The Pros and Cons of Ionic Vs React Native: A Comparative Analysis!

Mobile app development has sky-rocketed in recent times to meet the ever-rising customer demand. It has been observed that app creators prefer building cross-platform and Hybrid applications as they turn out to be highly profitable. The frameworks that are frequently being picked for cross-platform and hybrid app development are React Native and Ionic respectively. The reason is that both React Native and Ionic are open-sourced under the MIT license and are capable of creating high performing applications that function smoothly on multiple platforms. But, like all other frameworks, these too have their share of upsides and downsides.

This article compares the opportunities and obstacles associated with React Native and Ionic app development. This comparative analysis would prove beneficial for those planning to leverage these frameworks for their next project.

Ionic vs React Native: An overview of the opportunities and obstacles

Introducing Ionic and React Native

 

The Ionic framework is a free and open-source UI toolkit used for architecting mobile apps and PWAs, employing web technologies such as JavaScript, CSS and HTML. Ionic not only provides components that are based on web technologies as well as mobile-optimized; but also offers native API employing Ionic Native and Capacitor. Its original version, which came into being in 2013, was created on top of AngularJS and Apache Cordova. The latest updated version launched in 2019, supports numerous front ends. Thus, presently, one can architect a Hybrid mobile app in Ionic with React.js, Angular, Vue.js or plain JavaScript. Check why Ionic is a perfect pick for PWA’s too, using this link.

React Native is comparatively a newer framework coined by Facebook in 2015. It creates mobile apps for the iOS and Android platforms employing JavaScript and is also capable of implementing features with the native code. React Native is a great choice for building cross-platform apps due to the availability of native components that are platform-agonistic. These components map into the native UI building blocks of the platform. React Native development can even create apps for Android TV and Apple TV, with the help of a few additional steps.

The advantages of Ionic

• Ionic is easy to use due to the presence of pre-built components and plugins.
• Features like pre-rendering, hardware accelerated transitions, AOT compiling, and touch-optimized gestures enable an Ionic application to run smoothly thereby providing enhanced performance to the ionic apps.
• The code editor that exists within the Ionic Creator eases out the developers’ efforts while creating the code. The Ionic eco-system also offers text editors and IDEs such as Visual Studio Code, Atom, Sublime Text, etc. All these features bring more flexibility in the development environment.
• It runs on the mobile, desktop as well as the web.
• Ionic developers encounter an easy learning curve.
  The documentation is clearer in comparison to that of React Native as all native modules can be found in one place rather than being scattered in GitHub.

The drawbacks of Ionic

• The Ionic community is not as strong as that of React native which makes it more difficult for Ionic app developers to receive help.
• Ionic development relies on Cordova which is not so developer-friendly.
• Despite the availability of various native plugins, one wouldn’t find a plugin for all native features. In such cases, the developers have to create plugins which is time-consuming.
• Ionic is unable to deliver up-to-the-mark performance in case of apps with heavy graphics.
• As Ionic is built above the ‘web browser’, it becomes difficult for the app code to access the native features.

The advantages of React Native

• React Native apps perform like purely native apps built in Objective-C, Java, or Swift.
• The apps turn out to be highly scalable owing to its component-based architecture.
• The hot reloading feature enables instant reloading of the app and the developers do not need to recompile the code every time. This saves their time and effort thereby speeding up the developmental process.
• Previously existing open-sourced modules are available for most of the native features that are generally required by a React Native app development Company.
• The cross-platform apps created in React Native perform much better than Hybrid applications. Click here for more information.
• It enjoys support from a huge and vibrant community that help developers.
• More than 95% of the JavaScript codebase can be shared across iOS and Android apps.
• There are many ready-made components available, so code need not be written from scratch, this also increases development speed.

The drawbacks of React Native

• The learning curve is steeper in comparison to Ionic. However, this problem can be addressed by employing tools like Expo. But due to Expo’s limited APIs, it becomes difficult to add unique native features, apart from the ones that are already provided.
• A certain amount of native code will need to be written if the app needs access to cameras or hardware of the device.
• Since the collection of ready-made components is limited, developers are restricted to creating simple apps.
• One of the commonest problems of React Native development is the large-sized apps it creates.
• React Native is still in Beta version and so we cannot ignore the possible risks in the years to come.

