May 2020 Summaries

URLgenius is a cloud-based service that assists apps in managing deep links to other apps, especially when linking to third-party apps like social media or e-commerce platforms. The service proved beneficial for From Seed to Spoon, an app built with Ionic, which faced challenges in directly linking to the Amazon app, impacting user engagement and affiliate revenue. By using URLgenius, From Seed to Spoon could generate app-specific URLs that efficiently opened the Amazon app for users who had it installed, while seamlessly redirecting to the web version for those who didn't. URLgenius supports linking into billions of app screens across various apps without requiring an SDK, enhancing organic discovery and engagement opportunities between apps. This flexibility extends to numerous use cases, such as linking into social media apps for follower growth, enabling customer chats, accessing app-only experiences, and driving sales in commerce apps.

Ioniconf 2020, the inaugural conference dedicated to the Ionic community, is set to take place as a fully digital event on June 24th. After years of anticipation and planning challenges associated with hosting a physical event, the decision was made to capitalize on the growing popularity of virtual conferences. This one-day, single-track online event will feature industry leaders discussing various topics related to web development and the Ionic framework, with opportunities for attendees to engage in Q&A sessions with speakers. The conference aims to celebrate the Ionic community, offering a day of education and knowledge sharing, with further details about speakers and topics to be announced in the weeks leading up to the event.

Ionic and Xamarin are prominent mobile app development platforms, each with distinct advantages based on their ecosystems. Ionic utilizes standards-based web technologies like JavaScript, offering versatility across platforms and easier staffing due to the larger pool of web developers. It allows for a single codebase to address mobile, desktop, and web applications, providing significant design customizability with web components. On the other hand, Xamarin, a Microsoft product, is deeply rooted in the Microsoft ecosystem and is suitable for developers familiar with C# and .NET. The article's author, having transitioned from a decade-long career in .NET to the web ecosystem, highlights the broader and more diverse toolset available with Ionic, while still valuing the integration of existing .NET skills and infrastructure. Despite the advancements Microsoft has made by open sourcing .NET and providing tools like Xamarin, the author remains committed to Ionic for its versatility and the expansive opportunities it offers in mobile and web development.

Ionic Identity Vault 4.0 is the latest release in Ionic's suite of pre-built mobile solutions, designed to enhance app security by facilitating the integration of secure biometric authentication into Ionic apps quickly. This update includes improved support for Android 10 (SDK 29) and AndroidX, introducing features like Face Unlock and Iris Unlock, alongside existing iOS Face ID functionality. It addresses the critical challenge of securing mobile devices, which are integral to daily life but pose significant security risks when compromised. Identity Vault provides enterprise-grade frontend storage, session management, and encrypted authentication token storage, making it easier for developers to implement robust security measures without extensive expertise in security practices. As a subscription-based service, Identity Vault ensures ongoing maintenance and updates, maintaining app security and compatibility with the latest iOS and Android versions, while offering developer-friendly documentation and support services to facilitate seamless integration into existing or new Ionic apps.

Improving the keyboard experience for Ionic apps, the blog post discusses new web APIs that enhance user and developer control over on-screen keyboards, traditionally a source of frustration due to limited browser functionalities. It highlights the use of the `inputmode` and `enterkeyhint` attributes, which allow developers to customize the keyboard layout and the action label of the "Enter" key based on context, improving user interaction for tasks like typing email addresses or sending messages. Additionally, the Visual Viewport API enables apps to detect the presence of on-screen keyboards, allowing developers to adjust input positioning effectively. This enhancement is part of Ionic Framework v5.1, which introduces two new events, `ionKeyboardDidShow` and `ionKeyboardDidHide`, providing developers with more precise control over keyboard interactions. These improvements aim to significantly enhance the user experience by making it easier to manage on-screen keyboards in mobile and Progressive Web Apps.