CordovaPhoneGapin

CordovaPhoneGapin, often referred to simply as Cordova or previously PhoneGap, is an open-source framework used for building native mobile applications using standard web technologies. These technologies include HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It allows developers to create cross-platform apps that can run on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and other platforms from a single codebase. The core idea behind Cordova is to leverage existing web development skills to build mobile applications, thereby reducing development time and cost.

When a Cordova application is built, the web-based code is wrapped within a native application container. This container provides access to device-specific features such as the camera, GPS, accelerometer, contacts, and file system, which are not directly accessible from a standard web browser. Cordova achieves this through a set of JavaScript APIs that communicate with the native operating system. Plugins are a crucial part of the Cordova ecosystem, extending its functionality by providing access to a wider range of native device features or third-party services.

Adobe Systems originally developed PhoneGap, which was later acquired by Apache Software Foundation and renamed to Apache Cordova. The distribution of PhoneGap under a commercial license, including tools and services, was also offered by Adobe. While distinct projects, Cordova and PhoneGap share the same codebase, with PhoneGap being a distribution of Cordova. The framework has been instrumental in enabling web developers to transition into mobile app development without requiring extensive knowledge of native programming languages like Swift or Java.