Final verdict

Now, being well versed with the pros and cons of Ionic and React Native, it will be easier for you to pick the right framework based on the availability of the required skillset and your project needs. Pick React Native for creating sophisticated native-like features or delivering a rich UX. Go with Ionic if you intend to create lightweight apps for the mobile as well as the web with limited resources and within a short period.

Planning to build outstanding mobile apps? Contact Biz4Solutions, a notable mobile app development company, offering both React Native and Ionic app development services. Write to us at sales.enquiry@biz4solutions.com.

 

Ionic app development: Creating a Location-sharing app with Ionic!

Most of the modern-day applications have the facility of Google maps and location-sharing. Whether a taxi-booking app or a social media app or a food-ordering app, all have this vital feature embedded in the apps. Since this feature has become essential, several businesses have developed advanced location-sharing apps or at least embedded this feature in diverse apps.

So, in this blog, we are going to look at the basic procedure to build a location-sharing app or integrate this vital feature in them. Here we will use Ionic, the popular cross-platform framework, for this purpose. The reason to consider Ionic app development is that this technology is easy to adopt, enables the development of captivating UI/UX, and feature-rich performance-based apps. It is built on AngularJS which offers various functionalities for development and a robust environment that makes the code more manageable. Also, Ionic utilizes Cordova plugins and allows widget development. Owing to such myriad benefits, a plethora of businesses hire Ionic application development company for architecting enterprise applications.

So let’s get started, but before that, let us have a quick look at the criteria that the Ionic developers would be assuming before starting with the development.

1.       .  We will be using Firebase for saving the data.
2.        .We will create a custom directive for integrating Google Maps into our application.
3.       .  We will be creating a mobile app for the Android platform.

Steps to Architect a Location-sharing app with Ionic

Installations of relevant softwares

•          The first step is to install Node.js which automatically installs npm i.e. node package manager. Now you can install Ionic with the use of npm.
•          Also, install the required dependencies for the Android platform. After installing them, you need to create a blank Ionic project.
•          Now navigate to the project directory iMapApp. After this, you can add the desired platform, developit, and emulate. Now, a blank app will probably be running in the Android emulator. But, this process of running the app in the emulator every time will be time-intensive. So, it is advisable to use Ionic CLI for running the application in the browser. Once again, it is essential to install the required dependencies with the use of npm.
•          After installing the dependencies, you need to run “ionic serve” in the terminal for the app to run in the browser.

UI Creation

•          You can begin with the addition of a new template for showing the map. Now create a new folder known as www/templates in the project directory. Also, create a file named map.html inside templates.
•          Google Maps will be rendered inside the HTML map where a div known as #map will be present. Also, there will be an input text box below the map for the users to fill the description and also a button for the details to be saved.
•          Now we will be using the “ionNavView” directive to create different templates based on various states. Add this directive to index.html page. The next step is the removal of the current contents of the body tag and addition of the “ionNavBar” directive above the “ionNavView” for building a top bar.
•          The title for the “ionNavBar” will be set from the rendered “ionView”.
•          For the proper organization of the app interfaces into multiple states, the Angular UI router module is utilized by Ionic. Now open www/js/app.js as we will define a state for the map.html template by writing the required code.
•          After implementing this code a new state for the URL “/map” is defined. This state will be rendering the template map.html and will be controlled by “MapCtrl” controller. To set the map as the default state, command “$urlRouterProvider.otherwise('/map')” is used.
•          Now create a file- “controller.js” inside “www/js/” and also add its reference in the file called- “www/index.html”
•          Then define the angular module first for defining controller code inside “controller.js”
•          After this, define the controller “MapCtrl” and then enter the “starter.controllers” module into the starter app. After saving this, you can view the map.html template.
•          Then you should add the Google Map in map.html which can be done by the creation of a custom directive known as “map”. Let us now define the directive in controller.js and add the directive attribute to div #map in map.html.

Adding default parameters like longitude, latitude, zoom in the Maps

•          First, pass the longitude, latitude, and zoom parameters to the google map directive. With the use of parameter “attrs” you can access these attributes inside the link function of the directive.
•          For evaluation of AngularJS expressions, “scope.$eval” is used.
•          The next step is to include the Google Maps API reference in index.html. Using the default values, Google Map’s latitude and longitude can be defined. Also, define map options for Google Map.
•          With appropriate code, add style to “www/css/style.css” for styling the “#map” div.
•          Lastly, save all the modifications to view Google Maps on the map page.

