What is Apache Cordova?
Apache Cordova is a set of device APIs that allow a mobile app developer to access native device function such as the camera or accelerometer from JavaScript. Combined with a UI framework such as jQuery Mobile or Dojo Mobile or Sencha Touch, this allows a smartphone app to be developed with just HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Apache Cordova is a tool in the Cross-Platform Mobile Development category of a tech stack.
Why developers like Apache Cordova
Lots of plugins
JavaScript
Great community
Easy Development
Easy to learn
Cross platform
Open Source
Lots of descendants; PhoneGap, Ionic, Intel XDA etc
Easy, fast, not buggy in my experience with my code