Getting Started with Ionic 2 Hybrid Mobile Application Development
A practical introduction to Ionic 2, from the first project command to a built application.
Ionic 2 is an open source hybrid mobile application development framework for iOS and Android. It is built on top of Angular and helps developers create interfaces for mobile applications with a shared codebase.
What Ionic 2 includes
The framework provides a command line interface for creating, building and running applications. It also includes a wide set of interface components such as cards, lists and tabs, so a team can assemble a usable mobile interface without building every control from scratch.
Components and plugins
Ionic 2 includes an Angular based component library and a set of CLI commands for building and deploying applications. Cordova and Ionic Native plugins connect the app to native device features when a web view alone is not enough.
When you create an application, the working parts include the Ionic CLI, Ionic Core, the interface components, Cordova plugins and Ionic Native plugins. Each part has its own role in the development and release process.
Start a project
Install the Ionic CLI on Windows or macOS. Once the CLI is available, run the command "ionic start" to create a project directory with the files and folders needed to build an application. From there you can use the CLI to add pages, build the app and test it in a browser or on a device.
Build, deploy and test
When the application is ready, the Ionic CLI can build and deploy it. Use the command "ionic build" to create the build and "ionic deploy" to publish it. The CLI also supports debugging and access to native device features such as GPS and the camera.
Where to go next
Ionic 2 is a practical framework for teams that want one codebase for Android and iOS. The starting point is the CLI, the component library and a clear map of the native features your app actually needs.