Rockd desktop-optimized web app

[davenquinn]

This site currently has a web-app directory that contains a static build of Rockd's Ionic "progressive web app", compiled from an old-ish version of the same codebase that runs Rockd's app.

We want this exploration interface to continue to evolve, improve in performance (e.g., via UW-Macrostrat/rockd#327), and incorporate some of the modern features of Rockd's mobile app and Macrostrat's website (e.g., vector tiled maps).

Eventually we may want to have a desktop interface for editing checkins and trips.

The big open question on architecture is whether we should continue this as a version of the Ionic app optimized for desktop, or instead move towards a lighter-weight React app that is more aligned with Macrostrat's website. We don't have to solve this right now, but it's on the radar.

[davenquinn]

@jmjanisch since we hope to get you re-integrated into work on the Rockd app in the coming months, I am interested in your thoughts here (although this is not urgent).

[davenquinn]

#22 argues strongly for moving away from the Ionic/PWA route to achieve more flexible rendering and SEO for discoverability.

We have migrated to the Vike - Vite - React toolchain for Macrostrat's main website (UW-Macrostrat/web#73) for these purposes, so having Rockd's website mirror those design patterns seems useful.

[davenquinn]

@davidsklar99 this issue can track your progress on the exploration interface.