Common Ionic Development Mistakes Developers Tend To Make!

More than 5 million apps have been created using the Ionic SDK.

Notably, mobile app developers prefer native development because it offers the best quality performance, durable integration of APIs, and maximum functionality.

But every good thing has its downsides. Native app development is, by nature, a focus on specificity. Native apps can only run on specific platforms. This means that if you want your mobile app to work on both iOS and Android, you will need two apps, two code bases, and possibly even two teams of developers.

If you decide to take this route, be prepared to pay twice as much. Or else, join the Ionic developer community for convenience and a better process. Let’s look at Ionic and what it can do for us.

Induction to Ionic

Ionic is the preferred choice of more than 86% of mobile app developers.

Ionic, a fully-integrated, free, and open-source UI toolkit, can be used to build cross-platform performant apps. It uses web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and offers seamless integration with popular frameworks such as Angular, React, and Vue at its backend.

Ionic was created by three coders: Ben Sperry, Adam Bradley, and Max Lynch. They developed an open-source UI toolkit using AngularJS. On the 25th of July 2019, Ionic was stable and released a cross-platform app development platform that provides efficient performance and minimal DOM manipulation.

Ionic is a cross-platform mobile app development tool that provides a variety of mobile-optimized UI components and tools. It also includes gestures that can be used to increase customer engagement and reciprocate the impact of any enterprise application.

What is an Ionic Developer?

Ionic developers are professionals who work with the Ionic framework. Ionic developers are mobile app designers who have chosen the Ionic SDK for particular reasons.

One reason might be the ability to create cross-platform apps with one codebase. Developers skilled in building mobile apps, like Swift developers or Java developers, will often work with Ionic developers.

Ionic will attract many developers who are skilled in developing web applications. This skill set will find Ionic a natural advantage.

A decade ago, building a mobile app required you to be familiar with each platform’s native languages. Learn Objective C if you are looking to create an iOS app. Java is the best choice if you want an Android app. C# is the best choice if you are looking to create a Windows app.

Ionic is now available to help web app developers unfamiliar with mobile app development.

Ionic makes it easy to do this without having to learn several languages. Ionic makes web developers feel at home, even if they already have the necessary skills for web technology.

Why Use Ionic?

Ionic is a cross-platform mobile development framework that is very popular. But is it right for you? There are many reasons Ionic may be a good fit for your business, especially if you’re a new company in tech.

1. Open-Source

Ionic is, again, completely free and open source. Open-source software allows its users to edit and access the source code.

This result is a product that has been redesigned to meet the needs of individuals and businesses without any restrictions. Furthermore, this is all free of charge.

2. Testing

Ionic makes testing easy. You can test stimulators for iOS or Android using Cordova commands. You can also test the stimulator on both a mobile and desktop browser. You can also test the platform to verify its performance. Ionic even supports remote debugging.

3. Community

Popularity comes with its perks. Ionic developers are available to help through Twitter, GitHub, Slack, and its forum. Ionic can also be closely linked to technologies such as Angular or Cordova, which are equally popular and offer similar benefits for the community.

Small and medium-sized businesses can benefit from a community for minor coding problems. This is in addition to painless testing software or open-source functionality.

Ionic Development: The Pros

According to a survey, Ionic covers over 3.2 percent of the mobile app market.

1. A single codebase across various platforms

Ionic was developed using Apache Cordova and Angular framework. It also uses HTML 5, CSS, and JavaScript as its core technologies for app development. The latest Ionic version offers framework-agnostic capabilities, but you can still use Angular.

Ionic makes it possible to create mobile apps without the need for native developers. Instead, it can be used by anyone familiar with web technologies and Angular. This allows you to leverage web skills to create functional applications. In addition, you can create one code base for all your platforms.

• Development costs were reduced, native developers were hired, and codebase maintenance
• Both platforms offer faster time-to-market
• Using built-in browser tools and debugging software makes maintenance easy
• You can transform your Ionic app into a desktop application or PWA.

If you concentrate on the speed of the app’s launch in both the application stores, Ionic will make economic sense. It is much cheaper to develop for Android, iOS, or maybe Windows devices using a single code base than native development.

2. Popular technologies and ease-of-learning

Web technologies are widely used, and JavaScript is the most preferred programming language. However, a 2019 survey found that front-end developers make up the third largest percentage of all types of developers. Ionic is a mobile application development tool that will make it easy to hire developers.

Ionic is easy to learn. Frontend developers can quickly pick between the various web frameworks Ionic supports.

Native development expertise is only a plus, as Ionic does not compile the entire app into a native language. Instead, it compiles UI elements using Cordova and Capacitor (a native-bridge platform Ionic), and plugins for the rest. Creating and maintaining an app using the web technology stack is easy. However, if you need to modify the plugin or create a new one for a specific function, you will need an iOS or native Android developer.

