vue-cli-plugin-cordova

Vue CLI 3.x plugin for Apache Cordova.

Integrate Cordova into Vue Cli App

How To

$ npm install -g cordova # If cordova is not already installed
$ vue add cordova
$ npm run cordova-serve-android # Development Android
$ npm run cordova-build-android # Build Android
$ npm run cordova-serve-ios # Development IOS
$ npm run cordova-build-ios # Build IOS
$ npm run cordova-serve-browser # Development Browser
$ npm run cordova-build-browser # Build Browser
$ npm run cordova-prepare # prepare for build

IMPORTANT

Path rewriting etc does not work under Cordova, that's why it's important to use router 'hash' mode, if you run or build for Cordova. history mode does not work! The plugin already tries to fix this automatically...
Assets and Scripts in vue's public folder need to have a dynamic path, because depending on dev or production build, you have different bases. In dev it's normally '/' and in production it's 'file:///android_asset/www/'. In other words, if you have i.e. an image under 'public/images/me.jpg', the relative url would be img='images/me.jpg'
You need some experience with Cordova, to solve many issues, like having the right Java JDK, Android SDK, XTools, Signing an App, Publishing an App etc. If you encounter issues related to Cordova etc, please don't post them this issue tracker.

What is the plugin doing ?

During installation

During installation, the plugin is setting some important variables, modifying the router mode and executing some cordova commands.

Setting baseUrl in vue.config.js to '' because in cordova production, files are served from file://android_asset/www/
Setting cordovaPath in vue.config.js
Checking if router is available and modify router mode to 'hash' if process.env.CORDOVA_PLATFORM is set
Adding ignore paths for cordova in .gitignore
Executing 'cordova create cordovaPath id appName' (cordovaPath, id and appName will be prompted)
Executing 'cordova platform add platform' (platform will be prompted)

In development mode

In development mode (npm run cordova-serve-*), the plugin is starting the dev server, and creating an app with a webview, showing your dev server page.

It is doing this by:

Adding cordova.js to your index.html
Defining process.env.CORDOVA_PLATFORM to android, ios or browser
Starting the Dev Server
Pointing the cordova config.xml to Dev Server
Executing 'cordova clean'
Executing 'cordova run platform'

In Production mode

In production mode (npm run cordova-build-*), the plugin is building the app, with all it's assets and files etc locally in the package. The webview is showing file:///android_asset/www/index.html

It is doing this by:

Adding cordova.js to your index.html
Defining process.env.CORDOVA_PLATFORM to android, ios or browser*
Pointing the cordova config.xml to index.html
Building the app, output to /src-cordova/www
Executing 'cordova clean'
Executing 'cordova build platform --release'

Please note

For a production build, you need to manually sign the app, in order to be able to install it on your device, or publish it in the app store.
You need to handle cordova's "deviceready" etc in your app
Cordova Plugins can be added under /src-cordova by executing 'cordova plugin add PLUGIN'
If you want to debug your build app, using chrome devtools, build your app with 'cordova build platform --debug' and make sure /src-cordova/www has your latest build

License

MIT

Credits

Credits go to

@dekimasoon https://github.com/dekimasoon/vue-cli-plugin-cordova
@quasarframework https://github.com/quasarframework/quasar-cli

Because my approach for this plugin, was inspired by theirs!

sidinwillis/vue-cli-plugin-cordova