What is Ionic App Development? 

     Ionic is an open-source UI software development kit for cross-platform app development. Ionic uses graded web technologies similar to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Those acquainted with web development can make apps and add them to an app store. 

   The first versions of Ionic were firmly combined with Precise, a mainstream front-end framework used for building dynamic website pages and PWAs. Later versions use web components that pair with extra famous JavaScript frameworks, including Precise, React or Vue. Developers can choose to forego a framework and build absolutely in JavaScript. Ionic is also backend agnostic, relating to AWS, Azure, and Firebase. 

     Ionic was made in 2013. It is the world's most famous cross-platform mobile development technology stack. Since its creation, more than 5,000,000 apps have been created using Ionic.3 Ionic modules are accessible through npm. It requires Node.js installed to work as a feature of a bigger JavaScript ecosystem.

Ionic Features

     Ionic allows frontend developers to make pages that run inside WebView and in a browser. WebView is an app segment that renders site pages and displays them as native apps. Ionic also makes use of Apache Cordova plugins. Cordova is a device for building mobile apps using web technologies, it relies on its APIs instead of platform-specific ones.

     Cordova presents these APIs as plugins to enter native functions like a built-in camera, gyroscope, or sensors. Apache Cordova provides Ionic apps path to native APIs. It acts as a scaffold between WebView and the device's operating system. Ionic offers Ionic Native, a library of Cordova plugins designed to maintain standard APIs and integration. Ionic is accessible as a free set, called local area release. There is also an all-inclusive version curated by Ionic's group, Enterprise Release.

Ionic Version 4

     Ionic version 4 saw the framework become independent of Rakish. Developers can now either choose to use Rakish, React, or Vue.js in their development, or use Ionic all alone. Ionic uses Precise CLI and web components to make completely practical mobile applications. Web components are sets of features that use web-standard APIs already built into all advanced internet browsers. They can be conveyed on any mobile platform. They can even be used to make desktop apps or progressive web applications (PWAs). 

Web components are compressed HTML elements that are interoperable with one another. Ionic implements its components with native-like iOS and Material Design themes supported as a matter of course. This means keeping subject character consistent across platforms is easy. 

Ionic also reported that they would distribute their item with a set of close to 100 web components. To support this initiative, Ionic dispatched Stencil,4 which is both a vast library of web components and an apparatus to build new ones. Version 5 is the latest cycle of Ionic, released in February 2020.5 Ionic version 5 contains iOS 13 design updates, another Programming interface for creating custom animations, redone Ionicons, refreshed colors.

Advantages of Ionic

1. Developer friendly - Because Ionic is built on standardized web technologies, web developers can build mobile apps. (Or then again even desktop apps or PWAs). Frontend developers are the third largest gathering of all developer types.  JavaScript is quite possibly the most famous programming language. This means it's easy to find resources to make ionic apps. Ionic makes it easy to build an app without haaving to acquire new skills. (That is, in case you're a web developer, you can build an app without having to learn languages like Swift for Apple or Kotlin for Android.) You also don't need to employ native developers while creating apps for Android or Native, unless you need something custom.

2. I'ts Flexible - Ionic is truly flexible because it's built on standardized web technologies. This means it's easy to customize the look and quality of an application with just HTML and CSS adjustments. You can make the user experience you need your customers to have, as well as cause updates en route as you get feedback about what customers need.

3. One codebase, multiple apps - Ionic can build miltiple apps from one codebase. An app created on Ionic isn't at the impulse of a single platform merchant. At the point when clients need another app, they infrequently need one for a single platform. There are 1.5 billion dynamic Apple devices worldwide,  and there are 2.5 billion dynamic Android devices. Those are immense audiences, so having one codebase for multiple apps makes a gread deal of sense. If there's a bug, developers just need to solve it in one spot instead of many.This helps with long-haul maintenance. Ionic can keep on work, headaches, and make it simpler to manage a robust and clean build. Ionic can also save on resources, as well as clients' cash and time. Apps built on web technologies are also future sealed. They don't need to stay aware of the latest device operating system.

