How do you leverage the Ionic CLI and Capacitor to build and deploy your app for different platforms?

1 What is the Ionic CLI?

The Ionic CLI is a command-line interface that helps you create, manage, and test your Ionic projects. It also integrates with Capacitor, a cross-platform native runtime that enables you to access native features and plugins from your web app. The Ionic CLI provides commands for generating, running, and building your app for various platforms using Capacitor.

2 How to create an Ionic app with Capacitor

To create an Ionic app with Capacitor, you need to have Node.js, npm, and the Ionic CLI installed on your machine. You can install the Ionic CLI globally with the command npm install -g @ionic/cli. Then, you can use the ionic start command to create a new project with a template of your choice. For example, ionic start myApp tabs will create an app with a tab-based layout. To add Capacitor to your project, run ionic integrations enable capacitor in the project directory. This will install Capacitor and set up the configuration files.

3 How to run your Ionic app in the browser

To run your Ionic app in the browser, you can use the ionic serve command. This will launch a local web server and open your app in the default browser. You can also use the --lab option to view your app in multiple device frames. The ionic serve command also enables live reloading, which means that any changes you make to your code will be reflected in the browser without refreshing.

4 How to run your Ionic app on iOS and Android

To run your Ionic app on iOS and Android, you need to have the native SDKs and tools installed on your machine. For iOS, you need Xcode and a valid Apple Developer account. For Android, you need Android Studio and the Android SDK. You also need to connect a physical device or launch a simulator/emulator. To run your Ionic app on these platforms, you need to use the ionic cap commands.

First, run ionic cap add ios or ionic cap add android to create the native project files. Then, run ionic cap sync to copy your web assets and plugins to the native project. Finally, run ionic cap open ios or ionic cap open android to open the native project in Xcode or Android Studio. From there, you can run your app on the device or simulator/emulator.

5 How to run your Ionic app on desktop

To run your Ionic app on desktop, you can use Electron, a framework that allows you to build cross-platform desktop apps with web technologies. To use Electron with Ionic and Capacitor, install the @capacitor-community/electron package and run npx cap add @capacitor-community/electron in your project directory. This will create an Electron folder with the necessary files and configuration. To run your Ionic app on desktop, run npx cap sync @capacitor-community/electron to copy your web assets and plugins to the Electron folder. Then, run npx cap open @capacitor-community/electron to launch the Electron app.

6 How to build and deploy your Ionic app for different platforms

To build and deploy your Ionic app for different platforms, follow the platform-specific guidelines and requirements. For web, you can use the ionic build command to generate a production-ready bundle of your web assets in the www folder. You can then upload this folder to your web server or hosting service. For iOS and Android, you can use the native tools in Xcode and Android Studio to build and sign your app for distribution. You can then upload your app to the App Store or Google Play Store, or use other methods such as TestFlight or Firebase App Distribution. For desktop, you can use the Electron builder to package your app for various operating systems. You can then distribute your app via download links or installers.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?