What is Ionic?
Ionic is an open-source framework for building cross-platform mobile and web applications using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Ionic’s role in app development
Ionic was released in 2013, building upon the frameworks AngularJS and Apache Cordova. It allows developers to create web applications that can also run on platforms like iOS and Android. Ionic’s creators have also released the JavaScript library Capacitor, which allows Ionic to interact with native device features like the camera and location services. However, the UI is not rendered using native components, which is why this approach is called hybrid development.
The alternative to using a hybrid approach is cross-platform development using frameworks like Flutter and React Native. These allow developers to target multiple platforms using a shared codebase, but provide a more natural user experience due to how they handle UI components. Nonetheless, Ionic is still a viable option, especially if your focus is on developing a web application.
Hybrid app development with Ionic
Ionic allows you to develop a web application, wrap it in a sandbox browser to run it on mobile platforms, and give it access to device features like the camera or accelerometer by using Capacitor or Cordova. This is especially useful if you want your application to be accessible both via a web browser and as a download in app stores.
The downside to this approach is that you need to rely on plugins to communicate with the native features of your chosen platforms. This may cause compatibility issues and impede performance, although the average user probably won’t notice the difference.
Is Ionic the right choice for your project?
When it comes to cross-platform development, Ionic offers a lot of advantages. But is it the technology you should use for your next app?
A hybrid approach can save a lot of time and resources, as you can build both iOS and Android apps with the same codebase. Since many software engineers are already familiar with the web technologies used by Ionic (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript), recruiting talent for your project can be easier than for other frameworks and languages.
Your team can use Ionic and Capacitor with their preferred JavaScript framework (e.g., ReactJS) for more effective app development. For example, they can use JavaScript to create the app’s structure, handle the UI with Ionic, and give the app access to the device’s hardware using Capacitor.