Learn how to choose between Ionic gestures and native gestures for your hybrid mobile app. Discover the benefits and drawbacks of each gesture system, and when to use them.

Choosing Between Ionic and Native Gestures: ultimately the choice depends on your app’s requirements. If you prioritize cross-platform consistency and quick development, go with Ionic gestures. If your focus is on native performance and platform-specific features, native gestures are the better option. Ionic Gestures Example Scenario: Photo Gallery PWA: Use pinch-to-zoom gestures for viewing photos in a web-based gallery that works on both mobile and desktop browsers. Native Gestures Example Scenario: iOS Photo Editing App: Utilize 3D Touch to adjust pressure sensitivity for drawing on images, taking advantage of iOS’s native hardware capabilities.

Last updated on Sep 21, 2024

What are the benefits and drawbacks of using Ionic gestures over native gestures?

If you are developing a hybrid mobile app with Ionic Framework, you might wonder how to handle user interactions such as swipes, taps, pinches, and presses. Ionic provides a built-in gesture system that allows you to easily add custom logic and animations to your app components. But how does it compare to the native gesture system of each platform? In this article, we will explore the benefits and drawbacks of using Ionic gestures over native gestures, and when you might want to choose one over the other.

1 Ionic gesture system

Ionic gesture system is a set of utilities that let you create and manage gestures in your app. It is based on the Web Animations API and the Pointer Events API, which are standard web technologies that work across browsers and devices. Ionic gesture system gives you access to a range of gesture types, such as drag, swipe, pan, rotate, and pinch. You can also define your own custom gestures by combining different events and thresholds. Ionic gesture system also integrates with Ionic components, such as ion-slides, ion-reorder, and ion-refresher, to provide a consistent and smooth user experience.

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Palak Jain

SDE-1 @Powerplay | ReactJS | NextJS | Progressive Web Applications | Micro-frontend | IIIT Gwalior
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One thing I found really cool about Ionic Gestures is that you can use it with any platform or framework you’re working with. Whether it’s React, Angular, or even if you’re not building an Ionic app at all, as long as you’re using Ionic 5.0 or higher, you have full access to all the gesture and animation features. And what’s even better? You no longer need to rely on external tools like HammerJS, which Ionic used back in version 3. Starting with Ionic 5, the built-in API makes it much simpler to create custom gestures, giving you greater control over your app’s touch interactions. This feature is incredibly useful when you want to fine-tune the user experience without relying on external libraries.

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2 Native gesture system

Native gesture system is the native way of handling user interactions on each platform, such as iOS and Android. It is specific to the platform's SDK and UI framework, and it may vary in terms of features, performance, and behavior. Native gesture system usually offers more granular control and customization over the gestures, such as velocity, direction, state, and priority. It also supports native animations and transitions that match the platform's look and feel. However, native gesture system requires more code and configuration to implement, and it may not work consistently across different platforms and devices.

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3 Benefits of Ionic gestures

One of the main benefits of using Ionic gestures is that they are cross-platform and web-based. This means that you can use the same code and logic for all your app platforms, without worrying about compatibility issues or platform-specific quirks. Ionic gestures also simplify the development process, as they are easy to use and integrate with Ionic components. You can create complex and interactive gestures with minimal code and configuration, and leverage the power of the Web Animations API and the Pointer Events API. Ionic gestures also enable you to create custom and creative gestures that suit your app's functionality and design.

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4 Drawbacks of Ionic gestures

One of the main drawbacks of using Ionic gestures is that they may not match the native gesture system of each platform. This means that your app may not feel as natural or intuitive as a native app, and it may not follow the platform's guidelines or best practices. Ionic gestures may also have some limitations or bugs, such as performance issues, edge cases, or conflicts with other events or components. For example, some users have reported problems with Ionic gestures on iOS 13, such as flickering or freezing animations. Ionic gestures may also require more testing and debugging to ensure that they work properly on different devices and scenarios.

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5 When to use Ionic gestures

The decision to use Ionic gestures or native gestures depends on your app's requirements, goals, and preferences. Generally speaking, Ionic gestures are a good choice if you want to create a hybrid app that works across multiple platforms and devices, with minimal code and effort. Ionic gestures are also suitable if you want to create custom and innovative gestures that enhance your app's functionality and design. However, if you want to create a native app that follows the platform's standards and expectations, or if you need more control and flexibility over the gestures, you might want to use native gestures instead.

Add your perspective

Palak Jain

SDE-1 @Powerplay | ReactJS | NextJS | Progressive Web Applications | Micro-frontend | IIIT Gwalior
Report contribution
Choosing Between Ionic and Native Gestures: ultimately the choice depends on your app’s requirements. If you prioritize cross-platform consistency and quick development, go with Ionic gestures. If your focus is on native performance and platform-specific features, native gestures are the better option. Ionic Gestures Example Scenario: Photo Gallery PWA: Use pinch-to-zoom gestures for viewing photos in a web-based gallery that works on both mobile and desktop browsers. Native Gestures Example Scenario: iOS Photo Editing App: Utilize 3D Touch to adjust pressure sensitivity for drawing on images, taking advantage of iOS’s native hardware capabilities.

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6 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?

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What are the benefits and drawbacks of using Ionic gestures over native gestures?

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1 Ionic gesture system

2 Native gesture system

3 Benefits of Ionic gestures

4 Drawbacks of Ionic gestures

5 When to use Ionic gestures

6 Here’s what else to consider

Ionic Framework

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