Install Cordova/Phonegap on Window

Installing Cordova on Windows

This document describes how to install Apache Cordova and the Android SDK on a Windows machine. This is a quite complex process, which may take some time depending on your previous experience with installing SKDs and build tools. Care has been taken when writing this document to include all the essential steps needed to get you up and running with a successful install. Kindly let us know if there is something you are missing.
To develop Android apps, you need to install the Android SDK, and also Java if not already installed on your machine. Furthermore the build tool Ant is required.
For the Android SDK, you have the choice between installing the ADT bundle that incudes Eclipse (ADT = Android Developer Tools), or the Android SDK Tools, that does not include Eclipse. In the steps below we will use the Android SDK Tools download.

Install Cordova

Follow these steps to install Cordova:
  1. Install Node.js. Cordova runs on the Node.js platform, which needs to be installed as the first step. Download installer from: http://nodejs.org
  2. Go ahead an run the downloaded installation file. It is recommended to use the default settings. Node.js needs to be added to the PATH environment variable, which is done by default.
  3. To test the installation, open a command window (make sure you open a new command window to get the updated path settings made by the Node.js installation), and type:
    node --version
    If the version number is displayed, Node.js is installed and working!
  4. Install Git. Git is a version control system, which is used by Cordova behind-the-scenes. Download and install from: http://git-scm.com. Default settings are recommended.
  5. Install Cordova. Cordova is installed using the Node Package Manager (npm). Type the following in the command window to install:
    npm install -g cordova
  6. Test the Cordova install by typing:
    cordova --version
    If you see the version number, you have successfully installed Apache Cordova!

Install Java

The Android SDK needs the Java Development Kit (JDK) to be installed (minimum version 1.6). Note that the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is not sufficient, you will need the JDK. To check if you have the JDK installed already, type this on the command line:
javac -version
If you do not have the JDK installed, proceed as follows:
  1. Download the Java SE JDK (SE = Standard Edition) from Oracle:www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/. Click the Java SE Download to see the list fo download. Get the "Windows x86" download if you have 32-bit Windows, and "Windows x64" if you have 64-bit Windows. If you do not know which version you have, find out using the Control Panel by selecting "System and Security" and then "System", where you will find the "System type" saying if your Windows version is 32-bit or 64-bit.
  2. Go along and run the downloaded installer file. Using the default selections should be fine, but take a note of the directory in which you install the JDK. You will need to add this to the PATH in a later step below.
  3. Next, update your path to include the JDK. Open the Control Panel, click System and Security, click System, click Change settings, which will open the System Properties window. Select the Advanced tab, then click theEnvironment Variables button.
  4. In the list User variables select PATH and click the Edit button. (If there is no PATH entry in the list, click the New button to create one.)
  5. At the end of the field Variable value, add a semicolon followed by the path to the bin directory of the JDK install. Here is an example (note that this must be the actual path used for the install on your machine):
    ;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_11\bin
    An easy way to do this is to prepare the path to add in a text editor, then paste it at the end of the input field. When done click the OK button.
  6. Next add the JAVA_HOME variable if it is not present (and if it is in the list, you may need to update its value using the Edit button). Click the New button. In the field Variable name type:
    JAVA_HOME
    In the field Variable value enter the path to the directory where the JDK is installed, without the semicolon and the /bin subdirectory, for example:
    C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_11
    Click the OK button.
  7. Click the OK button again to close the Environment Variables window.
  8. Now you are ready to test the install. Close any open command windows, and open a new command window and type:
    javac -version
    If you see a version number you are done with the JDK install!

Install Ant

Apache Ant is a build system for Java, which is used by Cordova and the Android SDK. To install Ant, follow these steps:
  1. Download Ant from here: ant.apache.org/bindownload.cgi. Get the zip download available at the page. Click the zip-file link for the most recent release, e.g. apache-ant-1.9.4-bin.zip, and save the file to your machine.
  2. Unpack the zip file to the directory on your machine where you want Ant to be installed. You can pick any directory for the install. In this guide we use this as an example:
    C:\Users\miki\ant
    Note that the files in the ant package should go directly into this directory. Make a note of the directory as you will need to add it to the PATH.
  3. To add Ant to the PATH, open the Control Panel, click System and Security, click System, click Change settings, click the Advanced tab, then click the Environment Variables button.
  4. In the list User variables select PATH and click the Edit button.
  5. At the end of the field Variable value, add a semicolon followed by the path to the bin directory of the Ant install. Here is an example:
    ;C:\Users\miki\ant\bin
    Click the OK button.
  6. Next add the ANT_HOME variable. Click the New button. In the field Variable name type:
    ANT_HOME
    In the field Variable value enter the path to the directory where Ant is installed, without the semicolon and the /bin subdirectory, for example:
    C:\Users\miki\ant
    Click the OK button.
  7. Click the OK button again to close the Environment Variables window.
  8. Now test the install. Close any open command windows, and open a new command window and type:
    ant -version
    If you see a version number you have installed Ant successfully!

Install the Android SDK Tools

The SDK Tools for Android are used by Cordova to build Android apps. Follow these steps to install the SDK Tools:
  1. Go to the page developer.android.com/sdk scroll down the page and click "VIEW ALL DOWNLOADS AND SIZES". Under "SDK Tools Only", click the windows installer exe file and download it (this file is named e.g.installer_r23.0.2-windows.exe).
  2. When downloaded, run the installer. You should do fine to use the default settings used by the installer, but make a note of the directory in which the SDK is installed, as you will have to add this to the PATH in the next step.
  3. To add the SDK Tools to the PATH, open the Control Panel, click System and Security, click System, clickChange settings, click the Advanced tab, then click the Environment Variables button.
  4. In the list User variables select PATH and click the Edit button.
  5. At the end of the field Variable value, add a semicolon followed by the path to the tools and platform-toolsdirectores of the Android SDK install. Here is an example of what to add (note that there are two paths in one line, separated by a semicolon):
    ;C:\Users\miki\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk\tools;C:\Users\miki\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools
    You can prepare the path in a text editor, copy it and paste at the end of the input field. Click the OK button when done.
  6. Click the OK button again to close the Environment Variables window.
  7. Now test the install. Close any open command windows, open a new command window and type:
    adb version
    This should display the version of the Android Debug Bridge.
  8. As the final step, you need to get the specific Android SDK version used by Cordova. This is done by running the Android SDK Manager by typing the command:
    android
    This launches a window where you can select to install specific Android SDKs.
  9. First time you launch the Android SDK Manager there will be preset selections. It is recommended to leave these untouched. Also select the entry "Android 4.4.2 (API 19)". This is the version used by the current Cordova 3.5 version. Note that the Android SDK required by Cordova will change in the future, as new versions of Cordova and Android are released. When this happens, open the Android SDK Manager again, and install the required API version(s).

If You Get Stuck

If you get stuck, consult the documentation at the respective web sites for Cordova, Java, Ant, and Android. The Cordova documentation specific for Android is found here:cordova.apache.org/docs/en/3.6.0/guide_platforms_android_index.md.html. You are also welcome to ask for help at theEvothings Forum.
One thing to do is to inspect all the environment variables. You can do this from a command window (note that you have to open a new command window after updating environment variables for updated values to be available). This displays the system PATH:
echo %PATH%
Here is how to inspect the values of JAVA_HOME and ANT_HOME:
echo %JAVA_HOME%
echo %ANT_HOME%
at
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