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Capability
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Alpha Anywhere
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Ionic
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Cross-platform App Development
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Builds Mobile and Web Apps
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Ionic is a framework designed for web developers who want to create mobile apps. It is aimed at people who want to write code.
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Low Code Architecture
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Most of the development of an Alpha Anywhere app can be built with no code.
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Ionic is a framework for developers who want to write code. Ionic requires coding. Developers create Ionic apps using the Command Line Interface (CLI) and tools such as Visual Studio Code (for editing source code files.)
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Fast On-boarding to the Platform
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It takes a beginner about 90 minutes to build a sophisticated mobile CRUD app in Alpha Anywhere by following a tutorial. Developers in Alpha Anywhere typically become competent (and confident) in about 2 months, and faster with more focused training or mentoring.
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Ionic requires coding and a knowledge of typescript, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Sass in addition to understanding how technologies like node.js, Cordova, and command line utilities work.
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Support for Citizen Development
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Alpha Anywhere fully supports no-code citizen development by allowing users to create screens, buttons, fields and objects and perform CRUD operations, as well as loging/logout with built-in genies; as well as offering hundreds of predefined actions that developers use use via a list metaphor. Low code blocks can be interspersed with traditional coding. Alpha Anywhere also offers mentoring, which allows citizen developers to work directly 1:1 with a "personal trainer" as they build their apps or get up to speed with the product.
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Ionic requires coding.
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Ability to Add Code as Needed
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Alpha Anywhere allows a broad range of control in application design by exposing hundreds of event hooks. [Client-Side: Built in JavaScript Editor features Autosuggest, makes it easy to reference objects used in the applications. Low JavaScript skills required. Server-Side: Built in Server-Side Editor specifically tailored for building Alpha Anywhere Applications, features Autosuggest and other helper tools to make server-side scripting easier. Low programming skills required.]
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Ionic requires coding.
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Speed of Developing/Updating Apps
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Alpha Anywhere includes a local version of its server that runs on the developer’s machine and can instantly show changes, just by clicking the refresh button.
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Ionic is a framework that requires coding. While it includes tools that enable the developer to preview their apps locally or test them on a mobile device, the development, deployment, testing, and maintenance of an Ionic app is similar to that of building a native mobile app using traditional development practices (e.g. code.)
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Ease of Data Integration
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Alpha Anywhere provides many tools for working with REST services, JSON Data, XML, SOAP and oData. Plus it lets you quickly change data sources when you switch from development to deployment. [Working with External Data: Alpha Anywhere includes native SQL drivers for all popular SQL backends (SQL Server, MySQL, MariaDB, and many others). Alpha Anywhere uses connection strings that allow access to thousands of tables at once. For Web services, Alpha Anywhere supports the oData standard to allow developers to inspect and connect to external data structures. Working with Internal Data: Alpha supports ONLY external databases – so there are no restrictions in the use of 3rd party BI and reporting tools.]
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Ionic requires coding to add this functionality. It does not have any built-in data connectors.
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Built-in, Robust Offline Capability
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Alpha Anywhere has robust offline capability built-in, with data synchronization and intelligent conflict resolution included. Citizen developers can implement this functionality without code.
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Ionic requires coding to add this functionality.
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Built-in Analytics and Reporting
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Alpha Anywhere includes a built-in banded report writer for server-side reporting. Client-side templating reports can also be generated and viewed offline on a mobile device.
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Ionic requires coding to add this functionality.
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Handling and Storage of Large Image, Audio and Video Files
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Alpha Anywhere allows images to be stored in either local storage or in the devices file system. Media files can be transferred directly between the device and Amazon S3 without going through an application server.
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Ionic requires coding to add this functionality.
Kony does not have Amazon S3 integration and does not have special functionality for dealing with large media files.
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Client- and Server-side Report Writer
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Alpha Anywhere offers low-code and no-code features for building reports that are generated on either the server or client side.
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Ionic requires coding to add this functionality.
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Built-in Mobile Optimized Forms Builder to Build Data-Capture Apps in Minutes
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Alpha Anywhere includes mobile optimized form technology. Mobile forms speed data capture with features like: larger buttons or swipe capabilities for one-handed input; customized keyboards for numbers-only data fields, digital ink, and image capture and annotation that can be done without a stylus. Alpha TransForm enables non-programmers and professional developers to build and deploy enterprise-grade offline mobile data capture apps -- with image, audio and signature capture, offline capability, GPS location capture and more -- in minutes.
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Ionic requires coding.
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One Button Deploy to the Cloud
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Alpha Cloud takes care of installing and maintaining server software needed to run your Alpha Anywhere applications, with one-button deployment to the cloud.
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Ionic provides cloud services for notifications in apps built using the Ionic framework. It does not have one-click deployment to a cloud.
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Predictable Pricing
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Alpha Anywhere offers transparent pricing based on the number of application servers needed for deployment. As a result, development costs and ongoing costs (TCO) are easy to predict.
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While Ionic is up-front about the monthly fee to use their framework, it does not include the hidden costs spent on third party plugins, services, and developers knowledgeable in the programming languages used to create the apps you need using the Ionic framework.
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