and significant than other development frameworks which can be optimized at the time of creating a mobile app.