A Cordova plugin that replaces the Android System WebView with the Crosswalk WebView for consistent web capabilities.
cordova-plugin-crosswalk-webview is a Cordova plugin for Android that replaces the default System WebView with the Crosswalk WebView engine. It solves the problem of inconsistent web runtime behavior and missing modern web APIs across different Android versions by providing a single, updated WebView. This ensures hybrid Cordova apps have access to features like WebRTC and WebAudio, along with performance improvements, especially on older Android devices.
Cordova/PhoneGap developers building hybrid Android applications who need consistent web feature support and performance across diverse Android versions, particularly when targeting devices with outdated system webviews.
Developers choose this plugin to guarantee a uniform, modern web runtime for their Cordova apps, eliminating fragmentation issues caused by varying Android System WebView versions. Its main advantage is delivering predictable web capabilities and enhanced performance, though it comes with increased APK size and memory footprint.
Crosswalk WebView Cordova Plugin (UNMAINTAINED)
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Swaps the varying Android System WebView with a single Crosswalk WebView, ensuring uniform web runtime and API support across all Android versions from 4.0+, as stated in the README.
Enables features like WebRTC, WebAudio, and Web Components that are missing or inconsistent in older system webviews, providing capabilities essential for advanced hybrid apps.
Offers improved JavaScript execution and rendering performance compared to outdated system webviews, particularly beneficial for pre-Lollipop Android versions where system webviews are slow.
Supports multiple architectures, Crosswalk versions, and modes (shared/lite), allowing tailored builds and multi-APK publishing for the Play Store, as detailed in the Configure section.
Increases memory usage by ~30MB, APK size by ~17MB, and disk space by ~50MB, which can be prohibitive for apps with tight resource constraints, as admitted in the Drawbacks.
Stores local data separately from the System WebView, requiring manual migration when switching WebView engines—a noted issue fixed only in Crosswalk 15, adding complexity for data-sensitive apps.
Last update was in January 2018, suggesting limited ongoing support and possible incompatibility with newer Android versions or Cordova updates, making it a legacy risk.
Requires managing variables for Crosswalk version, mode, and command-line flags, adding steps to the build process and potential for errors, especially with multi-APK setups.