3. A wide range of plugins and integration options available

You can integrate Ionic with other tools if you feel you aren’t getting enough out of your Ionic app. Ionic’s official list of technologies you can integrate with is available on their website. It provides easy access to security tools, analytical instruments, and payment systems, as well as testing tools. There are also a variety of plugins that can be used to integrate with the device’s hardware. Some plugins can only be used with the Enterprise version of Ionic. Premier plugins and tools require payment.

You can find more plugins on the Cordova plugins listing. This list can be sorted according to platform availability. You can also download Capacitor plugins from npm.

4. A wide range of UI elements is available and rapid prototyping

Ionic’s UI components library has proven effective in capturing the look and feel of native applications. These components can be used to create your user interface (GUI), or for customizations. Ionic, when used with web components, is capable of speeding up the development of UI logic while maintaining a native look.

Ionic’s UI components are made up of two parts. These can be separated into the GUI graphic element and their functionality. You can modify the functionality of an element by accessing its code. For example, you can add animations to the button, change the scrolling type, or reconstruct the order of the items.

Prototyping is another aspect that speeds up Ionic development. You can create prototypes of your future apps by using pre-made UI elements. Ionic Creator is a free prototyping tool. It is maintained by Ionic and provides a drag-and-drop interface for creating interactive prototypes. However, it cannot be used to build the entire app.

5. Testing convenience

The browser of the device can be used to test the app, as long as Ionic apps only work via a webview. This is much easier because you don’t need to use a test device to make sure everything runs smoothly. This same principle is applicable to all modern mobile devices.

Browsers have built-in debugging and testing tools, which make app testing a breeze. Angular CLI is available to test components in older versions of Angular, while Ionic CLI is appropriate for testing web components. To test native functionality, you might need a device or emulator.

6. Concise documentation

What are we going to use the documentation for? You will most often use the documentation to answer questions about the tool. Everything is organized on the Ionic website. It is comprehensive and covers every topic about Ionic, including how to use them and their interrelationships. You will also find instructions for installing, configuring, and launching various Ionic instruments.

7. Strong communities

The community will grow as long as Ionic creators take care to make their tool accessible to users. You will find the answer to every question with the help of more than 5,000,000 developers and active participation on the forum.

However, Ionic is not perfect.

Thus, take a look at the cons of Ionic App Development 

1. Native applications are slow

Ionic is not suitable for heavy applications. It renders the application using WebView. This renders the app with the same functionality as a mobile application. It will slow down your app if you have heavy apps like Snapchat, which uses augmented reality via smartphone cameras, or games that render a lot of 3D models.

It is very simple. Ionic renders its graphic elements through a browser. It takes several steps to display the image on the screen. The loading time will increase the more steps we add between. You can also add CSS animations loading and Cordova callbacks.

Most cases will give you enough performance with the normal functionality. However, Josh Moroney, a community authority, claims that Ionic’s poor performance is not due to the framework but bad code. His blog post on the limitations of Ionic framework performance and how to avoid them might be helpful.

If performance is your main goal, then you will likely choose another method to build your app. React, and Xamarin have better results because apps are compiled into native. High-performance apps are built using languages close to machine code. It is possible to create high-performance apps with Ionic. However, you will need to learn more about performance optimization techniques than what might be required in React. You can find out more about the differences between hybrid mobile-development tools.

2. Plugin-dependent system

Plugins are a must-have for any Ionic application. It’s easy to find the right plugin to implement your desired functionality, given the number of available ones. However, there are some situations where you might not be able to find the plugin or module that you need. For example, if you require a specific feature or have access to non-standard hardware, you’ll need to create the plugin yourself. In addition, ionic is unable to implement native plugins without using JavaScript. This means that you can go completely web, but you cannot use any native code.

The situation of a plugin not being found is quite specific. Most often, you will find the appropriate module. However, you will need to develop something if it isn’t in stock.

3. Hot reloading is not possible

There are several ways to make changes to your code. Hot reloading is a common feature in software engineering. Hot reloading lets you apply changes to an app without having to reload the entire app. You will see the file that you are currently working on refreshes, which allows the app to continue functioning and implement changes in live mode.

Ionic is not hot reloadable, so it takes some time to get to know. So instead, use live reloading. Live reloading is used to refresh the app whenever you make some changes. This means that every time your developers apply changes to the app, their application will be restarted. Although this may seem like a good idea, it can slow down development speed by having to refresh the app every time you make changes. In addition, it is a disadvantage for developers as it does not provide much ease when working on the app.

4. Security issues

This point should not be viewed as a problem with Ionic but as something you might encounter while using it. Security is an issue when building hybrid apps, provided your app can be reverse-engineered. Ionic CLI has built-in code uglification since version 4.0. This is a common way to make the code more difficult for hackers. You should also know that code uglification is not available if you’re using Angular or older versions of Ionic. It will be up to your developers to fix the code.

