Apache Cordova vs Crosswalk: What are the differences?
Key Differences between Apache Cordova and Crosswalk
Apache Cordova and Crosswalk are both popular frameworks used for developing hybrid mobile applications. While they share some similarities, there are several key differences between them.
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Runtime Environment: Apache Cordova utilizes a WebView component provided by the native operating system to render the application's HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, whereas Crosswalk uses its own embedded runtime environment powered by the Chromium browser engine. This allows Crosswalk to provide better HTML5 and CSS3 support and improved performance compared to Cordova.
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Performance: Crosswalk's standalone runtime environment ensures consistent performance across different devices and operating systems, regardless of the native WebView versions. On the other hand, Cordova's performance relies on the underlying WebView, which may vary depending on the platform and device, potentially resulting in performance inconsistencies.
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Web Engine Features: Crosswalk incorporates the latest Chromium browser engine features, which includes support for the latest web standards, advanced APIs, and performance optimizations. Cordova, being dependent on the device's WebView, may lack support for certain HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript features, limiting the capabilities of the hybrid applications.
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Customization and Control: Cordova provides more flexibility and customization options as it allows developers to interact directly with the device's native APIs through plugins. This enables the integration of native functionality seamlessly into the hybrid applications. Crosswalk, on the other hand, limits direct access to native APIs, offering a more standardized development environment, but potentially limiting the scope of functionality that can be achieved.
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App Size: Due to its embedded runtime environment, Crosswalk tends to have a larger application size compared to Cordova. This is because Crosswalk includes the whole Chromium browser engine along with the application code, resulting in a bigger download size for users. Cordova, being dependent on the native WebView, relies on the already-present components on the device and has a smaller application size.
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Compatibility: Cordova offers broader platform compatibility as it supports a wide range of platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows, and more. Crosswalk, although versatile, has limited platform support, primarily focusing on Android, making it a preferred choice for Android-specific application development.
In summary, Apache Cordova and Crosswalk differ in their runtime environment, performance, web engine features, customization options, app size, and platform compatibility. These differences should be considered when choosing the appropriate framework for developing hybrid mobile applications.
