Scott Bolinger has released a boilerplate app that uses Angular and the Ionic Framework to create a generic WordPress site management mobile app.
It’s available on Github for those that want to contribute or fork it for your own purposes. I was recently talking or writing (I can’t remember which) about this exact need, and I’m really pleased to see Scott taking a first step toward a more independent WordPress app. As he notes in his own reasoning for taking this route versus contributing to the Automattic-lead WordPress app:
The existing WordPress apps are open-source, and I think that’s awesome. However, those apps are fundamentally different than the app I want to create, so simply contributing to them will not change how they are built. I am also not a native app developer, so I cannot contribute any code. Mostly I just thought making our own app would be fun!
His sample app is designed to run off the WordPress REST API. If you have experience with Angular and/or the REST API, Scott and the AppPresser team would love your contributions. You can do so via Github, and you can join their conversations in a new Slack at wp-app.slack.com, but ping Scott on Twitter @scottbolinger for an invite.
Just to clarify, it’s not really a ‘boilerplate’ app as in take it and make your own, although you could do that. The point is to make one app that everyone can use, and make it customizable through plugins. That way you don’t have to know Angular or app development in general, and you can still customize the app.