There are many ways to compromise your mobile app or PWA. It is important. Because your Ionic application runs on the device. Ionic communicates with its backend via HTTP calls. This is the key takeaway. You should also use the same security measures in your Ionic app to protect your website, such as using HTTPS instead of HTTP.

5. Application size

Performance may seem less important than the issue. However, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript can be tedious tasks. You will need to write a lot of code and add libraries, plugins, dependencies, etc., which will make your app heavier than native apps.

• Plugins (Cordova and Capacitor, Native Ionic plugs)
• Standard libraries
• Dependencies can be either Angular, React or Vue depending on the framework.
• CSS variables

This issue exists for Ionic version 3, but it was partially resolved in version 4. Ionic CLI offers code uglification which is one of the code minification techniques. To reduce the app’s size, you can also reduce its size and delete any unused fonts, styles, or images.

Common Mistakes Ionic Developers Make

This is the right time to answer the most frequently asked question – what are the most common mistakes in ionic app development?

These common mistakes will help you avoid fundamental problems and create Ionic applications that are performant and scalable.

1. Does Not Enable Native Scrolling

Native Scrolling lets Ionic listen to scrolling events in supported webviews. This makes Pull To Refresh, Ordering, and Infinite scroll possible without JavaScript scrolling.

Since Ionic 1.2 (December 2015), native scrolling has been enabled on Android by default. This is a significant performance and user experience improvement as it allows for smooth scrolling due to asynchronous events.

Due to the absence of events on iOS, native scrolling has not been enabled for this platform yet.

2. Not Using Ionic CLI

Ionic CLI brings new features to Cordova CLI. Ionic CLI also adds great features, such as plugin persistence and platforms.

Cordova CLI has a problem. The platforms and plugins that you install are only available to your machine. To avoid bugs when working in a team, you will need to share the same platform, environment, and plugins. Keeping Cordova CLI in sync with other developers’ machines is difficult. You can commit to the plugins and platforms folders, but this is not recommended.

3. Thinking Performance comes out of the Box

Ionic is based on AngularJS, and its performance is often questioned. However, ionic can be used to create amazing applications if you have some AngularJS experience.

Sworkit, an app built with Ionic and has over 9M+ users, 7M+ downloads, and averages 4.5 stars on Google Play.

These are some things that you need to know before you start your project with AngularJS.

4. Confusions caused by the View Cache Logic

Single-page applications don’t cache pages by default. It is possible to experience this with AngularJS applications. The scroll and user inputs are not saved as you navigate between pages.

Ionic caches ten pages by default. This can be changed globally or per platform.

Although this is a wonderful feature, it can be difficult for beginners to learn how to use cached pages.

The problem is, when the user returns to a cached webpage, the controller isn’t re-instantiated. Again, this is different than AngularJS applications, and everything looks like it never happened.

5. Crosswalk for Android: What are you missing?

Each Android version has a different WebView (a browser that runs your application). As a result, performance is not the same across devices and can be very poor on older Android devices. Crosswalk can be installed to provide the same user experience on all Android devices. It is responsive and fluid. Crosswalk embeds the most recent Chromium browser in your application and adds around 20Mb per ARM or X86 APK.

Also Read – What is the Future of Android App Development for 2023 & Beyond?

6. Running Cordova plugins inside the browser

Ionic developers will want their apps to work on both iOS and Android. It is a mistake to believe you can test the platforms and plugins in the browser after adding them. You could, but only after installing the correct browser platform. It does not work with all plugins.

Cordova’s plugins can interact with JavaScript to access the native device API. However, contact plugins and device orientation plugins will only work on one device.

You can however easily test your code on a mobile device and remotely debug it from your computer.

7. Manually Prototyping Ionic Apps

Ionic is almost like a visual language. It has a very specific design. Therefore, it is possible to save time and money, especially when working with prototypes or early-stage products. They’re very simple and have a great aesthetic.

The industry standard is wireframes and mockups that demonstrate basic functionality. It is very different to see a picture than an actual mobile app with dynamic components. Axure and Balsamiq are popular tools for UX designers. They allow you to quickly create wireframes that have minimal functionality.

The creators of Ionic have released an identical tool, but it is only for Ionic developers. It’s called Ionic creator. It supports Ionic core features and has a drag-and-drop web interface. It allows you to export your prototype in multiple formats with standard Ionic code. You can even build and share the application. Although the tool is proprietary, many of its options are available for free.

Conclusion

There are no bad or good tools or technologies when it comes to app building. Instead, there are solutions that are specifically designed for app development. Ionic, for cross-platform app development, is an excellent framework. It focuses on the frontend UX, UI interaction, and gestures of the app. It is an easy-to-use app development framework that integrates with top technologies such as Vue, React, and Angular. In addition, it can be used independently to create apps using a simple Javascript framework.

Let’s say you are a business leader and want cross-platform app design. If that is the case, you can contact the best cross-platform app developer company and begin building tech-advanced apps that will reciprocate business growth.