Adding a marker to the Google Maps

•          We need to modify the directive with the right code. Marker’s default position is set as longitude and latitude that is passed as an attribute. Also, the draggable option is set as true.
•          After implementing the code and saving the changes, a draggable marker will be visible in Google Maps.

Tracking the position of Marker

•          For this purpose, we will be attaching a “dragend” event to the Google Maps marker. Also, for attaching the drag end event listener inside the directive, add the right code.
•          After saving these changes, just try to drag the marker. Now inspect the browser console which must include the current longitude and latitude.

Saving all the details

•          In “MapCtrl”, define a $scope variable called “user” which will consist of information like longitude, latitude, and the data that the user enters.
•          In “MapCtrl” controller, create a function known as “saveDetails” which will use “scope.user” variable for fetching the required information.
•          Update the variables- “$scope.user.longitude” and “$scope.user.latitude” in the “dragend” event listener’s callback function when the users will move the marker on the map.
•          For updating the model bindings, call the “scope.$apply” function. After this, you need to attach the following:

o   a ngModel directive to the description input text box

o   a ngClick directive to the save button

•          Now save the data to Firebase. For this, you will first need to register with Firebase if you don’t have an account. After logging in, you will get a unique firebase URL.
•          After signing to the Firebase account, in the dashboard, you will find a plus link next to this URL. Click on that plus link and enter the below-mentioned inputs to get a sub URL- /MapDetails.

o   value as 0

o   name as “MapDetails”

•          To use firebase in the app, Include the script references in index.html. Insert firebase in controller.js and MapCtrl controller. Create a firebase object inside this controller. Create an instance of the firebase object. Use the firebase push API inside the save Details function, for saving the data to firebase. Once saved, refresh the application.
•          Now just drag the marker to a certain location on the Maps, enter some description and save this. All this data should be present when you check the firebase dashboard.
•          After the data is saved, using the Ionic popup, create an alert for notifying the users. In the MapCtrl controller, inject the $ionicPopup. Again, in the MapCtrl controller, add a function known as “showAlert”.
•          This function calls the “$ionicPopup” service for showing a pop-up having a template and a title.
•          After this, you should call “showAlert” in the success callback of the push API call.
•          Finally, save all the changes and the details once again. After saving these details in Firebase,you will get a pop-up showing a success message. This completed the process.

Conclusion:

We just saw the step-by-step method to integrate Google maps in the Ionic Apps. We hope this will be useful to the Ionic developers and also to an Ionic app development company aiming to design impeccable apps with location-sharing functionality.

Was this blog useful to you? Let us know your vital thoughts in the comment section. 

How does Ionic Mobile app Development prove to be Cost-efficient?

Ionic Mobile App Development is the preferred choice of businesses across diverse domains for architecting their enterprise mobile applications. As per research conducted by AppBrain, Ionic constitutes 3.82% of the entire mobile app market! But why is this platform so popular? The answer is simple. This ingenious framework facilitates the creation of outstanding mobile apps within a limited period and proves to be immensely budget-friendly. Ionic has enabled some of the fastest-growing start-ups such as iPic, Pacifica, MarketWatch, Untappd, etc. to transform their futuristic vision into reality. Needless to say, the entrepreneurs who have not yet explored the benefits of Ionic must spare some time to gain insights about this versatile framework.

 

This write-up will enlighten you on how the Ionic framework helps to reduce the project development cost considerably without compromising on the quality. So, let’s embark on a journey to explore its potentials.

 

Ionic framework in a nutshell

 

Ionic, is an open-source SDK based on AngularJS structure used for developing hybrid applications by integrating web technologies like JavaScript, CSS, and HTML5 technologies. It was launched in 2013 and has undergone various stages of enhancement since then. Its latest updated version Ionic 4.0.0, captioned as “Ionic for everyone” has gained immense popularity amongst the community of software professionals.

 

Top reasons why Ionic App Development is cost-effective

 

Easy learning curve

Developers having knowledge of web technologies like HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS can easily work on the Ionic framework.Hence it is easy to learn, comprehend, and use from the developer’s perspective. Therefore it’s not a difficult task for companies to switch to the Ionic platform as the required expertise can be found easily and is not too expensive either.

 

Multiple platform adaptability

 

Single codebase developed in Ionic can be used across various platforms. The presence of highly customizable elements and themes enhances the adaptability of Ionic. It supports multiple platforms like Universal Windows 10 Platform, iOS 7, and Android 4.1 to name a few.

