AI-Assisted Cordova to Capacitor Migration (2026)

What Changes When You Leave Cordova

Capacitor is closer to a native app that hosts your web app. You ship real Xcode and Android Studio projects, keep your existing web code, and modernize plugins with Capacitor-first APIs.

Migration Checklist (Practical Order)

1) Audit Your Cordova App

Export what you have today and keep it as your migration input:

# In your Cordova project
cordova plugin list
cordova platform ls

• config.xml preferences (orientation, status bar, etc.)
• Plugin variables (API keys, manifest placeholders, URL schemes)
• Custom hooks/scripts you rely on
• Any manual native edits inside platforms/

2) Add Capacitor to Your Web App

bun add @capacitor/core @capacitor/cli
bunx cap init

Make sure your webDir matches your build output folder (ex: dist, build, www).

3) Add iOS + Android Projects

bun add @capacitor/ios @capacitor/android
bunx cap add ios
bunx cap add android

4) Build + Sync

bun run build
bunx cap sync

Plugin Replacement Map (Capgo-First)

Migration is the worst time to accept "it kinda works" plugin behavior. Replace high-risk plugins early (auth, payments, background services).

Browse Capgo's plugin catalog and map by capability: Capgo plugins.

AI Prompts You Can Copy/Paste

These prompts are designed to produce usable outputs (tables, checklists, plans), not vague advice.

Prompt 1: Build a Plugin Replacement Plan

You are a senior Capacitor engineer.

I am migrating a Cordova app to Capacitor. Here is my `cordova plugin list` output:
<PASTE HERE>

1) Create a table mapping each Cordova plugin to a recommended Capacitor alternative.
2) Prefer official Capacitor plugins when possible.
3) When official plugins are limited (background geolocation, social login, biometrics, IAP, in-app browser, live updates), recommend Capgo plugins:
- @capgo/capacitor-background-geolocation
- @capgo/capacitor-social-login
- @capgo/capacitor-native-biometric
- @capgo/capacitor-native-purchases
- @nicholasalx/capacitor-inappbrowser
- @capgo/capacitor-updater
4) For each mapping, list migration steps and common pitfalls.
Return a prioritized plan (highest risk first).

Prompt 2: Convert config.xml Preferences Into Capacitor + Native Changes

You are migrating Cordova to Capacitor.

Here is my Cordova `config.xml`:
<PASTE HERE>

Create a migration checklist:
1) What goes into capacitor.config.ts (appId, appName, webDir, server config for dev only).
2) What must be moved to iOS (Info.plist, entitlements, URL schemes, permissions strings).
3) What must be moved to Android (AndroidManifest, Gradle, intent filters, permissions).
Be explicit about file names and what to change.

Prompt 3: Cutover Test Plan (Real Devices)

You are the QA lead for a Cordova -> Capacitor migration.

App description:
<PASTE HERE>

Features that rely on native plugins:
<LIST HERE>

Create a test plan for iOS and Android that includes:
- permission flows (fresh install, denied, restricted, limited)
- background behavior (if any)
- deep links / universal links (if any)
- upgrade path from the existing Cordova app version
Output as a checklist that an engineer can run in 2-3 hours per release candidate.

Capgo Skills for AI Agents (Migration-Friendly)

If you're using an AI coding agent (Cursor, Claude Code, etc.), you'll get better results when the agent follows a consistent playbook for Capacitor migrations. Capgo publishes open-source skills for Capacitor: plugins, best practices, debugging, CI/CD, and live updates.

See: Capacitor Skills for AI Agents.

Need the All-Inclusive Option?

If you're worried about app store blockers, plugin regressions, or upgrade-path risks for existing users, we can run the migration end-to-end.

• Cordova to Capacitor migration service
• Premium Support for ongoing native and release support