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PhoneGap, Cordova, and other cross-platform app frameworks are widely used for designing, developing, and building applications on mobile devices using standard web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
This article highlights some of the essential features of both frameworks.
Both Cordova and PhoneGap differ in terms of their branding and names. Cordova was created before Nitobi Software released PhoneGap.
Nitobi Software was still purchased by Adobe in 2011 when it acquired Nitobi. Adobe wanted to maintain the open-source or Cordova. It was originally created as Apache PhoneGap with some tweaks.
What is PhoneGap HTML0?
It is difficult to develop mobile applications that work on all devices, including Android, Windows, and iOS. This requires a variety of languages and frameworks, as well as expertise.
PhoneGap is a web-based application that makes it easier to create mobile applications using languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. PhoneGap bridges the gap between Web and mobile applications to create, develop, and release mobile smartphone apps across all platforms.
PhoneGap was an open-source initiative by Adobe that later became Apache Cordova under the Apache Software Foundation.
Pros of PhoneGap
App developers are increasingly required to meet the diverse needs of mobile users. This is due to the popularity and demand of iPhone and Android applications.
It can be time-consuming and expensive to create an app for every mobile platform. PhoneGap developers are choosing to use cross-platforms in order to create an app that will run on any mobile operating system.
PhoneGap, out of all the cross-platform platforms available, is the one most commonly used for building cross-platform mobile applications.
Apache Cordova is the common name for this platform. Open-source platform used in India and other countries to create apps. It is popular among mobile developers because it offers great support for JavaScript, HTML5, CSS3, and other technologies.
Attract Visitors for Low Cost
PhoneGap allows developers to create mobile apps for Android, iPhone, and Windows devices. Your app will be exposed to a wider audience.
You don't need to pay separately for apps on each mobile platform.
Simple Interaction with Customers
Businesses can create applications that allow customers to interact with products and have fun while doing so. By gathering information, some programs can analyze public interaction and habits.
These data allow businesses to make smart decisions that are beneficial to their business.
Improve App Management and Reduce Time to Market
Businesses can distribute their apps efficiently since they are available in all application stores. Search engine optimization can be used to promote your product.
These apps are easy to program because they have a clean, robust structure. Imagine that users want to extend the capabilities of the software in the near future. Then, they can easily modify the software to meet their needs.
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Mobile phones come in many varieties. PhoneGap also allows you to efficiently distribute ads across multiple mobile devices.
You can quickly develop products that are related to entertainment, gaming, or services and then use them as ads to reach more clients. Advertising to users can be an effective method to attract many customers and keep their interest.
High Return On Investment
These apps are a great way to improve user experience. The PhoneGap framework allows companies to create the best mobile apps for devices of any size.
These apps are fast and easy to use. PhoneGap app development offers flexibility and high-quality usage. This leads to better investment returns and increased profitability.
Open-Source
PhoneGap, an open-source software platform, is completely accessible. App creators are increasingly using it to develop mobile applications.
PhoneGap's native plugin is very flexible. Users can simply write one code to run on multiple OS! It can be run on any mobile phone.
Amazing User-Interface
PhoneGap's UI is easy to use and unique! You can easily create seamless and attractive graphics with its stunning and straightforward user interface.
You don't need to worry about navigation because the UI is available on all platforms. You want to achieve quick results by working with PhoneGap Services.
Access Native APIs with Superior Performance
Adobe PhoneGap gives offshore developers of mobile apps more access to Native APIs.
This allows mobile applications to use cameras, geolocations, accelerometers, and contacts, as well as other native features and functions. Native apps are better than web-based ones.
Flexibility Using Web Technologies
Adobe PhoneGap apps are created using primary languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. If you plan to create a mobile application using the Adobe PhoneGap Framework, there is no need for you to learn complicated languages.
You can use existing programming languages and programs. PhoneGap has been available for a long time, and you can find many frameworks and libraries that will help. There are many ways to enhance your programming skills.
PhoneGap App Disadvantages
- Performance can sometimes be an issue. This is true, especially if you have designed your app with view animations or if you need a lot of animation in your application.
- Not all native OS-based functions are supported.
- It can be difficult to use native applications.
- Third-party frameworks of varying quality may be required to create a natural appearance and feel.
- App performance can be affected if you don't know the design (both in terms of UI and development process).
- It has a large community as an open-source software project. The lack of professional assistance can make it difficult to resolve complex issues during the development phase.
When Should PhoneGap be Considered for Development?
PhoneGap is the best option for anyone who wants to create a mobile web application that has the look and feel of native applications.
PhoneGap is able to connect with native APIs, but if you're looking for a powerful app, it may not be the best choice. Imagine you're looking for a web app that has native applications. It can be very beneficial in this case. It all depends on your needs.
PhoneGap will work well for you if you have experience in developing mobile apps. You can build an app that is more responsive than web apps.
You can use frameworks like JQuery and Shensha to make it look unique and stand out from other apps. PhoneGap has a built-in user interface that allows beginners to learn about app development.