 

Its stability and promptness accounts for the creation of high-end UI with additional functions and allows reusing the code to architect apps for various platforms.

 

Excellent Community Support

 

This framework has a good backing of developers belonging to the Ionic community who provides support and assistance to all the developers worldwide. Thus development can be completed at a fast pace.  

 

Presence of Cordova Plugins

 

Ionic framework employs Cordova Plugins which aides the app designers to access various components like GPS, Camera, Flashlight, etc. Any of these modules can be put to use to architect the desired mobile application, depending on the project requirement.

 

Usage of AngularJS

 

Ionic is built on AngularJS, thereby providing a wide range of functionalities to the Ionic app developers. AngularJS also imparts a robust structure that makes the code easily manageable.

 

Speedy Development

 

The Ionic platform provides a plethora of functionalities which reduces the development time. Some of them are as follows:

 

·         Ready-to-use animations and themes for the creation of a visually impressive app.

·         Capability to create customized codes.

·         Numerous native device features. 

·         Provision of drag-and-drop option for core UI components.

·         Usage of third party plugins facilitates faster development

 

Speedy developmental cycle reduces the time to market and provides a competitive edge to Ionic app development Companies.

 

Easy testing and debugging

 

Cordova commands enable multiple testing and debugging sessions to be executed on a desktop browser or a stimulator, without the need to re-deploy the app each time. A special feature, namely ‘Ionic lab’ provides the visibility of the app design and the app’s performance on different platforms employing an inbuilt stimulator. Hence, the time and efforts of Ionic app developers are saved.

 

Final Verdict

 

Ionic framework offers a complete solution required for developing budget-friendly applications that captivate customers and elevate employees. Thus, hiring an Ionic Mobile App Development Company would be a smart move for the start-ups and SMEs intending to create a cost-efficient mobile app solution and reach out to a huge number of users across the globe simultaneously. 

 

Looking for a reliable Ionic app development partner for executing projects? Well then, contact Biz4solutions, a noteworthy software company having 9+ years of experience in developing ingenious mobile solutions. Our adept professionals create enterprise-friendly applications to meet the myriad objectives of modern businesses.

Incredible Advantages of Combining Ionic and AngularJS for Hybrid App Development!

Ionic is a front-end framework and it is built on top of AngularJS; AngularJS being one of the best JavaScript libraries. So, when Ionic and AngularJS are together used for hybrid mobile app development, it forms one of the best combinations. This combination is winning the hearts of app developers and tech-savvy businesses across the world. It is used to develop mobile-friendly apps for all the major platforms. Let us see in detail, the various benefits this powerful combination provides to the mobile app development world. 

Benefits of Ionic and AngularJS Combination for hybrid app development

One App for Multiple Platforms

As Angular supports the Ionic platform, developing customized and interactive apps for multiple platforms has now become easier. Ionic has an entire library of effective JS, HTML and CSS tools. So, Ionic does not have any tedious coding or development processes. Using a single code, the mobile app will run on different platforms like Android, Windows and iOS. It saves a lot of time for the Ionic app developers and makes the development easier. Also, one can reach a wide range of audiences as the app runs on multiple platforms.

Combined Goodies of Ionic and AngularJS

Ionic is built on the top of AngularJS. As a result, this combination offers the effective features of both- Ionic and AngularJS. Ionic is great for user-interface, performance and debugging. It has many exceptional components with extendible options that can seamlessly interact with each other. In newer versions of Ionic, layout of the application is dependent on a device and Ionic framework follows explicit rules of individual platforms for displaying the elements. So, this combination is an all-inclusive platform to develop excellent mobile apps.

Creating Components

Usually, mobile app developers face difficulty in developing splash screens or icons in hybrid app development. Also, the parameters like density, width, height, the device and a number of other things are to be considered. These components are necessary to develop good apps and do justice to them. In Ionic, this is comparatively easier as developers need to create just two files- psd, .ai or .png in the resources directory and then specify the template. Ionic provides outstanding ready-made components for mobile apps with beautiful themes having typography that can be adapted to diverse platforms. It also has many default CSS tools along with the JavaScript components like Form Inputs, Buttons, Tabs, Navigation, Prompts, Sliding Menus, etc.

Enhanced development

Ionic is considered to be a very comprehensive open-source SDK for creating hybrid mobile apps. Ionic is designed completely for standard SDKs. It is being preferred by millions of developers across the globe and approximately 2 million apps are already developed using Ionic.

