Ionic equations are a way to represent chemical reactions by showing the ions involved. They focus on the species that actually participate in the reaction, omitting the spectator ions that do not change during the process. This makes it easier to understand the underlying chemistry of the reaction. There are two main types of ionic equations: complete ionic equations and net ionic equations. A complete ionic equation shows all the ions present in the solution, while a net ionic equation only includes the ions that undergo a change. This simplification helps in analyzing reactions, especially in aqueous solutions.