top of page
Search
  • vladimirkonja

Cordova NPM: A Command Line Tool for Developing and Managing Multi-Platform Cordova Apps



How to Download Cordova NPM




Cordova npm is a package that allows you to create native mobile applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It provides a command-line interface (CLI) that helps you manage multi-platform cordova applications and plugins. With cordova npm, you can easily write one set of code to target different platforms and devices, such as Android, iOS, Windows, and more. In this article, you will learn how to download and install cordova npm on your system, and how to create your first cordova app.


Prerequisites for Installing Cordova NPM




Before you can install cordova npm, you need to have some software and tools on your system. These include:




download cordova npm



  • Node.js and npm: Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment that allows you to run JavaScript code outside of a browser. Npm is a package manager that comes with Node.js and lets you install and manage packages for your projects. You can download Node.js and npm from .



  • Git: Git is a version control system that helps you track changes in your code. Cordova npm uses git behind the scenes to download some assets when creating a new project. You can download git from .



  • SDKs for each platform: SDKs are software development kits that provide tools and libraries for developing applications for specific platforms. You need to install SDKs for each platform you want to target with your cordova app. For example, if you want to build an Android app, you need to install the Android SDK. You can find more information about the supported platforms and their SDKs .



Installing Node.js and NPM




To install Node.js and npm on your system, you can use either a Node version manager or a Node installer. A Node version manager allows you to install and switch between multiple versions of Node.js and npm, which can be useful for testing your app on different versions. A Node installer is a pre-built package that installs both Node.js and npm on your system.


We recommend using a Node version manager like nvm to install Node.js and npm. You can find more information about how to use nvm . Be sure to install the version labeled LTS (Long Term Support), as other versions have not yet been tested with cordova npm.


After installing Node.js and npm, you can check their versions by running the following commands in your command prompt or terminal:


node -v npm -v


Installing Cordova CLI




To install cordova CLI, you need to use the npm utility of Node.js. The cordova module will automatically be downloaded by the npm utility. To install cordova CLI globally on your system, run the following command in your command prompt or terminal:


npm install -g cordova


On OS X and Linux, you may need to prefix the command with sudo if you encounter permission errors. Alternatively, you can use nvm or change the permissions of the installation directory.


How to download cordova npm package


Download cordova npm for windows


Download cordova npm for mac


Download cordova npm for linux


Download cordova npm latest version


Download cordova npm offline


Download cordova npm with dependencies


Download cordova npm and install


Download cordova npm command line tool


Download cordova npm and create project


Download cordova npm and add platform


Download cordova npm and run app


Download cordova npm and add plugin


Download cordova npm and customize app icons


Download cordova npm and configure app


Download cordova npm and build app


Download cordova npm and deploy app


Download cordova npm and manage app


Download cordova npm and update app


Download cordova npm and debug app


Download cordova npm and test app


Download cordova npm and publish app


Download cordova npm documentation


Download cordova npm tutorial


Download cordova npm examples


Download cordova npm source code


Download cordova npm github repository


Download cordova npm issues tracker


Download cordova npm release notes


Download cordova npm changelog


Download cordova npm license


Download cordova npm supported platforms


Download cordova npm features list


Download cordova npm alternatives comparison


Download cordova npm reviews and ratings


Download cordova npm tips and tricks


Download cordova npm best practices guide


Download cordova npm FAQs and answers


Download cordova npm community forum


Download cordova npm blog posts and articles


Download cordova npm video tutorials and demos


Download cordova npm podcasts and interviews


Download cordova npm courses and certifications


Download cordova npm books and ebooks


Download cordova npm cheat sheet and reference card


Download cordova npm templates and boilerplates


Creating a Cordova Creating a Cordova Project




After installing cordova CLI, you can create a new cordova project using the command-line tool. A cordova project is a directory that contains all the files and folders for your app, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, icons, plugins, and configuration files. To create a new cordova project, run the following command in your command prompt or terminal:


cordova create <path> <id> <name>


The <path> parameter specifies the directory where you want to create the project. The <id> parameter is a reverse domain-style identifier that uniquely identifies your app, such as com.example.hello. The <name> parameter is the display name of your app, such as Hello World.


For example, to create a cordova project named Hello World in the hello directory with the id com.example.hello, run the following command:


cordova create hello com.example.hello "Hello World"


This will create a hello directory with the following structure:


hello -- config.xml -- hooks -- merges -- platforms -- plugins -- www -- css -- img -- js -- index.html


The config.xml file contains the global configuration settings for your app, such as the app name, description, version, author, preferences, and plugins. The hooks directory contains scripts that are executed at various stages of your app development, such as before and after building or running your app. The merges directory contains platform-specific web assets that override the default ones in the www directory. The platforms directory contains the native code and resources for each platform you add to your project. The plugins directory contains the cordova plugins that provide additional functionality to your app, such as accessing device features like camera, contacts, geolocation, etc. The www directory contains the web assets for your app, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, icons, etc.


