November 2016 Summaries

In a blog post from November 2016, Uri Goldshtein, a developer at Meteor Development Group, announced the release of updated tutorials for building a WhatsApp clone using Angular 2.0, Ionic 2.0, and Meteor. These tutorials come in two versions, one utilizing the Ionic CLI and the other employing the Meteor CLI, allowing developers to choose based on their preferences. The enhancements in Angular 2.0, Ionic 2.0, and Meteor 1.4.2, including faster build times and broader database support, enable a seamless integration of these technologies. The tutorials leverage Meteor's real-time collections and authentication packages to create a functional chat application, showcasing the synergy and latest advancements in the JavaScript ecosystem.

Enrique Oriol, CTO of a Barcelona-based startup, delves into the Navigation Lifecycle Events in Ionic 2, drawing parallels with native app lifecycles in iOS and Android. The article explores how Ionic 2 views emit specific lifecycle events when added or removed from a NavController, such as ionViewDidLoad, ionViewWillEnter, ionViewDidEnter, ionViewWillLeave, ionViewDidLeave, and ionViewWillUnload, which developers can leverage to manage tasks like view instantiation, content refreshing, and data storage. Oriol also introduces nav guards, which control view access and emphasize their priority over lifecycle events. To illustrate practical application, the article provides a hands-on example using an ambient music player app with three views—Home, Music, and Credits—demonstrating how lifecycle events can manage audio playback as users navigate between views. This example underscores the utility of lifecycle events in enhancing user experience and app functionality, with Oriol encouraging readers to engage with the material through a downloadable source code and video demonstration.

In a blog update from November 2016, Mike Hartington, Director of Developer Relations at Ionic, discusses recent advancements in the Ionic framework with the release of RC3, emphasizing significant improvements in component performance for Menu, Sliding Items, and DateTime. The update introduces a new error reporting feature that enhances the debugging process by providing immediate and meaningful information during app testing, including a custom ErrorHandling class and a debug action sheet accessible via keyboard shortcuts or device actions. The blog also guides users on updating their projects to incorporate these features and mentions the introduction of a template for building reusable Angular 2 and Ionic 2 modules. Hartington highlights that the Ionic team is nearing the final release of version 2.0, thanks to community feedback and testing, and encourages developers to stay tuned for further updates.

Raymond Camden, a Developer Advocate at IBM, revisits a previous blog post to update a demo for creating slides in Ionic 2, originally written for Ionic 1. The updated version uses a Bing Image Search API to fetch images based on user input and demonstrates the transition from Ionic 1 to Ionic 2, highlighting differences such as the use of Angular 2's syntax for event handling and data binding. Camden discusses his experiences with the new Ionic framework, including challenges like configuring slide options and managing component styling, revealing his learning process and adjustments made to improve functionality and presentation. Despite some initial challenges with slide options and styling, he successfully implements a solution using Angular's *ngIf directive and inline option declarations to manage slide visibility and layout, ultimately achieving a functional demo.

Open Source communities offer significant benefits, such as high-quality, well-tested technology and collaborative opportunities, but they also face challenges like rising tempers and stress as projects grow in popularity. Michael Ellis discusses the difficulties faced by Ionic in maintaining a healthy Open Source environment amid these pressures, highlighting issues like burnout and toxic interactions among contributors and users. To address these challenges, Ionic is committed to enforcing a Code of Conduct, allowing team members to block toxic individuals, and promoting positive and respectful discourse. The company aims to set a standard for constructive engagement in the Open Source world while acknowledging past shortcomings and pledging to uphold values of collaboration and positivity. Ellis emphasizes the importance of protecting contributors from toxicity to prevent burnout, ensuring the sustainability and success of Open Source projects.

The new version 0.0.42 of @ionic/app-scripts, used in the build process for Ionic apps, introduces significant improvements to developer experience and build speed. The update reduces build times by 40-70% through optimized handling of source maps, following Facebook's create-react-app model, while also providing an option to use the original TypeScript source map for thorough debugging. Enhanced error reporting now displays compile errors directly in the browser, replacing the "white screen of death," which aids developers in troubleshooting code issues more effectively. To implement these updates, developers need to make minor changes to the package.json file and update their scripts. The Ionic team remains committed to further refining the build process by enhancing runtime error reporting and collaborating with the Angular team to improve the speed and error output of the ngc AoT compiler.

Ionic 2, RC 2 has been released with significant bug fixes and build improvements as the Ionic team prepares for the final version. Key updates include enhancements to the user interface and transition animations for various components, while a new build process using @ionic/app-scripts allows for more efficient updates without needing new framework releases. Developers are encouraged to update their dependencies and report any issues on the Ionic repositories. The team is focused on further refining the framework, improving build processes, and reducing file sizes in the coming weeks, with gratitude expressed for community contributions and feedback.

Adam Bradley, a seasoned expert in the mobile web and a military veteran, delivered a talk at ngEurope highlighting the parallels between the evolution of mobile web technologies and the history of the automobile industry, emphasizing the importance of open web technologies over proprietary ones. He argued that proprietary technologies, such as Flash and Silverlight, often become obsolete, whereas open technologies, like those used by Ionic, offer long-term stability and reliability. Ionic, which is built entirely on open web standards, ensures that applications can run on any modern browser, providing a level of consistency that businesses can depend on. Despite the challenges of integrating new native features, Ionic remains committed to a web-first approach, advocating for standards that enhance safety, collaboration, and technological longevity.

Joule, an immersion circulator developed by ChefSteps, utilizes the sous vide cooking method, offering precise temperature control to ensure perfectly cooked meals. Its companion app, built with Ionic, facilitates communication with Joule via Bluetooth or WiFi, providing users access to sous vide guides even without owning the device. The app, which relies on various Ionic services for platform management and UI customization, required significant customization, including adapting EvoThings’ cordova-ble library and creating a custom video player to address cross-platform challenges, particularly in handling differences between iOS and Android interfaces. Performance was a key focus during development, with assistance from the Ionic team to enhance animation and view-switching, contributing to a consistent user experience across platforms.