2. Native, Near-Native, or Just Don't Bother? (Why I Use Ionic)
So before we dive headfirst into Developer Hell (and oh boy, we will), let's take one step back and talk about how you actually build an app.
Because at some point, some well-meaning "guru" will tell you:
"You have to build it native!"
"React Native is the only real choice!"
"Flutter is the future, bro."
And I'm here to say: no.
Native Apps: The Big Corporate Flex
Native development = building an iOS app in Swift/Objective-C with Xcode, and an Android app in Kotlin/Java with Android Studio.
Sounds fancy. Sounds powerful. And it is - if you're:
Apple.
Facebook.
Uber.
Basically: if you're running a massive global company with millions of users and you absolutely need to squeeze every bit of performance out of the hardware.
But if you're a startup? It's a waste of bloody time and money.
You're building two apps instead of one.
You're hiring two dev teams instead of one.
Every feature you want means double the work.
Unless you really need some bleeding-edge hardware integration (like FaceID-driven nuclear launch codes), skip it.
Near-Native: The "Compromise"
This is where stuff like React Native and Flutter sit.
You still write mostly one codebase, but it compiles down closer to native components. You get decent performance, but you're still fighting quirks:
React Native: works great until half your plugins are broken, then enjoy the rabbit hole.
Flutter: shiny, performant, but… have fun finding Flutter devs who aren't just regurgitating Google I/O demos.
They're fine. I'm not against them. But they're not magic.
Hybrid or Web-Based Apps: My Weapon of Choice
This is where Ionic comes in. It's basically a beautiful wrapper that lets you use web tech (HTML, CSS, JS/React/Angular/Vue) and spit out mobile apps.
Why do I use it?
One codebase → iOS, Android, and web.
Rapid prototyping → you can launch in weeks, not years (CutCompass, literally 4 months of dev from idea to App Store!).
Cost-effective → you don't need two teams and a second mortgage (Just one dev and a lot of caffeine).
Plugin ecosystem → everything from camera access to push notifications.
And honestly, users don't care. They want an app that looks nice and works. They don't care if it's native or hybrid.
How I Build: Ionic + Laravel + React + Tailwind
For CutCompass, here's my stack:
Laravel as the backend (auth, APIs, business logic, boring but essential).
Ionic as the wrapper (handles packaging, device access, app store compatibility).
React for the front-end brain (all the interactive stuff).
Tailwind for styling (because writing raw CSS is a special kind of hell).
Authentication, API calls, real-time data? All handled in Laravel and piped straight into the Ionic/React front end. Clean, modular, and fast to build.
The Myth of the "Perfect Stack"
Now, don't let anyone fool you: there is no perfect way to build an app.
Every stack has trade-offs:
Ionic saves time, but some hardcore perf snob will whine about FPS.
React Native looks native, until a plugin update nukes your build.
Native gives you raw power, but at 3–5x the cost.
The trick is picking what works for your stage. If you're a startup, speed and cost matter more than elegance. Build fast, validate, iterate.
Anyone who says otherwise is probably trying to sell you a $10k "app masterclass." Ignore them.
The Basics You Need to Know
I'm not going into a full coding tutorial (yet - maybe later). For now, just know this:
You don't need native.
You don't need a guru.
You do need a stack that gets you to market without bankrupting you.
For me, that's Laravel + Ionic + React + Tailwind. For you, maybe it's something else. Doesn't matter. The point is: just pick and ship.
Next Up
Now that you know what to build with (and what not to waste your life on), we're going to tackle the Jargon.
Bring caffeine. Bring patience. And maybe bring a therapist.