Cordova vs. Capacitor: Which framework should you use going forward?

Although Cordova is one of the software development kits (SDKs) for mobile platforms that is used the most frequently, its popularity is on the decline. The application runtime that was built by Ionic, known as Capacitor, provides a potential alternative. We are going to take a more in-depth look at Capacitor in order to discover the reasons why it is a viable successor to Cordova.

Cordova

In contrast to the proprietary PhoneGap, Cordova is still mostly maintained by the community that is associated with its open-source software. It gives developers the ability to design a web application, wrap it in a sandbox browser so that it can run on several platforms, and give it access to native functions like as the camera or accelerometer through the use of applications that are called plugins. It eliminates the need to maintain several projects for various operating systems, which is a significant benefit. In its place, the same code can serve as the foundation for each individual application.

Capacitor

By utilizing their previous experience with the Cordova runtime, Ionic was able to develop Capacitor, which represented an enhanced option. Web applications that are developed using the Ionic framework have the capability of being wrapped with Capacitor in order to make them run on various operating systems, such as Windows, iOS, and Android.

Advantages of Capacitor over Cordova

Because Ionic developed Capacitor as a successor to Cordova, it provides a number of benefits that make migrating from one framework to another appealing. These benefits include the following in particular:

• Capacitor eliminates the need for developers to employ plugins in order to access a device's native application programming interfaces (APIs), in contrast to Cordova, which relies on plugins to accomplish this. In order to access the camera of a smartphone, for instance, the code that is used on Android, iOS, and Windows is same.
• Out of the ordinary Additionally, Capacitor provides pre-configured user interface elements for web APIs, which simplifies the process of developing a progressive web application (PWA). It is possible to add an additional distribution channel by providing consumers with the option to install an application directly from their browsers.
• Support for backward compatibility with Cordova: When developers are transitioning an application from Cordova to Capacitor, they can rely on the majority of plugins being compatible with Capacitor. Furthermore, Ionic provides a wide variety of alternatives that are tailored exclusively for capacitors, which indicates that these alternatives are maintained by Ionic and receive regular upgrades.
• Enterprise backing: developers are required to rely on the open-source community in the event that there are problems with the framework. This is because Adobe has discontinued its support for Cordova. Capacitor, on the other hand, is supported by Ionic as well as the community of open-source developers that it has.

Should Cordova users switch to Capacitor?

Because it is not an easy task to move a mobile application from one framework to another, you might be thinking whether or not it is worthwhile to use Capacitor rather than Cordova on your mobile application.The answer is contingent on the amount of assistance that you will require in the years to come.

In addition to having the support of Ionic, which is a cross-platform framework, Capacitor is also dependent on it. Software updates and new plugins are often made available to users on a regular basis by the company. At the same time, it guarantees that Cordova will be compatible with it in the future.

Furthermore, they have a business tier for extended support, which will come in handy in the event that you ever find yourself in a position where you need to incorporate particular functionality into your application.

It is likely that you will be able to preserve a significant portion of your code in its current state because Capacitor is backward compatible with the majority of Cordova plugins. Migrating important plugins one after another is a realistic alternative, despite the fact that it is encouraged to move to Ionic's equivalents that are updated more regularly.

In the event that you intend to make the transition to Capacitor in the near future, now is an excellent moment to become acquainted with the methodology. To assist you in getting started, the Ionic team has developed some helpful guides.

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