cordova-serve

library4.0.1jsnpmunverified

Cordova Serve is an official Apache Cordova project providing local web server capabilities essential for developing and testing Cordova applications. It integrates deeply with `cordova-lib` and `cordova-browser` to serve web assets, facilitating development workflows such as live reloading and opening the application in a browser. The current stable version is 4.0.1, with releases typically occurring as needed to address bugs, introduce new features, or update dependencies within the broader Cordova ecosystem. Its primary differentiator is its tight integration with the Cordova CLI and project structure, offering a streamlined local development experience for hybrid applications.

devops web-framework

npm install cordova-serve

github ↗package ↗homepage ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · CORDOVA-SERVE

cordova-serve

devopsjavascriptv4.0.1

Install

—

Import

—

Disk

—

Pass rate

0/ 6

Env Coverage0 / 6

glibc

18–22

musl

18–22

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v? · npm install

Install × environment matrix

Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux

musl

node 18–226 runs

build_error

glibc

node 18–226 runs

build_error

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

serve

✓ import { serve } from 'cordova-serve';

✗ const serve = require('cordova-serve');

The primary function exported for starting the server. CommonJS users should use destructuring.

ServeOptions

✓ import { ServeOptions } from 'cordova-serve';

Type definition for the server configuration options, useful in TypeScript projects.

default

✓ import serve from 'cordova-serve';

✗ import { serve } from 'cordova-serve';

While named `serve` is common, it might also be exported as a default. Check library's specific export style if issues arise.

Demonstrates how to import and start the `cordova-serve` server with common options like port, root directory, and live reload.

import { serve } from 'cordova-serve'; import * as path from 'path'; const projectRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, 'test_app'); const wwwDir = path.join(projectRoot, 'www'); const options = { port: 8000, root: wwwDir, browser: 'default', // 'none' or 'safari', 'chrome', etc. livereload: true, // Enable live reload functionality consolelog: true, // Enable console log forwarding verbose: true // Enable verbose logging }; async function startServer() { try { console.log(`Starting Cordova server for '${wwwDir}' on port ${options.port}...`); const server = await serve(options); console.log(`Server running at http://localhost:${server.port}`); console.log('Press Ctrl+C to stop the server.'); // In a real application, you might want to add a way to stop the server // For this example, it will run until the process is terminated. } catch (error) { console.error('Failed to start Cordova server:', error); process.exit(1); } } startServer();

cordova --version

Debug

Known issues

breakingStarting with version 2.0.0, the internal API of `cordova-serve` was converted to use native JavaScript Promises, completely removing the dependency on the `q` library. Any custom extensions or direct interactions with the internal asynchronous operations of `cordova-serve` from prior versions will require significant refactoring.

fix

Update any custom code interacting with `cordova-serve`'s asynchronous functions to use standard Promise-based syntax (e.g., `async/await` or `.then().catch()`).

affects: >=2.0.0

breakingAs of `cordova-serve` version 4.0.1 (and potentially earlier versions like 2.0.0), the package explicitly requires Node.js version 10 or higher. Running with older Node.js versions will result in errors.

fix

Ensure your development environment uses Node.js version 10 or newer. Consider using a Node Version Manager (NVM) to easily switch between Node.js versions.

affects: >=2.0.0

gotchaVersion 2.0.0 introduced a change where `cordova-serve` will use the default system browser if no specific browser is provided in the configuration. This might open an unexpected browser tab if you previously relied on no browser being opened by default.

fix

To prevent a browser from opening automatically, explicitly set the `browser` option to `'none'` when invoking the serve function.

affects: >=2.0.0

gotchaVersion 2.0.1 replaced the deprecated `open` module with `opn` for opening URLs in a browser. While this is an internal fix, older versions of `cordova-serve` relying on the `open` module might encounter issues if `open` becomes entirely unmaintained or incompatible with newer Node.js versions.

fix

Upgrade to `cordova-serve` version 2.0.1 or higher to benefit from the `opn` module and avoid potential issues with the deprecated `open` dependency.

affects: <2.0.1

Errors

Common errors & fixes

Error: Cannot find module 'cordova-serve'

The `cordova-serve` package is not installed in the current project or globally.

fix

Run `npm install cordova-serve` in your project directory or `npm install -g cordova-serve` for global usage.

EADDRINUSE: address already in use :::8000

The specified port (e.g., 8000) is already being used by another process on your system.

fix

Either stop the process currently using the port, or configure `cordova-serve` to use a different port via the `port` option (e.g., `port: 8080`).

Error: Node.js version X.Y.Z is not supported. Please use Node.js >= 10.0.0.

Your current Node.js version does not meet the minimum requirement of `cordova-serve`.

fix

Update your Node.js installation to version 10 or higher. Tools like NVM (Node Version Manager) can help manage multiple Node.js versions.

Upgrade

Version history

4.0.1latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

cordova-librequiredProvides core Cordova functionality and is the primary consumer of cordova-serve.

cordova-browserrequiredProvides browser platform support, often used in conjunction with cordova-serve for testing.

Agent activity

2 hits · last 30 days

node

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/apache/cordova-serve ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/cordova-serve ↗

homepagehttps://cordova.apache.org ↗