What is a Progressive Web App (PWA)?

Progressive Web Apps (PWA) are app-like web pages that can be opened on mobile devices via a browser. These cross-breeds of traditional websites and mobile apps can be indexed by Google just like any regular website. At the same time, content can be used in the same way as with a native app, and be made available across platforms. In the future, PWAs are likely to play an important role in mobile optimization. PWAs can be traced back to an initiative supported by Google.

What is a Progressive Web App (PWA)?

A progressive web app (PWA) is a type of web application that uses modern web technologies to deliver a user experience that is similar to a native mobile app. PWAs are built using web standards such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and are accessed through a web browser like any other website. However, unlike traditional web applications, PWAs are designed to be fast, reliable, and engaging, with features such as offline support and push notifications.

PWAs are designed to provide users with a seamless and seamless experience across different devices and platforms. This means that a PWA can be accessed on any device with a web browser, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. PWAs can also be installed on the home screen of a device, allowing users to access them like a native mobile app.

Overall, a progressive web app is a type of web application that uses modern web technologies to provide users with a fast, reliable, and engaging experience that is similar to a native mobile app.

Why Progressive Web Apps?

A study has shown that, on average, an app loses 20% of its users for every step between the user’s first contact with the app and the user starting to use the app. A user must first find the app in an app store, download it, install it, and then, finally, open it. When a user finds your progressive web app, they will be able to immediately start using it, eliminating the unnecessary downloading and installation stages. When the user returns to the app, they will be prompted to install the app and upgrade to a full-screen experience.

However, a native app is definitely not all bad. Mobile applications with push notifications achieve up to three times more retention than their counterparts without a push, and a user is three times more likely to reopen a mobile application than a website. In addition, a well-designed mobile application consumes less data and is much faster because some resources reside on the device.

A progressive web application takes advantage of a mobile app’s characteristics, resulting in improved user retention and performance, without the complications involved in maintaining a mobile application.

Benefits of PWAs

A lot of organizations both private and public are switching to progressive web apps not only because they are cheap to develop but also because they offer greater engagement. Now let’s look at a quick summary of the benefits of a PWA:

• They are responsive and work with many different screen sizes.
• They can run on multiple platforms and any device with a modern web browser.
• They function just like normal Native Apps.
• The updates are independent, you don’t need to visit the Play Store for an update.
• They’re built with common web technologies.
• They’re fast and lightweight.
• They work offline unlike other sites.
• They are discoverable via search engines.
• They are easily installable.
• Low maintenance cost.

Key Characteristics of Progressive Web Apps

• Progressive Enhancement: PWAs are built with the concept of progressive enhancement, meaning that they should work for every user, regardless of the browser or device capabilities. As users access the app on newer browsers or devices, they can benefit from additional features and enhancements.
• Responsive Design: PWAs are designed to be responsive, adapting to different screen sizes and orientations. This ensures a consistent and enjoyable experience whether the user is accessing the app on a desktop, tablet, or smartphone.
• App-Like Experience: PWAs aim to provide an app-like experience, with smooth navigation, gestures, and transitions. They often use application shell architecture to load quickly and respond swiftly to user interactions.
• Offline Functionality: One of the key features of PWAs is their ability to work offline or in low-network conditions. This is achieved through the use of service workers, which are scripts that run in the background and can intercept network requests, allowing the app to cache content and provide a basic level of functionality even when the device is offline.
• Web App Manifest: PWAs use a web app manifest, which is a JSON file that provides metadata about the application. This includes information such as the app’s name, icons, and the starting URL. The manifest allows users to install the PWA on their devices, adding an icon to the home screen and providing a more app-like experience.

Why does Google like Progressive Web Apps?

It is not surprising that Google promotes the use and uptake of Progressive Web Apps, because the majority of mobile internet usage takes place over smartphone apps. This means that search engines like Google only have limited access to user data and, more importantly, that the apps’ contents cannot be fully crawled. With Progressive Web Apps, Google and other search engines have the possibility of gathering data on user behavior even when they are using apps. At the same time, it is possible that PWAs can also be used to display Google advertisements. PWAs would therefore represent an additional market for Google to generate revenue.

Conclusion

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are standard web technologies that combine the best of web and mobile apps. They offer an app-like experience, improved performance, offline functionality, and automatic updates while being platform-independent and requiring less storage space. Their adaptability and user-centric design make PWAs a significant step forward in web development.