Environment setup isn’t necessarily difficult, but it’s rarely a perfectly smooth process.
This guide is designed for developers building Android apps with Ionic. Since I work exclusively on macOS, the commands provided are Mac-specific. Windows users will find the general logic similar but should look up the Windows-equivalent CLI commands.
1. Install Java JDK
Ionic requires the Java Development Kit (JDK). Ensure you have a compatible version installed (check the current Ionic documentation for the recommended version, often JDK 11 or 17).
2. Install Android Studio
Download and install Android Studio. This provides the necessary SDK managers and build tools.
3. Install Gradle
On macOS, you can easily install Gradle via Homebrew:
brew install gradle
4. Install Android SDKs
Open Android Studio, go to the SDK Manager, and install the SDK platforms and build tools for your target Android version.
5. Accept SDK License Agreements
You must accept the licenses before you can build apps. Run the following command:
~/Library/Android/sdk/tools/bin/sdkmanager --licenses
6. Connect Your Physical Device
Enable Developer Options and USB Debugging on your Android phone, then connect it to your Mac. Verify the connection with:
adb devices
7. Run on Device with Hot Reload
To run your app on the connected device with live-reload enabled, use:
ionic cordova run android -l
Following these steps will quickly get your Ionic Android development and debugging environment ready.