Adding a Platform




To build and run your cordova app on a specific platform, you need to add that platform to your project using the cordova CLI. This will download and install the necessary files and tools for that platform and create a subdirectory under the platforms directory with the platform name. To add a platform to your project, run the following command in your command prompt or terminal:


cordova platform add <platform>


The <platform> parameter specifies the name of the platform you want to add, such as android, ios, windows, etc. You can also specify a specific version or source of the platform using @ or # symbols.


For example, to add the latest version of Android platform to your project, run the following command:


cordova platform add android


This will create an android subdirectory under the platforms directory with the following structure:


android -- AndroidManifest.xml -- ant-build -- ant-gen -- bin -- build.gradle -- CordovaLib -- gradle -- gradle.properties -- gradlew -- gradlew.bat -- local.properties -- platforms.json -- project.properties -- res -- src


The AndroidManifest.xml file contains the manifest information for your Android app, such as the package name, permissions, activities, etc. The ant-build and ant-gen directories contain files generated by Apache Ant build system. The bin directory contains executable files for building and running your app. The build.gradle file contains the build configuration for your app using Gradle build system. The CordovaLib directory contains the cordova library for Android. The gradle directory contains files related to Gradle wrapper. The gradle.properties file contains properties for Gradle build system. The gradlew and gradlew.bat files are scripts for running Gradle wrapper. The local.properties file contains local settings for your app. The platforms.json file contains information about the platforms added to your project. The project.properties file contains project settings for your app. The res directory contains resources for your app, such as icons, splash screens, strings, etc. The src directory contains Java source code for your app.


Running the App




To run your cordova app on a specific platform, you need to use the cordova CLI to build and launch your app on an emulator or a device connected to your system. To run your app on a platform, run the following command in your command prompt or terminal:


cordova run <platform>


The & The <platform> parameter specifies the name of the platform you want to run your app on, such as android, ios, windows, etc. You can also specify additional options for running your app, such as --device, --emulator, --target, etc. You can find more information about the supported options .


For example, to run your app on an Android emulator, run the following command:


cordova run android --emulator


This will build your app for Android and launch it on an emulator. You can see the output of your app in the emulator screen and the console log in your command prompt or terminal.


To run your app on an iOS device, run the following command:


cordova run ios --device


This will build your app for iOS and launch it on a device connected to your system. You need to have a valid provisioning profile and signing certificate to run your app on a device. You can see the output of your app in the device screen and the console log in your command prompt or terminal.


Conclusion




In this article, you learned how to download and install cordova npm on your system, and how to create your first cordova app. You also learned how to add a platform to your project and how to run your app on an emulator or a device. With cordova npm, you can easily create native mobile applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You can also use cordova plugins to access device features and enhance your app functionality. Cordova npm is a powerful tool that helps you develop cross-platform apps with minimal effort and maximum efficiency.


FAQs




What is cordova npm?




Cordova npm is a package that allows you to create native mobile applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It provides a command-line interface (CLI) that helps you manage multi-platform cordova applications and plugins.


What are the benefits of cordova npm?




Some of the benefits of cordova npm are:


  • It lets you write one set of code to target different platforms and devices, such as Android, iOS, Windows, and more.



  • It lets you use web technologies and frameworks that you are familiar with, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Angular, React, etc.



  • It lets you use cordova plugins to access device features and enhance your app functionality, such as camera, contacts, geolocation, etc.



  • It lets you use existing web assets and resources for your app, such as images, icons, fonts, etc.



  • It lets you test and debug your app easily using emulators or devices.



How do I update cordova npm?




To update cordova npm to the latest version, run the following command in your command prompt or terminal:


npm update -g cordova


This will download and install the latest version of cordova module using npm utility.


How do I remove a platform from my project?




To remove a platform from your project, run the following command in your command prompt or terminal:


cordova platform remove <platform>


The <platform> parameter specifies the name of the platform you want to remove, such as android, ios, windows, etc. This will delete the subdirectory under the platforms directory with the platform name.


How do I list the platforms added to my project?




To list the platforms added to your project, run the following command in your command prompt or terminal:


cordova platform ls


This will display the names and versions of the platforms added to your project. 44f88ac181


1 view0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page