The advantages and shortcomings of Ionic Mobile App Development!

The demand for mobile app development is steadily rising! However, developing mobile applications is not a cakewalk as it requires a considerable amount of time, skilled resources, selection of the right technologies, and a huge investment.

The two prevalent approaches of Mobile app development are Native and Hybrid. It is tempting to create Native applications, owing to their amazing performance and elite features. But, it would cost a fortune if the native app is intended for more than one platform as separate developmental cycles are needed for each. Most enterprise apps these days target Android, iOS as well as the web to expand their customer base and desire a budget-friendly development. Hence hybrid applications are trending as they use technologies that are compatible with all platforms. One of the frameworks which befits hybrid app development is Ionic. Like most other frameworks, Ionic has its share of strengths and shortcomings.

This article is going to acquaint you with this outstanding framework, as well as the advantages and obstacles encountered by an Ionic App Development Company.

Key Attributes of Ionic

Ionic, an open-source SDK, was launched in 2013 and has undergone several stages of evolution since then. It is built using JavaScript, HTML, Angular, and CSS technologies. Apache Cordova plugins impart a Native-like functionality and the usage of web technologies helps Ionic to build cross-platform apps using a single codebase.

Ionic app development services: The major gains

Easy adaptability

Ionic provides an easy learning curve for frontend developers acquainted with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, without the need for platform-specific skills. App creators also have the option of selecting from popular web frameworks supported by Ionic.

Smart plugins and customizable components

Ionic provides a plethora of standard components such as buttons, cards, toggles, modals, segments, etc. which impart a native look to the application and also can be customized to suit specific requirements.

It offers a wide range of native device plugins like Apache Cordova, Capacitor plugins, etc which easily integrate with the smartphone’s hardware and allow access to features like GPS, Bluetooth, gyrophone, camera, fingerprint scanners, etc.

Faster prototyping and a rich UI library

A rich library comprising of UI elements, front-end building blocks, and numerous app icons are available and helps in shaping up the Graphic User Interface. Ionic is capable of building prototypes of future apps quite faster, aided by ready-to-use UI components, the most popular being the free tool, Ionic Creator.

Ease of testing and maintenance

The smartphone’s browser instead of an external testing tool can be employed to test an Ionic app as long as it functions through a Web View. An emulator or testing tool is required to test native functionalities only. Maintenance becomes easier owing to the presence of debugging tools and inbuilt browser implements.

Well-equipped documentation

The Ionic website provides a set of concise documents that provide panoramic insights on its elements, interrelation, and usage. These guidelines prove fruitful to Ionic App Developers.

Good Community Support

Ionic framework, being open-source offers guidance and support from a strong community of developers maintained by its creators. If the Ionic developers are stuck or face any issues, they can approach the community for help. Furthermore, this forum is quite active and answers all queries related to Ionic development.

Cost-effectiveness

Ionic proves to be cost-effective for business owners due to:

• Faster project execution as it involves the creation of a single code that runs on multiple platforms and uses simple and popular web technologies.
• No investment is required on training developers on the latest technologies or hiring experts for different platforms.

The roadblocks encountered by Ionic

Low performance for complex apps

Ionic exhibits low performance if used to create heavy applications with loads of graphics based on gaming or 3D models, complex apps such as Snapchat that employs augmented reality through the device camera, and the applications that involve complicated navigation. This is because Ionic does the rendering of graphics via the browser.

Non-availability of Hot Reloading feature

The Hot Reloading feature that enables to execute changes while the app is functioning is not available in Ionic. So, whenever the developers need to implement any change, the Ionic app needs to be restarted, thereby affecting the speed.

Plugin-dependent structure

Usage of plugins is unavoidable for accessing the native features. However, some plugins are chargeable and some of them are unavailable for certain platforms and specific functionalities. In such cases, Native developers need to be hired to create the required plugins.

Probable security concerns

Hybrid applications are a soft target of hackers. Therefore, security concerns may crop up if necessary measures like manual code uglification are not adopted. Furthermore, builds may crash without any apparent reason.

Key takeaway

Ionic Mobile App Development Services is the most preferred choice for architecting Hybrid applications and is a perfect pick choice for start-ups. Like all other frameworks, Ionic has its advantages and shortcomings, too. Hence, the decision to choose Ionic greatly depends on the objectives, priorities, the business model, and the investment plan of an enterprise.

Looking for an Ionic Mobile App Development Company to architect hybrid apps for your business? Well then, try Biz4Solutions, a renowned mobile app development company! We have excelled in providing outstanding services to our global clients, for more than 9 years.