Vite + Ionic v6 + VueJS

March 10, 2023 - Updated Content Here : https://dev.to/aaronksaunders/how-to-create-a-mobile-app-using-vite-vue-and-ionic-capacitor-in-8-minutes-including-explanation-1c4g

Updated August 2022

https://github.com/aaronksaunders/ionicv6-beta-vue-vite-project

Since Ionic has announced the beta for v6, I wanted to see if I can start using ionic with ViteJS

If you want to understand more why Vite was created and what its benefits are, you can read here

https://vitejs.dev/guide/why.html

The approach I took is to follow the instructions for creating a vuejs project in vite and then add in the Ionic stuff, it worked for me but if some has done it the other way, creating project in Ionic and. then add vite, please let me know.

https://vitejs.dev/guide/#scaffolding-your-first-vite-project

After creating the vite project, you need to install the Ionic Framework v6 Beta

https://github.com/ionic-team/ionic-framework/blob/next/BETA.md

// install latest vue
npm install vue@next vue-router@4

// install latest ionic beta
npm install @ionic/vue@next @ionic/vue-router@next

since we are not using webpack, I don't think the other steps are necessary

There is a known issue that is documented here.

https://github.com/ionic-team/ionic-framework/issues/23539

Basically you need to use "vue": "^3.0.11", and make the updates in your package.json file.

Making The Project Ionic

Next step is adding all of the Ionic specific stuff to your vue project. I have a template project available in my github repo that handles all of that, but below I have outlined the changes to make this work.

Most of the changes are in main.ts where you need to import ionic and all of the required css.

import { createApp } from 'vue'
import App from './App.vue'

import { IonicVue } from '@ionic/vue';

/* Core CSS required for Ionic components to work properly */
import '@ionic/vue/css/core.css';

/* Basic CSS for apps built with Ionic */
import '@ionic/vue/css/normalize.css';
import '@ionic/vue/css/structure.css';
import '@ionic/vue/css/typography.css';

/* Optional CSS utils that can be commented out */
import '@ionic/vue/css/padding.css';
import '@ionic/vue/css/float-elements.css';
import '@ionic/vue/css/text-alignment.css';
import '@ionic/vue/css/text-transformation.css';
import '@ionic/vue/css/flex-utils.css';
import '@ionic/vue/css/display.css';

/* Theme variables - copied from existing project */
import './theme/variables.css';

// be sure to add the use(IonicVue)
createApp(App).use(IonicVue).mount('#app')

Add this file to correct location in project ./theme/variables.css

/* Ionic Variables and Theming. For more info, please see:
http://ionicframework.com/docs/theming/ */

/** Ionic CSS Variables **/
:root {
  /** primary **/
  --ion-color-primary: #3880ff;
  --ion-color-primary-rgb: 56, 128, 255;
  --ion-color-primary-contrast: #ffffff;
  --ion-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;
  --ion-color-primary-shade: #3171e0;
  --ion-color-primary-tint: #4c8dff;

  /** secondary **/
  --ion-color-secondary: #3dc2ff;
  --ion-color-secondary-rgb: 61, 194, 255;
  --ion-color-secondary-contrast: #ffffff;
  --ion-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;
  --ion-color-secondary-shade: #36abe0;
  --ion-color-secondary-tint: #50c8ff;

  /** tertiary **/
  --ion-color-tertiary: #5260ff;
  --ion-color-tertiary-rgb: 82, 96, 255;
  --ion-color-tertiary-contrast: #ffffff;
  --ion-color-tertiary-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;
  --ion-color-tertiary-shade: #4854e0;
  --ion-color-tertiary-tint: #6370ff;

  /** success **/
  --ion-color-success: #2dd36f;
  --ion-color-success-rgb: 45, 211, 111;
  --ion-color-success-contrast: #ffffff;
  --ion-color-success-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;
  --ion-color-success-shade: #28ba62;
  --ion-color-success-tint: #42d77d;

  /** warning **/
  --ion-color-warning: #ffc409;
  --ion-color-warning-rgb: 255, 196, 9;
  --ion-color-warning-contrast: #000000;
  --ion-color-warning-contrast-rgb: 0, 0, 0;
  --ion-color-warning-shade: #e0ac08;
  --ion-color-warning-tint: #ffca22;

