The Cordova community has spoken! After receiving an impressive 228 submissions for our user and contributor survey, we're excited to share the key findings with you. In this article, we'll dive into the data and explore what makes Cordova tick.
Usage
When it comes to building apps with native features not yet present in the web platform, Cordova is the top choice for many developers. With 97.4% of respondents using Android, 89% using iOS, and 21.1% developing for Browser, it's clear that Cordova's cross-platform support is a major drawcard. Windows and macOS Catalyst, however, received fewer responses.
Why Choose Cordova?
So, what drives developers to choose Cordova? The top three reasons are ease of use, cross-platform support, and the prevalence and familiarity of web skills and technologies. Many users also mentioned that Cordova's ability to support native features, Ionic, fast development, maturity of the project, and open-source nature all played a role in their decision.
Alternatives
As Cordova continues to evolve, some developers are looking for alternatives. Our survey found that 6.1% of respondents migrated their apps to PWAs, while 13% moved to Capacitor, and 3% each chose Flutter and React-Native. A small percentage (2%) opted for Electron or fully native solutions.
Pain Points
While Cordova remains a popular choice, there are areas where the community would like to see improvement. The top pain points include lack of maintenance for third-party plugins, keeping up with App/Play store requirements and OS API changes, slow releases, and breaking updates. Many users also mentioned issues with native projects, documentation, and the fear of long-term support.
Contributing
When it comes to contributing to Apache Cordova, many developers are eager to get involved. However, time (53%) and work-life-balance (37%) concerns are significant barriers. The community would benefit from better documentation and support for first-time contributors.
Areas of Improvement
To address the pain points, we need to focus on key areas. These include improving plugin maintenance, updating documentation, and providing better support for native projects. We also need to onboard new members to help with release voting and decision-making.
Conclusion
The Cordova survey 2023 has provided valuable insights into what drives developers to choose this powerful framework for swift app development. By understanding the pain points and areas of improvement, we can work together to create a better experience for all users. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting out, there's never been a better time to get involved with Cordova.