4. Tools with native compatibility - Ionic's group offers a library of components and plugins including front-end building blocks, UI components, basic app icons, and that's only the tip of the iceberg. These plugins let developers interface with native APIs like Bluetooth, GPS, or a built-in camera without having to build custom integrations. A possible downside of this is that if there isn't a plugin for something you need, you should make it. Ionic can also integrate with numerous technologies. These include scientific instruments, installment systems, security, testing tools, and that's just the beginning. Some plugins are essential for the Enterprise version of Ionic, which requires a subscription.

5. Extensive decision of UI elements and quick prototyping - Ionic mimics the look and feel of a native application because of its UI components library. These elements can be applied as readymade elements to create a graphic user interface or can be customized. With web components, Ionic speeds up the process of developing UI rationale and retaining native looks without additional costs. By accessing the code of a UI segment, developers can change how a component works. For instance, this could mean adding liveliness to a catch, modifying scroll type, or changing the request for a list of items. Ionic is incredible for rapid prototyping. Ready-made UI elements that are easily customizable mean it's simple to make an interactive app model, and afterward, repeat on it quickly. Ionic also offers a prototyping instrument called Ionic Maker, which is maintained by the Ionic group. It offers a simplified interface to construct interactive prototypes. Notwithstanding, it can't be used for constructing the entire app. 

6. Testing accommodation - Ionic can speed up development. Because Ionic works within WebView, developers can use a device's browser to test an app. Browsers offer built-in testing and debugging tools that make the testing process helpful. Developers don't need to convey to a device or an emulator for a simple review, which can save time when making UI changes. At the point when developers need a device to test native usefulness, it's easy and fast to convey to a device. Android OS allows developers to send from the order line. iOS requires opening the building yield in Xcode.

7. Frontend agnostic - Ionic 4 empowered the Ionic SDK to work with Rakish (the original framework it was built on), React, and Vue. Developers can also choose to work with no framework by any stretch of the imagination, and code just in JavaScript. With these changes, a more extensive user crowd can use Ionic. This is also useful for those who are already using React or Vue for their web development builds. This permits them to proceed to app development without skipping.

Disadvantages of Ionic

1. Performance - When we talk about performance, we truly signify 'what kind of app would you like to build?' If you need a graphics-heavy application, Ionic is not a decent decision. Apps that use features like expanded reality won't perform well with Ionic. If performance is a tremendous concern, going completely native is a superior decision. Ionic renders graphic elements within a browser, which takes various steps to display images on the screen. The more "steps" there are between the code and the composite layer, the seriously loading time will increase. Ionic is a one-size-fits-most solution. Performance can be an issue on more seasoned devices. On present-day devices, the distinction in loading time is unimportant. 

2. Harder to set up hot reloading - Hot reloading is regularly considered a standard component in software engineering. Ionic uses live reloading instead. Live reloading refreshes the entire application to actuate changes. Live reloading requires a restart of the application to apply recently added changes. This affects the speed of development. Refreshing the app each time code is refreshed can slow down the entire process. Since Ionic's build process is based on Rakish CLI, it's possible to design Hot Module Replacement (HMR). HMR can trade, add, or eliminate modules while an application is running, without a full reload. 

3. Security precautions - Any mobile app development process will be full of security concerns. Because Ionic is built on web technologies, developers should consider web security as well as native app security issues. However, security is not necessarily a technology issue. It's a developer issue. App creation is more subject to an organization's processes and a developer's skills and experience. A decent developer will make a secure cross-platform app, and a terrible developer may make a native app with vulnerabilities. As long as apps can be reversed engineered, there is a security concern. As of version 4, Ionic CLI introduces built-in uglification. Uglification is a typical method to make code hard for hackers to peruse. Ionic apps are websites, which means it's essential to recognize web security as well as mobile security. Ionic communicates with a backend using commonplace HTTP calls. You can secure your application using the same measures you would use on a website, such as an HTTPS association.

Which app development process you choose to go with will rely upon the requirements of your app thought. Regularly, Ionic is a preferred decision over native development because the time to showcase is a high need. There's also no compelling reason to choose between a PWA and Ionic app development. They can supplement one another and cover distinctive user journeys.