Why I use the Ionic and Angular platforms for app development

If there’s one thing I’m passionate about, it’s developing apps. They are increasingly part of our daily lives, a form of entertainment, and even a way to meet new friends or potential partners. The app development market is increasingly diverse with a huge variety of apps in numerous different categories, making it an exciting place to be.

When I develop apps, I use development platforms Angular and Ionic. Here’s why, in my professional opinion, they are the best for your app.

What are Ionic and Angular?

Ionic app development uses a framework that helps develop cross-platform apps with a web-first approach, leveraging HTML, CSS, and Javascript to build high-quality web apps. It’s a leader in the field with more than five million apps built using it and powering 15% of apps in the app store. I usually pair this with Angular, a popular web development framework that aims to make front-end development more simple and accessible. It offers quality user experience, fast response, and code maintainability.

What are the advantages of Ionic?

In my opinion, the benefits of Ionic app development are far greater than many other similar frameworks. Here’s why:

It’s easy to use

Ionic cuts through the fluff and allows you to get on with building your app. It’s easier and quicker to use Ionic’s framework than working on each project from scratch. It also uses a single source of code for Android, iOS, and the web, meaning there’s no need to develop separate codebases, which saves resources, time, and money for clients while future-proofing the app.

It comes with all the tools you need

Ionic comes with a whole library of plugins and tools which also connect with users’ phone hardware such as their camera, GPS, and Bluetooth, without having to build custom integrations. Offline storage data is also included, meaning you can view information in the app, without having to be online.

It’s trusted by big and small companies alike

It’s hard not to trust a platform that delivers and is endorsed by big and small companies across the world. Used by huge brands such as McDonalds, Uniqlo, Mastercard, and even NASA. It’s hard to argue with that.

There’s a strong Ionic developer community

As an open-source platform, the original source code is freely available. This has created a strong community of developers. There are more than five million developers who regularly participate on the form. It’s quick and easy to connect, ask questions, find answers, share ideas and help tackle challenges together.

Why I like working with Angular

Angular app development offers an easy-to-use platform and includes an array of features that make the app development process much speedier. Here are some reasons why I like working with Angular.

Functionality

Angular includes everything needed for mobile app development. Cybersecurity and code quality is higher because Angular’s official library of tools provides all the basic functionality needed, without having to use third parties.

TypeScript

TypeScript helps to keep code clear and understandable, making it easier to spot bugs and common errors. This ultimately means that bug-fixing is quicker and easier and makes it easy to maintain a large codebase, which is important when working with bigger companies.

Consistency in the codebase

Unlike other platforms, Angular is a responsive web design framework with only one way to create a component, service, or module. This keeps the codebase consistent. A CLI tool also creates repeatable blocks of code, providing further consistency.

Reduces development time and cost

Thanks to the platform’s consistency, there’s less time wasted trying to figure out how different components, functions, or utilities work. It’s also easy to slot in on projects thanks to the high readability of Angular code, making it easy to maintain and fix when needed.

UI components are included

Angular Material includes ready-to-use and well-tested UI design components and modules that are compatible with Google design. This simplifies the design process and allows developers to quickly add new elements or develop apps without affecting performance, making it easier to slot in the team.

How I work

I’ve worked across many different platforms, but I find that I always come back to Ionic and Angular, no matter the industry or whether the client is big or small. I worked on developing a service app for SDA Open Industry Solutions specifically for insurance companies using Ionic and Angular to create an app that offers valuable health services to customers that’s easy to maintain and debug thanks to these two platforms.

When working with FMS, a global freight shipping company, I used the platforms on a major project to build the Cruise Control app, providing customers with real-time shipping information while they’re on the move.

Different types of apps

Here are some of the different kind of apps built with Angular and Ionic that I have experience in:

Lifestyle apps

As the name suggests, lifestyle apps support your day-to-day life. They’re apps you turn to on a daily basis to find new music, meet a potential date, check-in for your daily exercise, or book a cab. Some examples might be Headspace, Bumble, Deliveroo, and Spotify.

Social media apps

Social media is made for sharing. Whether it’s photos, videos, statuses, or inspiration, social media apps are created with community in mind. These types of apps can be exciting as they continually need to be updated to accommodate for ever-expanding features. Some examples are TikTok, Instagram, and Strava.

Utility apps

Often slipping under the radar, utility apps are made with practicality in mind. They’re often already pre-installed on your devices as useful tools such as calculators, reminders, wallets, and weather apps. They’re apps that are typically used frequently but for short periods of time.

Entertainment and games apps

Focused on fun and entertainment, these apps are designed to keep users coming back for more. They’re developed to offer incentives and keep the game interesting, with the aim of bringing users back multiple times a week, or even multiple times a day. Some examples include Candy Crush and Angry Birds.

Productivity apps

Created to optimize users' lives, productivity apps are increasingly popular. They become indispensable to users, helping them to optimize their daily lives, and make them more efficient. Some examples of popular productivity apps include Google Docs, Evernote, Grammarly, Slack, and Dropbox.

News and information apps

Although they’re relatively self-explanatory, news and information outlet apps supply users with the news and information they’re looking for with an easy-to-understand layout. Some examples of news and information apps are NY Times, Buzzfeed, Feedly, and Reddit.

App development and consulting

As a consultant and developer, I regularly develop apps built with Ionic and Angular. I can work alongside you on all aspects of the app development process or jump in at any moment to check that everything is working and make sure that the process is running smoothly. I’ll build your app from scratch or advise on next steps and which architecture or app developer software to use to help you progress with your app.

I’ll help you with all aspects of app development, whether you’re still in the initial planning stages and unsure of where to start. I can get your project off the ground, advise you on programs, software, and processes, or I can come in and fix specific steps of your app journey.

Using Ionic and Angular as the base, I can help you with everything from feature development, enhancement, design improvements, bug fixes, and migration tasks to App Store submission, Web App deployment, and back-end tasks to help bring your vision to life.

App development is a team task, rather than a solo mission and I regularly join development teams to work on projects. Many people are needed to work on a single app, depending on their specialty. I can work remotely across different time zones, carrying your project forward even after you’ve left the office.

I offer three different levels of consultancy and app development packages. However, I can also tailor consultancy and development support to your business needs after an initial discovery call to understand your project better.

If you’d like to know more about my consulting and remote app developer services and how I can help you to make your app a reality, get in touch for more information about app consultations or app development services.