Hybrid Mobile App Development

Mobile users prefer to use applications installed on their phones. They use installed applications for many activities every day, and many mobile devices are available in the market, including Android, Windows, and iOS.  Creating mobile apps for different platforms requires lots of time and effort. The disadvantages of developing code for different platforms are increased development time, high development cost, and the required expertise level for every platform. 

On the contrary, hybrid mobile apps are created once but can be deployed on many platforms after packaging. The benefits of this approach are low cost, less development effort, and the common technical expertise required. 

Front-end developers design the User Interface for websites. Back-end development includes coding behind the UI and authoring code on the server-side. When you develop the code for desktop-based browsers, a larger screen size may not be an obstacle but can pose a limitation when the pages are viewed through mobiles with smaller screen sizes. Responsive web page design comes to the rescue to help resize the UI based on the screen size. Hybrid app development makes Javascript capable of communicating with common devices through a common engine like Cordova. The Ionic Framework enables you to create shared components using a common UI.

Ionic Framework for Hybrid Mobile App Development

Ionic Framework is a popular choice for hybrid mobile app development. It provides robust tools and features to build hybrid mobile apps. It helps in creating native-looking apps for multiple platforms using a single codebase. It can be installed on devices and published using the App stores with access to the device hardware like the camera, GPS, and so on through the Cordova. The components in Ionic are loosely tied so that you get to use only the required components in an already existing hybrid application. As hybrid apps use web technologies, there were initially no components available for creating mobile UIs. Ionic bridged the gap by providing UI components required to build hybrid applications.

The Components‍

It is a user interface framework built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for hybrid mobile application development. It features a robust Command-Line Interface and a suite of services like the Ionic View and Ionic Creator. It is a combination of different technologies that work in unison to help to build mobile applications in a faster and easier manner.

It is completely open-source, which helps developers to build and publish their apps at no cost. The top layer is the Ionic Framework which provides the user interface layer of the application. It is built on the AngularJS framework, a powerful web application framework. It uses Apache Cordova for the web application to utilize the device’s native capabilities to become a native application. It has got ready-made UI components to help in rapid application development for Hybrid Mobile Apps. 

Understanding the different layers

The Ionic Framework is built on the base of three technologies - Ionic, Angular, and Cordova.

Ionic Framework‍

The Ionic Framework, launched in November 2013, is popular among hybrid app developers and continues to expand use day by day. It is provided under the MIT license and is available for use at the Ionic Framework website. It provides all essential user interface components for rapid application development. 

The Ionic Framework extends the HTML library to create a native HTML element. The components are built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which mimic the native controls you are trying to create. The Framework also offers add-on services as an online GUI builder for creating the visual layout of the interface for your applications. In addition, you have free developer access to test and develop applications.‍

Angular‍

This is an open-source, popular web application framework supported by Google. It provides a model-view framework to build single-page, complex web applications. Angular is licensed under the MIT license and is available for use on the Angular website.

Cordova

Nitobi Software originally developed Cordova in 2009. It is an open-source solution to develop native applications via an embedded WebView. It provides the interface between the device’s native layer and WebView and bridges the gap between the two technologies. It has its own command-line tool to help in building and deploying mobile applications. Also, the functionality is handled through plug-in modules. Cordova is used on a wide range of mobile platforms, including Blackberry, Windows Phone, and FireOS. 

Features of Ionic

Ionic provides you with a lot of features to create fully-functional hybrid apps easily. The features are:

• Command Line Interface
• CSS features
• JavaScript features

Command Line Interface‍

It is a very important tool to help you use the Ionic commands via the command line. It helps you with features to make your app development process more streamlined. For example, the command-line option helps create Ionic projects, issue commands, develop and test, and upload the app to Ionic view and the like.‍

CSS Features‍

The CSS library attributes to the styles in your web pages. These CSS styles are generated with SASS, a preprocessor that manipulates the styles. 

Ionic has the CSS features like:

• Header and footer
• Cards
• Buttons
• Lists
• Forms Elements
• Grid System
  

They are customizable and mimic the native element behavior and hence require no update.

JavaScript Features

These features are essential for building Ionic apps. They help you customize your applications, have helper functions, and add more functionality to your mobile apps. They exist as HTML custom elements and are easy to use.

Some of the important features include:

• Slide Box
• Modal
• Action Sheet
• Tabs
• Side Menu
• Complex Lists
• Collection Repeat
  

The JavaScript features of Ionic are built with Angular and plugged in as directives. Each directive performs a unique action and is documented on the Ionic website.

Required Expertise

Requirements - hard skills

• Knowledge of developing hybrid mobile applications with Ionic, Angular, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and other broadly used Web development technologies
• Expertise in developing Enterprise-grade Web and hybrid in an integrated environment
• Good knowledge of micro front-end/component-based development concepts
• Delivered hybrid mobile applications that work on both Android and IOS using these technologies
• Solid knowledge of mobile testing tools and techniques
• Strong knowledge of the complete mobile development life cycle methodology
• Passionate about delivering a high-quality user experience on mobile devices
• Ability to design and conceptualize architecture
• Extensive knowledge of mobile APIs and UI standards
• Experience with one or more server-side stacks like Node.js
• Experience with RESTful APIs, SOAP, and jQuery
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Very broad and deep application development skills
• Independent, self-motivated, and the ability to adapt to a fast and dynamic environment

Experience‍

Ever since Ionic was launched, writing cost-effective and running anywhere mobile implementation has become a lot easier. A high demand exists for developers who can create a simple, responsive website design. In addition, businesses require the apps to be implemented across many devices generating a big need for developers who can create interactive native-looking hybrid applications.

• Design and build Hybrid applications using Ionic Framework
• Assists with UX design for mobile devices
• Designs and codes features, tests, and other hybrid mobile application components to meet business needs
• Works closely with mobile developers to share experience and continuously improve our ability to deliver unique mobile experiences at a fast pace
• Assist in refining and enhancing mobile architecture and frameworks
• Responsible for developing innovative web and mobile software products
• Works with designers to implement new site features, responsiveness, and functionality
• Identify and implement industry best practice standards
• Discover, evaluate and implement new technologies to maximize development efficiency

Salary Structure

Mobile apps are widely used globally, and many users make big money on the mobile apps market. There exists a growing demand for developers to create high-quality mobile apps.

Skuad assists you in getting the right talent for your Ionic developer requirements.

The salary range of Ionic developers across different levels is given below in the table.

Industry Expertise

We cater to various sectors - Edutech, Fintech, Healthcare, Logistics & Transport, Retail & e-commerce, Travel, Banking, Media, and more. From selecting to onboarding, invoicing, compliances, and taxation, we act as your local HR to manage the day-to-day operations related to your overseas employees.