  /** danger **/
  --ion-color-danger: #eb445a;
  --ion-color-danger-rgb: 235, 68, 90;
  --ion-color-danger-contrast: #ffffff;
  --ion-color-danger-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;
  --ion-color-danger-shade: #cf3c4f;
  --ion-color-danger-tint: #ed576b;

  /** dark **/
  --ion-color-dark: #222428;
  --ion-color-dark-rgb: 34, 36, 40;
  --ion-color-dark-contrast: #ffffff;
  --ion-color-dark-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;
  --ion-color-dark-shade: #1e2023;
  --ion-color-dark-tint: #383a3e;

  /** medium **/
  --ion-color-medium: #92949c;
  --ion-color-medium-rgb: 146, 148, 156;
  --ion-color-medium-contrast: #ffffff;
  --ion-color-medium-contrast-rgb: 255, 255, 255;
  --ion-color-medium-shade: #808289;
  --ion-color-medium-tint: #9d9fa6;

  /** light **/
  --ion-color-light: #f4f5f8;
  --ion-color-light-rgb: 244, 245, 248;
  --ion-color-light-contrast: #000000;
  --ion-color-light-contrast-rgb: 0, 0, 0;
  --ion-color-light-shade: #d7d8da;
  --ion-color-light-tint: #f5f6f9;
}

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
  /*
   * Dark Colors
   * -------------------------------------------
   */

  body {
    --ion-color-primary: #428cff;
    --ion-color-primary-rgb: 66,140,255;
    --ion-color-primary-contrast: #ffffff;
    --ion-color-primary-contrast-rgb: 255,255,255;
    --ion-color-primary-shade: #3a7be0;
    --ion-color-primary-tint: #5598ff;

    --ion-color-secondary: #50c8ff;
    --ion-color-secondary-rgb: 80,200,255;
    --ion-color-secondary-contrast: #ffffff;
    --ion-color-secondary-contrast-rgb: 255,255,255;
    --ion-color-secondary-shade: #46b0e0;
    --ion-color-secondary-tint: #62ceff;

    --ion-color-tertiary: #6a64ff;
    --ion-color-tertiary-rgb: 106,100,255;
    --ion-color-tertiary-contrast: #ffffff;
    --ion-color-tertiary-contrast-rgb: 255,255,255;
    --ion-color-tertiary-shade: #5d58e0;
    --ion-color-tertiary-tint: #7974ff;

    --ion-color-success: #2fdf75;
    --ion-color-success-rgb: 47,223,117;
    --ion-color-success-contrast: #000000;
    --ion-color-success-contrast-rgb: 0,0,0;
    --ion-color-success-shade: #29c467;
    --ion-color-success-tint: #44e283;

    --ion-color-warning: #ffd534;
    --ion-color-warning-rgb: 255,213,52;
    --ion-color-warning-contrast: #000000;
    --ion-color-warning-contrast-rgb: 0,0,0;
    --ion-color-warning-shade: #e0bb2e;
    --ion-color-warning-tint: #ffd948;

    --ion-color-danger: #ff4961;
    --ion-color-danger-rgb: 255,73,97;
    --ion-color-danger-contrast: #ffffff;
    --ion-color-danger-contrast-rgb: 255,255,255;
    --ion-color-danger-shade: #e04055;
    --ion-color-danger-tint: #ff5b71;

    --ion-color-dark: #f4f5f8;
    --ion-color-dark-rgb: 244,245,248;
    --ion-color-dark-contrast: #000000;
    --ion-color-dark-contrast-rgb: 0,0,0;
    --ion-color-dark-shade: #d7d8da;
    --ion-color-dark-tint: #f5f6f9;

    --ion-color-medium: #989aa2;
    --ion-color-medium-rgb: 152,154,162;
    --ion-color-medium-contrast: #000000;
    --ion-color-medium-contrast-rgb: 0,0,0;
    --ion-color-medium-shade: #86888f;
    --ion-color-medium-tint: #a2a4ab;

    --ion-color-light: #222428;
    --ion-color-light-rgb: 34,36,40;
    --ion-color-light-contrast: #ffffff;
    --ion-color-light-contrast-rgb: 255,255,255;
    --ion-color-light-shade: #1e2023;
    --ion-color-light-tint: #383a3e;
  }

  /*
   * iOS Dark Theme
   * -------------------------------------------
   */

  .ios body {
    --ion-background-color: #000000;
    --ion-background-color-rgb: 0,0,0;