PhoneGap is a cost-effective way to develop apps, so it's the best choice if you are looking to save money. Before you decide to use PhoneGap for mobile app development, it is important that you understand the pros and cons of this platform.
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History of Cordova, aka PhoneGap
The differences between Apache Cordova & PhoneGap are often confusing to developers. We must first understand the project's origins to help eliminate this confusion.
Adobe bought Nitobi in 2011 and gave the Adobe Phonegap framework to the Apache Foundation. The project was renamed Cordova, after the street name for Nitobi's office in Vancouver.
What Exactly is Cordova?
Apache Cordova and its commercial counterpart Adobe PhoneGap is an open-source framework that allows you to create mobile applications using standard web APIs.
You can create mobile apps using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, along with your favorite JS libraries, and package them for specific platforms. The app is run as a "WebView" within the native container of the platform that you are targeting. Cordova APIs give your web app access to APIs that are available at the device level, which traditional web apps cannot access.
Cordova Benefits for Web Development
Imagine you are looking for a framework that is easy to learn and open-source so you can build mobile-friendly applications.
It is difficult to find an alternative framework that can be as effective in this case. This program requires a deep understanding of HTML/CSS and JavaScript, which allows for a wide range of possibilities.
Performance Enhancement
Mobile users have a very high speed, and they need information in the blink of an eye. Cordova provides a variety of storage APIs.
There are three options: local storage (a simple key/value pair that is synchronous), WebSQL (which stores data in a database), and IndexedDB. Developers can select the storage APIs that best suit the needs of the application to allow users to find the data quickly.
Money Savings Course
It's worthwhile to avoid creating multiple applications to reduce costs and time, as well as earn a higher return on investment.
You may have to hire a developer who is familiar with all three platforms to be able to launch your app on all platforms. The problem is that the coding languages are different, and each platform will require modification. The user interface and design remain the same.
PhoneGap integration allows for easy publishing of your application on different platforms.
Programmers Love Apache Cordova
Developers who are familiar with JavaScript, CSS, and HTML5 will be able to create native apps by using their framework.
The app must be designed so that certain components, such as the logic, the UI, and the communication with the server applications, will all be shared by the developer.
However, other elements, including the communication to the mobile devices as well as the control, will have to be developed using the native language of the device on which the app was launched.
PhoneGap is often referred to as the Swiss Army Knife of Mobile Application Development.
This Community is a Great Supporter
Apache Cordova is a community of programmers and developers that has tutorials and example code that show how to make the most of Cordova's capabilities.
Imagine that they know JavaScript, CSS, and HTML. Then, they could create an app that users could download onto their smartphones and tablets.
Cordova Follows a Plugin Architecture
Hybrid applications require plugins in order to run on native platforms. Cordova allows you to deactivate plugin functionality when possible.
Install, import, verify, and use the plugins to create hybrid apps. Apache Cordova plugins can be configured and upgraded.
It is an Interface Layer for Programmers
Companies are looking for new ways to develop and market mobile apps as the number of mobile users is increasing exponentially.
Apache Cordova is a great solution for companies that don't have the time or resources to develop applications for different platforms. The framework provides an interface layer that allows it to adapt apps for multiple platforms by changing the code to Native.
Read More: Differences between ionic, Cordova, PhoneGap and react-native
Cons of Cordova
Cordova development doesn't come with rainbows and sun. Here are some disadvantages.
UX is Not Native
It's great to be able to design and build with web technologies, but if you aren't careful with your UI and UX, then your app will not feel or look like a native application.
This is not always a positive thing. For example, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter have identical apps across all platforms rather than changing their native UX algorithms.
It's important to be aware.
If you want your UX to be as similar to native as possible, you should at least have different front-end interactions and layouts for each platform.
It is not necessary to create the exact same application three or four times and to maintain three different code bases. (One for each platform). Instead, you can have three different layouts.
Apache Cordova and Adobe PhoneGap
It's easy to confuse Apache Cordova with Adobe PhoneGap because there are two different projects. It could be frustrating to investigate the problem in development and have to use the keywords PhoneGap migration to find solutions or to study the correct documentation.
Apple's Safari browser is a good example of how to understand the difference. It is built using the open-source WebKit Engine.
Cordova is an open-source framework, while PhoneGap is a version that is branded Adobe. There is no difference between the two options. The command-line interfaces differ slightly, but their functionality is identical.
You can't combine the two programs in one program. Cordova and PhoneGap in the same program can be problematic. It's not as dangerous as when Ghostbusters crossed over.
The main difference between the two projects lies in the fact that Adobe offers several paid services, including PhoneGap Build.
PhoneGap hosts a service that lets you build your app into native binaries remotely, removing the need to install each smartphone SDK on your local machine. PhoneGap's Command Line Interface (CLI) is able to make use of the service. Cordova's CLI cannot.
What's next in hybrid mobile development as the evolution of PhoneGap (and Apache Cordova, its open-source counterpart) slows? Apache Cordova is an open-source project that will not disappear anytime soon.
Cordova is a project that many companies are heavily invested in. The Cordova community fills the gaps left by corporate contributors as they come and go.
PhoneGap, however, was created with the intention of becoming obsolete at some point. That moment could be here.
