How to fix 'cordova' is not recognized in the Windows command prompt

Question

ERROR

C:\>cordova

'cordova' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

My Environment Path

C:\>path
PATH=C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32
\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\nodejs\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\cmd
;C:\Program Files (x86)\GtkSharp\2.12\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.
1\Windows Performance Toolkit\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Tools\B
inn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Web Platform Installer\;**C:\Program Files\ANT\apa
che-ant-1.9.3\bin;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_51\bin;C:\Development\sdk\tools
;C:\Development\sdk\platform-tools;C:\Development\cordova-3.3.0\cordova-android\
bin;**

NB: I have read every available tutorial, followed at least 10 of them, read all the similar questions about 'phonegap' not recognized,, .etc. I have my 'Enabled' registry set to 1 as some solutions have suggested, re-installed 'phonegap' & 'cordova' through NPM install -g phonegap, and same for 'cordova', and I still can't get them to run.

I copied an old phonegap application that I made on another PC, and I can run it through just fine. Hope this would clear anything up.

Which version of cordova or phonegap have you installed, how have you installed it? — QuickFix, Feb 20 '14 at 13:02
cordova 3.3.0 as shown in the path variable, and about phonegap, I'm so lost that I don't know if I'm even using it!!! Cuz as fas as i understand it's only cordova now since cordova 2.0 — Roshdy, Feb 22 '14 at 10:11
if you use cordova, you don't use phonegap. If you use phonegap you also use cordova. Phonegap is the adobe flavour of the apache cordova (formerly named phonegap) project. The main (only?) interest of phonegap is the possibility to use phonegap build to build app without having to install anything. — QuickFix, Feb 22 '14 at 19:06
As of 3.3.0, it is advised to stay away from the `phonegap` flavour. Official documentations have been updated with the use of `cordova` command. PhoneGap installations should be done via `npm install -g cordova`. — James Wong, Feb 24 '14 at 02:41
@JamesWong have you seen an anouncement about this? I've seen that 3.3 docs didn't mantion phonegap cli in the samples anymore but now it reapeared in edge docs (cli part but not platform guide) and I couldn't find any info about it. Quite confusing... And I don't think we can use a config.xml created with cordova in phonegap build. — QuickFix, Feb 24 '14 at 08:37
@QuickFix I haven't seen any annoucement, it just came as a surprise to my whole team when the next day all the `phonegap` command was replaced by `cordova` in the documentation. You are right that in the Edge version it is showing `phonegap`. With our experience, we have learnt to believe 60% of the doc and doubt the remaining 40%. Sorry can't help you for PhoneGap Build, our apps exceed their size limitation -_-' we are forced to build locally. — James Wong, Feb 24 '14 at 09:00

QuickFix · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-22T19:30:53.660

57

You do not need to add any cordova folder to the path.

cordova command is a nodejs npm script, what you need is to have the npm folder in your path :

%appdata%\npm\

or if it does not work, use instead

c:\users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\npm\

(replace YourUserName with the name of your user profile)

What's strange is that I don't remember I had to change it manually, I think it should be added automatically when installing node and npm.

edited Feb 22 '14 at 19:30

answered Feb 22 '14 at 19:25

QuickFix

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I agree with @QuickFix, 1) the `/npm/` folder is missing and 2) If you correctly ran `npm install -g cordova` the `npm` path would have been added automatically. – James Wong Feb 24 '14 at 02:36
1

it works...Thanks a lot. I wonder why it's not mentioned in the documentation or the corresponding tutorials =S – Roshdy Feb 24 '14 at 11:46
1

Note: There are two path variables, make sure to enter the path into the system path variable – Black Apr 26 '16 at 12:33
@[Black](https://stackoverflow.com/users/4684797/black): For me it worked when added the path in the user path variable not system path variable – Hussain Rahimi Jul 01 '17 at 12:58
For me adding "%appdata%\npm\" to the system Path variable did not work but adding "%appdata%\npm" worked. I hope this helps someone. – SubqueryCrunch Jun 29 '21 at 10:51

Vikram Palakurthi · Answer 2 · 2018-02-01T17:42:28.387

40

npm install -g cordova

-g is a global install option and it will make the cordova globally available in AppData\Roaming\npm. Restart the prompt if necessary.

edited Feb 01 '18 at 17:42

answered Feb 22 '15 at 05:15

Vikram Palakurthi

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score 13 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 23 '17 at 12:52

The Method below is the solution of every such problem related to npm, Be it Phonegap, Cordova, Ionic or else... The concept is that every software installed using npm is saved on this path:

C:\Users\[Your User Name]\AppData\Roaming\npm

So, what we are going to do is just adding the above path to Windows Environment Variable. If you are a begineer, the steps for adding path are as follows:

Go to Control Panel.
Under All Control Panel Items, Go to System.
Click on the Advanced system settings options in the Sidebar.
The System Properties Dialog Box will appear.