    --ion-text-color: #ffffff;
    --ion-text-color-rgb: 255,255,255;

    --ion-color-step-50: #0d0d0d;
    --ion-color-step-100: #1a1a1a;
    --ion-color-step-150: #262626;
    --ion-color-step-200: #333333;
    --ion-color-step-250: #404040;
    --ion-color-step-300: #4d4d4d;
    --ion-color-step-350: #595959;
    --ion-color-step-400: #666666;
    --ion-color-step-450: #737373;
    --ion-color-step-500: #808080;
    --ion-color-step-550: #8c8c8c;
    --ion-color-step-600: #999999;
    --ion-color-step-650: #a6a6a6;
    --ion-color-step-700: #b3b3b3;
    --ion-color-step-750: #bfbfbf;
    --ion-color-step-800: #cccccc;
    --ion-color-step-850: #d9d9d9;
    --ion-color-step-900: #e6e6e6;
    --ion-color-step-950: #f2f2f2;

    --ion-toolbar-background: #0d0d0d;

    --ion-item-background: #000000;

    --ion-card-background: #1c1c1d;
  }

  /*
   * Material Design Dark Theme
   * -------------------------------------------
   */

  .md body {
    --ion-background-color: #121212;
    --ion-background-color-rgb: 18,18,18;

    --ion-text-color: #ffffff;
    --ion-text-color-rgb: 255,255,255;

    --ion-border-color: #222222;

    --ion-color-step-50: #1e1e1e;
    --ion-color-step-100: #2a2a2a;
    --ion-color-step-150: #363636;
    --ion-color-step-200: #414141;
    --ion-color-step-250: #4d4d4d;
    --ion-color-step-300: #595959;
    --ion-color-step-350: #656565;
    --ion-color-step-400: #717171;
    --ion-color-step-450: #7d7d7d;
    --ion-color-step-500: #898989;
    --ion-color-step-550: #949494;
    --ion-color-step-600: #a0a0a0;
    --ion-color-step-650: #acacac;
    --ion-color-step-700: #b8b8b8;
    --ion-color-step-750: #c4c4c4;
    --ion-color-step-800: #d0d0d0;
    --ion-color-step-850: #dbdbdb;
    --ion-color-step-900: #e7e7e7;
    --ion-color-step-950: #f3f3f3;

    --ion-item-background: #1e1e1e;

    --ion-toolbar-background: #1f1f1f;

    --ion-tab-bar-background: #1f1f1f;

    --ion-card-background: #1e1e1e;
  }
}

Accessing Base URL

in the router/index.ts file we need to access the environment variable for the base url a bit differently

// https://vitejs.dev/guide/env-and-mode.html
const router = createRouter({
    history: createWebHistory(import.meta.env.BASE_URL),
    routes
})

Running The Project

npm run dev

Video

Source Code

aaronksaunders / ionicv6-beta-vue-vite-project-1

Ionic Starter Template with VueJS and Vite - This is using the new v6 Beta of Ionic Framework

Getting Started with ViteJS, Ionic Framework v6 And VueJS

Name: Getting Started with ViteJS, Ionic Framework Beta v6 And VueJS
Rating: 1.3 (6753 reviews)
Author: aaronksaunders

updated to v6 official release, see this branch https://github.com/aaronksaunders/ionicv6-beta-vue-vite-project-1/tree/v6-official

This template should help get you started developing with Ionic, Vue 3 and Typescript in Vite.
See more information in this blog post - https://dev.to/aaronksaunders/getting-started-with-vitejs-ionic-framework-beta-v6-and-vuejs-2o8l
There is also a video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnfAH1gXVdU&t=2s

Recommended IDE Setup

VSCode + Vetur. Make sure to enable vetur.experimental.templateInterpolationService in settings!

If Using `<script setup>`

<script setup> is a feature that is currently in RFC stage. To get proper IDE support for the syntax, use Volar instead of Vetur (and disable Vetur).

Type Support For `.vue` Imports in TS

Since TypeScript cannot handle type information for .vue imports, they are shimmed to be a generic Vue component type by default. In most cases this is fine if you don't really care about component prop types outside of templates. However, if you wish to get actual prop…

View on GitHub

Getting Started with ViteJS, Ionic Framework Beta v6 And VueJS