What are the differences between Ionic 3 and Ionic 4 framework? | Ionic Framework
What are the differences between the Ionic 3 and Ionic 4 framework?
In this article, we will cover the major differences between Ionic 3 and Ionic 4.
Ionic 3 framework
Ionic 3 is the extended version of Ionic 1 and Ionic 2. It does not have any impactful changes in comparison to Ionic 2. The Ionic 2 version has some considerable changes. These changes have been followed by the Ionic 3 version. It has some minor changes that make the Ionic 3 version more adaptable. But over time, the framework developers realized it doesn’t make a huge impact because many developers are unfamiliar with the angular framework. The drawback of the Ionic 3 framework is that it is only compatible with angular. The Ionic 4 framework was introduced to overcome the limitation of Ionic 3.
Ionic 4 framework
Ionic 4 is the most famous version in all. It has the functionality to develop web applications along with mobile applications. It wasn’t available in Ionic 3 and other versions. It is suitable for working with vue.js and react.js. However, up to Ionic 3 is restricted with angular versions only. It adds high value to the Ionic framework. Now, the developers can easily use Ionic 4 with other frameworks too. From this version, they release the more stable versions every six months with rich functionalities and compatibility.
| Functionality | Ionic 3 Framework | Ionic 4 Framework |
| Syntax difference in Package Name | The package name is written without @ symbol. Example: npm install @ionic/p1 |
The package name is written with @ symbol. Example: npm install @ionic/p1 |
| Project Structure | The project structure is almost equal to the angular CLI. | The project structure is so different from Ionic 3. A number of files are added to make the structure more precise. |
| RxJS Version | It uses the later version of RxJS | It uses the latest version 6 of RxJS. It makes the changes in the import paths of the core functions and operators. |
| Web Components | Ionic 3 does not have components to use the Web APIs. | Ionic 4 is completely based on making use of Web APIs. |
| Lifecycle Events | The ionViewDidLoad, ionViewCanLeave, and ionViewCanEnter are removed from the lifecycle events. | The more adaptable alternatives are introduced in the Ionic 4 version. |
| Navigation Changes | It uses the navController for navigation | It is officially routed with the angular router for navigation. |
These are the major changes in the Ionic 4 version to make it more acceptable.