Ionic focuses on native applications that run inside Cordova or PhoneGap. AngularJS easily interacts with external data sources and backend services, making it easy to use. As a result, the combination of Ionic and AngularJS simplifies the development task for mobile apps developers and ensures enhanced development of the apps.

Performance of Ionic Apps

Usually, hybrid apps are not known for good performance. However, Ionic has optimized UI components and embedded Crosswalk in the CLI for ensuring platform-wide performance. Ionic, along with its AngularJS base allows the developers to have greater access to several platforms without compromising on performance. So, complex and performance-based applications can be built using this combination.

Conclusion:

It is certain that hybrid mobile app development is going to rule the app development economy with the deadly combination of Ionic and AngularJS. It enables the app developers to build outstanding mobile apps conveniently with fewer efforts and lot of agility due to the plethora of benefits it offers as mentioned in this article. So, if you want to go for a hybrid approach for your next mobile app, choosing Ionic and AngularJS can help you develop the finest of mobile apps.

So, are you looking forward to developing outstanding apps and reach a wider audience in one go? Biz4Solutions is a leading hybrid mobile app development company that excels in both- Ionic and AngularJS. We are based in Texas. Our team consists of talented Ionic app developers and AngularJS app developers who have already developed highly advanced and feature-rich mobile apps for diverse clients across the globe.

Contact us at https://www.biz4solutions.com/ to know more!

Leading Reasons Why Businesses Prefer IONIC Framework for Mobile Apps

What is IONIC Framework?

IONIC is an open-source framework built using Angular JS, HTML and CSS on PhoneGap/Cordova. It is used to build hybrid mobile, Progressive web and Desktop apps using HTML5, CSS and JavaScript. These apps use single code-base for different platform like iOS, Android, Windows etc. Using this framework, the developers can build highly advanced apps with 120+ modules like Camera, Photos Gallery, WiFi, Bluetooth Network, SMS, etc. This framework uses HTML sanitation, Angular’s touch recognizers, animation logic and asynchronous communication for app development. IONIC is a one-stop solution for building apps that have an excellent look, classy feel and a great orientation.

IONIC mobile app development services are growing across the world, due to the immense benefits that this platform offers. Let’s go through the reasons why one should choose the IONIC framework for mobile app development.

Top Benefits of IONIC Framework

Open-source and free
IONIC is a completely free and open-source platform available on GitHub; this is its best advantage to the IONIC mobile app development services fraternity. While using an open-source platform, one of the drawbacks that developers face is the instability of the platform. However, in spite of being open-source, IONIC is highly stable and widely used platform. IONIC apps can be customized to exquisite appearances on different mobile operating systems while being cost-effective.

Performance-based framework
IONIC is built on top of AngularJS which provides several useful functionalities for developing hybrid apps. It provides a structure for making the programming more manageable by extending the HTML syntax. Also, it supports two-way data binding due to which every change in the UI immediately reflects in the underlying data model.

Single code-base across different platforms
IONIC allows building of high-end user interfaces while using the same code to build applications for different platforms. The programming languages that IONIC framework uses are easily converted from one operating system to another which allows the app to be used across different platforms. If one was to go for a native language instead of hybrid, more efforts and money would be required to learn particular languages for every platform.

Easy testing of apps
Testing the apps is far easier with IONIC. One can test the apps not only on a desktop browser but even perform simulator testing using Cordova commands for both, Android and iOS apps. One can even test the apps by remote debugging.

Huge community to help
If one starts the app development process with a new framework, even the expert developers face challenges. However, IONIC has the advantage of a huge community support. IONIC framework is built with well-known technologies like Angular and Cordova and has the support of a strong active community. There are forums and blog posts already available for the IONIC app developers and members of the community to assist them when needed.

Why should you hire IONIC app developers from Biz4Solutions?

There are a plethora of benefits that IONIC framework offers. It has made the programming quite easier for the developers. The exquisite designs and free working space that IONIC provides makes the apps highly attractive. So, explore your creativity with this framework and develop an outstanding app for your business.

Biz4Solutions is a leading IONIC mobile app development company, based in Texas. We have a large portfolio of hybrid apps and a team of developers having expertise in IONIC. Our team understands the significance of IONIC for building highly interactive hybrid apps. We are professional, time-bound and have rich experience in serving several industries with world-class apps. Hire IONIC app developers from Biz4Solutions for your next app.

Contact us to know more!