What is a Progressive Web App and why is everyone talking about it?

You must have noticed pop ups to download while accessing your favorite websites from your device. All you need to do is click on it! Now you have the app without having to visit the app store.

A progressive web application (PWA) is one of hottest technologies in software that is developed to provide developers with the best of the web and mobile app features. Think of it as a website built using web technologies, but it behaves and feels like a mobile app. A PWA should work on any device and enhance progressively. In other words, PWA should take advantage of any features available on the user’s device and browser.

Why do we need a PWA?

A few limitation with native apps, listed below, have validated the need for a PWA in the recent past.

1. Native apps are not always easy to develop and support; especially when they have to be supported across different platforms, operating systems, devices and versions.

2. Due to extensive development to support across platforms, many times building a native app become a rather expensive proposition. Companies running on a razor thin budget might find it a little hard to invest in development across devices and platforms.

3. Native apps can take a higher time to get to market since they are not easy to distribute. Publishing and application on different app stores can be a long and ferocious process.

PWA’s can be extremely impactful to the success of a software solution. They help improve the performance of the app since businesses can pre-determine what aspects of the website will load when accessed via a PWA.

There are several advantages that come along with a PWA, but one of its key strengths lies in its ability to cache all the resources that are needed to launch a WebApp. This is done with the help of “service worker”, a Java Script agent that puts you in control of the cache and configure it to respond to requests. This ensures certain pre cached features elements will always load for users even if their mobile devices are not connected to the internet. This also helps keeps the PWA healthy, secure and fresh since any new updates are automatically taken care of using the service worker.

Some of the most commonly heard names that have made the switch include:

1. Uber

2. Twitter

3. Google Maps

4. Tinder

5. Starbucks

References:

https://medium.com/@thinkwik/what-no-one-tells-you-about-progressive-web-apps-3390d0df2c34

https://www.atyantik.com/how-progressive-web-app-can-lower-the-development-cost/

https://thenextweb.com/contributors/2018/08/07/why-i-predict-progressive-web-apps-will-change-the-game-for-digital-agencies/

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/top-10-progressive-web-apps-that-you-can-use-right-now