Cordova: Tools Installation

Now we start installation of tools on Windows OS, one by one.

Installing NodeJS

First of all we need to download and install NodeJS. You can download it from, here. Scroll down and you will see two download option with title Download for Windows. Download the most stable version of Nodejs. Stable version is prefixed with LTS

Once the download is finished, you need to install it. To install, simply double click on the file just downloded. After installation, open cmd and type node -v. If it shows vx.y.z(x,y,z are numbers), then you have succesfully installed it.

Next type npm -v. If it also shows x.y.z(x,y,z are numbers), then everything is installed correctly.

If cmd is throwing error, while executing any of the above command, then check it in the Node.JS Command Prompt.

How to open NodeJs command prompt

Simply by searching node in the searchbar.

If Nodejs cmd is also throwing error, then you have to remove NodeJS and install it once again and follow the same process.

Installing Cordova

Type npm install -g cordova in cmd or node cmd. Once the installation is complete, check it by typing cordova -v.

If it is showing version (x.y.z), then you have succesfully installed cordova.

Installing Java Development Kit (JDK)

Follow this link,

Download X64 .exe jdk for 64 bit windows. Download X86 .exe jdk for 32 bit Windows operating system.

If you don't know which version of Windows OS you have, just select Properties option from the menu, after a right click on My PC or My Computer.

There you will see the version no. (16bit, 32bit, 64bit) of your computer/laptop, against the label System type

After successful installation of JDK. Next step is to add it to our system's path variable.

How to open and update Path variable

Search for environment variable in the serach bar. Choose the option Edit the system environment variables, it will show you a new dialog window.

Click on the button Environment variables, available at the bottom of the dialog box.

Now add a system variable and name it JAVA_HOME, and add another system variable with the name as, _JAVA_OPTIONS.

To understand the values that we have to assign to the system varibales JAVA_HOME and _JAVA_OPTIONS, please check the addresses specified below:

Address of Java JDK will be c:\Program Files\Java\jdk_(x.y.z_k). Lets assume this to be address 1

Address of 'bin' will be c:\Program Files\Java\jdk_(x.y.z_k)\bin. Lets assume this to be address 2

Address of JRE 'bin' will be c:\Program Files\Java\jre_(x.y.z_k)\bin. Lets assume this to be address 2a

Now add address 1 as the varibale value for variable name, JAVA_HOME. And in the System Variable box, there is a variable with name, path. Add address 2 and address 2a as the variable value for path variable by separating the values with semicolon ;. For Example: address 2;address 2a

Next add address 2 and address 2a as the variable values for the User Variable PATH (User variable panel is just above the System Variable).

And add -Xmx512M, as the varibale value for System variable _JAVA_OPTIONS.

Save all these changes and restart cmd then type javac -version. If it shows the version, then you have successfully installed Java.

Installing Apache Ant

Follow this link and download the latest zip file, and extract it wherever you want to keep it.

Let us supose you extracted it in users/[system_name]/ant location.

The location of ant will be users/[system_name]/apache_ant_x.y.z (x.y.z will be anything 1.10.1,1.9.7,...). Lets assume this to be address 3

The location of bin will be users/[system_name]/apache_ant_x.y.z/bin (x.y.z will be anything 1.10.1,1.9.7,...). Lets assume this to be address 3a

Now create a new System variable ANT_HOME and add address 3 as the variable value.

And in path and PATH add address 3a, to the exisiing values, by using a smeicolon ;

After saving all the changes, restart cmd and type ant -v. If it displays the same version number as we downloaded, then you have installed apache ant.

Installation of Android SDK

Follow this link: https://dl.google.com/android/installer_r24.4.1-windows.exe

After installation look for the directory in which Android SDK tools and Platform tools are installed. In my computer it is installed at, C:\Users\[system_name]\

Here we have the complete directory structure of Android SDK, out of which 2 directories are important for us, they are:

C:\Users\[User_name]\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk\tools and C:\Users\[User_name]\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools"

Now create a new System Variable ANDROID_HOME and add only the Android SDK directory as the variable value.

And in path variable, add platform tools directory and tools directory of Android SDK.

Now save all the changes, restart cmd and type android.

A new screen will pop up, congrates! you have successfully installed Android SDK.

In the new window, check (tick mark) the checkboxes to download only Android SDK tools, Android SDK platform-tools, SDK build tool in tool panel and download SDK platform etc.

From next lesson we will start with development of App.