Progressive website apps (PWAs) are growing rapidly as a technique to create apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that are almost equal in terms of usability and performance to native apps. Before understanding the tools and other tips to build a progressive web app, let’s see what a PWA is.
What is a PWA?
Progressive web apps (PWAs) are web-based applications that can be accessed through a browser and offer many of the features and capabilities of native apps. Native apps are software applications developed for specific device platforms, such as iOS or Android, using specialized tools and frameworks.
PWAs can work offline to a certain extent by caching content and resources that users have accessed previously, and they include features such as push notifications. They are built using standard web technologies and APIs, making it easy to deliver new features and ensure compatibility with a wide range of devices.
Why are progressive web apps becoming increasingly popular among businesses? Primarily because they are:
- Responsive, as they work on a wide range of platforms, including mobile phones, desktops, and tablets.
- Quick, modern, and easy to use.
- Excellent for SEO because they were created by Google.
- Secure as they are served via HTTPS.
- PWAs can be installed on devices as standalone apps without needing to go through an app store.
- As UI/UX friendly as a native app.
- Simple to set up and can be shared with a simple link or URL.
- Cost-efficient to maintain.
- Provide push notifications to keep current users interested and to re-engage users.
- Work offline while remaining connected.
Advantages of PWAs
Let’s understand the most common characteristics of a PWA:
- Responsiveness — It is your obligation as a developer to ensure that all users, regardless of the device they use, have a good experience. As a result, it’s a good idea to ensure that your application works on every screen size and that its content is accessible from any viewport size. The user interface of a progressive web app must be tailored to the device’s screen size and form factor.
- Easy to install — Users engage more with installed apps than they do with official websites. When you use a PWA as your product, you can provide your users the appearance and engagement of a traditional app. You can opt for IT services that can provide a smooth installation and implementation of any solution for your hardware or software needs.
- Progressiveness — It must run on any device and improve over time, using accessible features on the user’s device and browser. PWAs are built first and foremost as web apps, which means they must function across all browsers and operating systems, not just a few. Before installing them, users should be able to test them out in any browser.
- Connectivity — It’s better to keep a user engaged with your app even while they’re offline.
- SEO-friendly — Because most PWAs are converted web pages, it’s only fair to make them search engines discoverable. This will assist drive more traffic to your app. This provides a significant advantage over native apps, which aren’t found through search engines.
Fastest Ways to Build a Progressive Web App
PWAs allow you to create a version of your website or convert your existing website into a faster, more engaging, and more dependable app.
We’ve compiled some common features and tips you should know for building a progressive web app.
- Technologies
Here are some of the most common technologies:
AngularJS — It comes with all of the tools you’ll need to streamline the process and quickly create a PWA. It is constantly in sync with Google to receive regular updates.
ReactJS — React is one of the most well-known frameworks for creating progressive web apps as Facebook is built through React. It has one of the greatest libraries for user-side web development and, like AngularJS, it has a strong community.
Polymer — By using Polymer as a template, you may drastically minimize the time it takes to build up a progressive web app. Google has it built-in; it features a large number of templates and some of the best documentation available. Because of its capacity to ease the entire development process, it’s one of the best tools available. Choose Polymer if you want to complete your work faster. For improved app optimization, this open-source tool employs the PRPL pattern.
PWA Builder — Supported by Microsoft, PWA builder converts the website into progressive web apps. Many web design companies use PWA Builder for its simple yet effective capabilities.
- Application Shell
It should be totally contained within your index HTML content, with inline CSS, to guarantee that it loads quickly and that your user does not have to stare at a blank screen for any longer than is required. Your app should provide content to the user as soon as feasible, then gradually improve it when more data (usually JavaScript) is loaded. Simply said, an application shell is the first thing users see when they engage with your app.
- HTTPS
A server with an HTTPS connection is required. This ensures the safety of your users’ information. It offers an additional degree of protection to your website. HTTPS is required for using service workers and installing the home screen in PWAs.
- Service Workers
PWAs rely on this technology as one of their main components. They facilitate your app’s offline functionality, as well as do extensive caching and run background operations. You’ll need a service worker to take advantage of the full range of PWA features (install prompts, caching, push notifications). It’s easy to set up.
- Push Notifications
Use push notifications in your PWA design to boost user engagement and remind them to leverage your app more regularly. Push notifications are used in PWAs to increase user engagement. This is accomplished by combining two technologies — push and notifications.
When sent from your server, push notifications are short messages that appear on the device of users. Users must first provide permission for your PWA to display push notifications, therefore they are not a stable way of communication. You should try to keep your push notifications short, to the point, and relevant not to bother your users.
- Manifest File
Created with a generator, this JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) file contains the instructions for how your PWA should look and work. It allows you to customize your PWA’s colors, description, name, icon, etc.
- App Audit
Use the Google Lighthouse tool, as it’s open-source and can be used on any webpage, to audit your app. Google is a huge supporter of PWAs. Lighthouse can help you determine how speedy, SEO-friendly, and accessible your PWA is.
You can consider taking some training to learn more about PWA and know how to build it. Happy coding!
