Apache Cordova vs Onsen UI: What are the differences?

## Introduction
Apache Cordova and Onsen UI are popular tools in the world of hybrid mobile app development. While both serve the purpose of creating cross-platform mobile applications, there are key differences between them that developers need to consider.

1. **Supported Platforms**: Apache Cordova is a mobile application development framework that allows developers to build apps for various platforms like iOS, Android, and Windows using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. On the other hand, Onsen UI is a front-end UI framework specifically designed for developing mobile apps with HTML5 and JavaScript, focusing on providing a rich user interface and user experience across different platforms.

2. **Core Functionality**: Apache Cordova primarily focuses on providing access to device-specific features and native APIs through plugins, allowing developers to easily access and utilize device hardware functionalities. In contrast, Onsen UI is more focused on providing a comprehensive set of UI components and patterns for designing visually appealing and interactive user interfaces, regardless of the underlying platform.

3. **Integration with Frameworks**: Apache Cordova can be integrated with various front-end frameworks like Angular, React, and Vue.js to streamline the development process and enhance the overall user experience. Onsen UI, on the other hand, comes with its own set of built-in components and themes that can be easily customized and extended to create visually stunning mobile applications without the need for additional frameworks.

4. **Community Support**: Apache Cordova has a large and active community of developers, contributors, and plugin creators, which leads to frequent updates, bug fixes, and new features being added to the platform. While Onsen UI also has a supportive community, it may not be as extensive as Cordova's community, potentially affecting the availability of resources, tutorials, and support.

5. **Performance Optimization**: Apache Cordova allows developers to optimize the performance of their apps by using plugins and tools to reduce load times, improve caching mechanisms, and enhance overall responsiveness. Onsen UI, on the other hand, focuses more on providing pre-styled UI components that may require additional optimization techniques to achieve optimal performance on different platforms.

6. **Ease of Learning Curve**: Apache Cordova is relatively easier for web developers to learn and adapt to, especially if they are already familiar with web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Onsen UI, while user-friendly in terms of UI design, may have a steeper learning curve for developers who are not well-versed in front-end development, as it requires a good understanding of the framework's components and styling conventions.

In Summary, Apache Cordova and Onsen UI differ in terms of supported platforms, core functionality, integration with frameworks, community support, performance optimization, and ease of learning curve for developers, making each tool suitable for specific mobile app development requirements.