You would have done the so far work through searching "Edit Environment Variables" in Search Bar :).

Now, In the System Properties dialog box, there will be Advanced Tab.
In Advanced tab, there will be an option Environment Variables...
Click on it, this will open another Dialog box for Environment Variables.
In System variables, Select Path as shown in image link, and click Edit...

Path attribute in System Variables
Copy the above path, and add it here as shown in link Copy the Path
Here, you should make sure that the 2 different paths are always seperated by a semicolon ;. Keeping this in mind, add your path to the existing paths.

This will make the application run globally. This is the General Algorithm of steps employed for any type of Path Configuration. If You have any issues left, please feel free to ask.

I added %APPDATA%\npm which gives you your specific path to ...\Roaming\npm — TechSavvySam, Jun 28 '17 at 13:42
This worked for me. I was only having issues with Cordova when using command line as admin — Eric, May 14 '20 at 13:35

score 11 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 01 '14 at 04:37

11

Try running Command Prompt as an administrator..It worked for me

answered Mar 01 '14 at 04:37

P Manishankar

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This worked for me with admin rights + from the top level of drive: C:\ – Lukas Coorek Aug 11 '22 at 15:24

user2243301 · Answer 5 · 2015-04-24T14:15:52.210

5

Try restarting the command prompt window. It worked for me.

edited Apr 24 '15 at 14:15

answered Apr 24 '15 at 10:53

user2243301

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score 3 · Answer 6 · answered Feb 20 '14 at 08:28

3

Place java path before ant path. change the path according to your paths.

C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_20\bin;D:\apache-ant-1.9.3\bin;D:\adt-bundle-windows-x86\sdk\tools;D:\adt-bundle-windows-x86\sdk\platform-tools;C:\Program Files\nodejs\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd

answered Feb 20 '14 at 08:28

Pankaj Kharche

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assign this to your path variable in environment variable. java path should be at first place. @Roshdy – Pankaj Kharche Feb 20 '14 at 08:46

score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Apr 03 '16 at 19:11

Issue is probably with location of node/npm.

npm working? say npm clear cache

Then even if its not working go to Environment Variables. Ensure nodejs is directed to its directory(wherever you installed it)and npm(which is in Users/YourUsername/AppData/roaming) .. its a hidden folder.

The run npm install npm -g OR (if and only if) that gives issues npm install npm@latest

I recommend getting bower too , so say npm install -g bower

Finally npm install -g cordova

There you go!

-g ensures a global install.. It's wise to do these things as admin on windows. — Leon Africa, Apr 03 '16 at 19:14

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Jun 22 '18 at 07:15

Open a Command prompt in Run as administrator mode and run the below install command

 npm install -g cordova

Now check if the command is now recognized. (if needed restart the command prompt)

Now in the visual studio code

goto the terminal
Navigate to the cordova folder
Run the usual commands

cordova platform add android

cordova run android

score 1 · Answer 9 · answered Jul 25 '18 at 06:44

After installing Cordova is you face the issue then check go to Environment variable (My Computer OR My PC > Right Click > Properties > Advance System Settings > Environemnts Variable button)

add

%appdata%\npm\ or c:\users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\npm\

(replace YourUserName with the name of your user profile) to System Variable's PATH

score 0 · Answer 10 · answered Jun 19 '16 at 12:23

I had an issue with the default directories that are used by npm. You can get this list by typing 'npm config list' in the command prompt. In my case, for some reason, the cordova installation was going inside a '=' directory. My Command Prompt pointed me to a 'npm.mrc' file inside 'C:\Users\USERNAME' folder when I typed 'npm config list' from where it is picking up the '=' folder inside 'C:\Users\USERNAME\=' as the default folder for cordova. When I uninstalled node, deleted both the 'npm.mrc' file and the '=' folder and reinstalled node and cordova, this issue disappeared. Hope this helps.

score 0 · Answer 11 · edited Feb 14 '18 at 04:24

0

I have visual studio installed on my system. Cordova got installed under the following location:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\VisualStudio\MDA\c33fb238\taco-toolset-6.3.1

I had to manually add this to PATH.

To know the path where cordova is installed run npm install -g cordova again and the path will be printed on the screen.

edited Feb 14 '18 at 04:24

Qwerty

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answered Feb 14 '18 at 03:40

DJ1411

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score 0 · Answer 12 · answered Jan 21 '19 at 08:07

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Befor trying any of the answers, just open the node.js command prompt and try again. Press Windows Button => type Node.js => type Cordova inside the node.js command prompt as usual, and thats it. (hopefully)

answered Jan 21 '19 at 08:07

Dujskan

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score 0 · Answer 13 · answered Jun 23 '20 at 11:38

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I ran npx cordova build --release android and it worked. Should just work, but here we are.

answered Jun 23 '20 at 11:38

Enric Ribas

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How to fix 'cordova' is not recognized in the Windows command prompt

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