In the past ten years, there have been two options that can replace PhoneGap or "hybrid" 1.0. These are JavaScript-driven native applications and progressive web apps.
Progressive Web Apps
PhoneGap has always been designed to allow web developers to do more with mobile devices when mobile browsers are limited.
In order to access native device functionality, PhoneGap employs a variety of internet-based technologies, including JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, as well as plugins created in native languages (Objective C, Swift, and Java). This has been both a blessing as well as a curse over time.
Although the learning curve is low, embedded web browsers within PhoneGap applications often have poor performance.
(Thanks to Apple and, for a while, Android's default web view). PhoneGap, however, was a solution that worked for many and produced results "good enough." The term "progressive Web Apps" has been used to describe the efforts to improve web standards in order to create better-performing, offline-ready mobile applications with developer portals.
The web platform has taken a giant leap forward with progressive web apps. Web apps now have complete control over the network stack.
This allows them to perform advanced caching operations and operate offline. Web apps can now do many things that are usually associated with native apps. These include launching with splash screens, sending push notifications, or asking for payment information.
This API, along with the "HTML5" APIs in browsers (access to cameras, accelerometers, and other devices), makes for a powerful web platform that can be used to create many types of apps.
PhoneGap would have needed a native application to provide all these features, but browsers are now catching up.
Now we can remove the hybrid training wheels. There are still limits to the Web. The slow-moving standards-based platform is just the way it is. Progressive web apps are an important step but are not the perfect solution for all applications.
What can web developers do if they need to access native APIs on their devices? Enter JavaScript-driven native apps.
JavaScript-Driven Native Apps
Around five years ago, several companies began to search for a custom solution to hybrid mobile app performance issues.
The goal was to create frameworks that could deliver "truly Native" performance and UI complexity while remaining cross-platform, familiar, and accessible to web developers. Two popular options emerged from this: React Native and NativeScript.
These frameworks allow developers the opportunity to reuse web skills. However, instead of wrapping a web browser in a native shell app (such as PhoneGap), these new approaches create a native user interface.
This results in mobile apps that perform and feel more like native single-platform apps while still maintaining cross-platform application productivity.
This approach has been described by many names, including "native hybrid," "hybrid 2.0," and "cross-platform Native." Researchers coined the phrase "JavaScript-driven native apps," and while it's not exactly a catchy name, it's accurate and descriptive.
Web developers can enjoy the same power and performance as PhoneGap with JavaScript-driven native app frameworks.
NativeScript, for example, deeply integrated into both Angular Vue and Angular, allows developers to access all native APIs through JavaScript. Each and every one. NativeScript can do anything that can be done with a native application. Cross-platform modules allow most things to work on iOS and Android.
This is like PhoneGap on steroids. React Native, as well as NativeScript, are both open-source projects that are ready to become the "hybrid 2.0" in cases where progressive web applications are not suitable.
What Do You Pick?
It's difficult to see why a new project today would use PhoneGap when there are other options, such as JavaScript-driven native applications and progressive web apps.
Both options are built for the future, and they're relatively easy to adopt by web developers who have experience with hybrid app development teams.
It should also be easy to choose between the options:
- Build a progressive web application if you don't require a lot of device API access and your app does not need to be on the iOS app store. You can also live with some additional iOS limitations (for now).
- Choose one of the JavaScript native app platforms if your app's needs exceed the limitations of progressive web apps:
- React Native is the best option for React shops.
- NativeScript is the best choice for Angular and Vue shops.
Most of the companies who create these open-source frameworks offer assistance and technical guidance to migrate from PhoneGap.
Consult an expert if you are looking for the best place to begin your migration.
If you are stuck or would prefer to speak to a third-party expert, there are a variety of resources for the developer community.
There are many forums that have been created for some time to help mobile developers move from PhoneGap or hybrid apps to progressive web applications. They offer great tips.
PhoneGap did indeed live up to its name. For nearly a decade, PhoneGap helped web developers bridge the "gap" between Mobile app development and web-based apps.
This is a remarkable run. It's now time for JavaScript-driven native app frameworks and progressive web applications to take the lead and guide developers with mobile app experiences into the next generation.
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Takeaway
PhoneGap and Cordova are often used interchangeably. Both frameworks are open-source and can be used for creating platform-independent apps.
They are composed of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The title is the difference. PhoneGap, owned by Adobe Systems before, is the open-source distribution of Cordova. Apache Software Foundation has rebranded the original codebase as Apache Cordova, making it free and open-source.
PhoneGap is a collection of Cordova and Adobe products and custom-made programs. Imagine Cordova is the engine that powers PhoneGap.
PhoneGap is a web development tool that has been around for nearly a decade. It allows developers to create cross-platform mobile apps with custom native device functionality.
PhoneGap allows developers to build apps for Android &iOS, and Windows Phone (and BlackBerry for a while) with the JavaScript libraries and skills they are already familiar with for a digital transformation. The combination of web-based skills and native device access, commonly known as hybrid (or "hybrid"), has been firmly established as one of mobile app development's primary approaches.
