What is an ionic compound the result of?

Ionic compounds are formed through the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions. These ions are created when atoms of a metal and a nonmetal interact. The metal atom loses one or more electrons to become a positively charged ion (cation), while the nonmetal atom gains those electrons to become a negatively charged ion (anion). The strong electrostatic force between these oppositely charged ions holds the compound together, forming a crystal lattice structure. This process involves a complete transfer of electrons, unlike covalent bonding, which involves sharing electrons.