cordova-plugin-webpack

This plugin integrates webpack into your Cordova workflow.

Motivation

Module bundlers such as webpack are essential for SPA (Single Page Application) development. Unfortunately, the Cordova workflow does not integrate webpack as a standard feature.

Simply install this plugin to easily integrate webpack into your Cordova workflow.

Demo

Features

• Ability to have build scripts by webpack when you build or run Cordova app
• Ability to have LiveReload (Hot Module Replacement) run by Webpack Dev Server when you’re testing on a device or emulator for Android and iOS

Supported Platforms

• Browser
• Android
• iOS

Installation

$ npm install -D webpack@4 webpack-cli@3 webpack-dev-server@3
$ cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-webpack

CLI Reference

Syntax

$ cordova { prepare | platform add | build | run } [<platform> [...]]
    [-- [--webpack.<option> <value> | --livereload]]

Option	Description	Default	Aliases
--webpack.<option>	Passed to webpack-cli options or webpack-dev-server options. eg: --webpack.config example.config.js Note: Some options such as Stats Options and Watch Options are not yet supported.		-w
--livereload	Enables LiveReload (HMR)	false	-l

Examples

Build

Before preparing your Cordova app, build scripts by webpack.

$ cordova prepare
$ cordova build -- --webpack.config path/to/dir/webpack.config.js
$ cordova build android -- --webpack.mode=production
$ cordova build ios -- --webpack.env.prod

Live Reload (HMR)

After preparing your Cordova app, run LiveReload by Webpack Dev Server.

$ cordova prepare -- --livereload
$ cordova run ios -- -w.config path/to/dir/webpack.config.babel.js -l
$ cordova run android -- --livereload --webpack.port=8888 --webpack.watch-content-base=false

Usage

1. Add this plugin

2. Create a webpack configuration file (webpack.config.js) in your project root folder

   const path = require('path');
   
   module.exports = {
     mode: 'development',
     entry: './src/index.js',
     output: {
       path: path.resolve(__dirname, 'www'),
       filename: 'index.bundle.js',
     },
     devtool: 'inline-source-map',
   };

3. Execute the commands

   $ cordova build
   $ cordova run -- --livereload

For more information...

1. Create a Cordova app

   $ cordova create cordova-plugin-webpack-example cordova.plugin.webpack.example CordovaPluginWebpackExample

2. Add platforms

   $ cd cordova-plugin-webpack-example
   $ cordova platform add android ios

3. Add this plugin

4. Create a JavaScript file (entry point)

   $ mkdir src
   $ mv www/js/index.js src/index.js

5. Create a webpack configuration file (webpack.config.js) in your project root folder

   const path = require('path');
   
   module.exports = {
     mode: 'development',
     entry: './src/index.js',
     output: {
       path: path.resolve(__dirname, 'www'),
       filename: 'index.bundle.js',
     },
     devtool: 'inline-source-map',
   };

6. Fix a HTML file (www/index.html)

   -         <script type="text/javascript" src="js/index.js"></script>
   +         <script type="text/javascript" src="index.bundle.js"></script>

7. Execute the commands

   $ cordova build
   $ cordova run -- --livereload

---

NOTE

Starting with Android 9 (API level 28), cleartext support is disabled by default. Therefore, LiveReload does not work on Android 9.0 and higher devices and emulators. Also see this issue.

To resolve this, you must modify your config.xml file to enable cleartext support.

1. Add xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" in widget root element

   <widget id="cordova.plugin.webpack.example" version="1.0.0" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/ns/widgets" xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" xmlns:cdv="http://cordova.apache.org/ns/1.0">

2. Enable android:usesCleartextTraffic attribute in application element

   <platform name="android">
       <edit-config file="AndroidManifest.xml" mode="merge" target="/manifest/application">
           <application android:usesCleartextTraffic="true" />
       </edit-config>
   </platform>

---

Custom webpack configuration

Basically, it works according to your webpack configuration file. If you want to custom webpack configuration, modify your webpack.config.js file.

...
module.exports = {
  ...
  mode: 'production',
  entry: './src/index.js',
  output: {
    path: path.resolve(__dirname, 'www'),
    filename: 'bundle.js',
  },
  plugins: [
    new HtmlWebpackPlugin(),
  ],
  ...
  devServer: {
    contentBase: path.join(__dirname, 'public'),
    host: 'localhost',
    port: '8000',
    hot: false,
  },
  ...
};

Option	Default
devServer.contentBase	www
devServer.historyApiFallBack	true
devServer.host	0.0.0.0
devServer.port	8080
devServer.watchContentBase	true
devServer.hot	true

For example, if you want page reloading (LiveReload) instead of hot module reloading (HMR), specify the devServer.hot option as false.

...
module.exports = {
  ...
  devServer: {
    hot: false,
  },
  ...
};

Contribute

Contributions are always welcome! Please read the contributing first.

Contributors

Thanks goes to these wonderful people (emoji key):

Kotaro Sugawara 💻 📖 🤔 🚇 ⚠️

Jimmy Multani 📖 💻

shotaabe 📖 🎨

Gavin Henderson 🐛 💻

This project follows the all-contributors specification. Contributions of any kind welcome!

License

Apache-2.0 © Kotaro Sugawara