Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are web applications that apply modern technologies, web development techniques and advanced browser APIs to create experiences that resemble native mobile applications. These applications are designed to run across multiple platforms regardless of device type or form factor.

Origins

The concept for PWAs was first proposed in a 2015 publication by Google’s Chromium team. The team sought to develop a set of best practices for building web applications that could take advantage of common mobile features and competencies such as rich, reliable user experiences, fast loading times, push notifications, offline access, and the ability to install the application on the home screen.

Features

PWAs offer a wide range of features and benefits compared to traditional web applications. Some of the features they offer include the ability to work offline, push notifications, background-sync capabilities, access to device features such as the camera or the microphone, better metrics regarding user engagement, improved load and response times, and a more native user interface.

Adoption

Since its introduction the adoption of Progress Web Apps have grown considerably, especially in the ecommerce space. Many major companies now offer Progressive Web Apps as an alternative to native apps. Examples of such companies include Twitter, Forbes, Uber, and Pinterest.

Benefits

PWAs offer numerous benefits such as reduced development time and cost, improved performance, and SEO advantage, and the ability to reach users across multiple device types. Each of these features can help reduce the total number of users that ultimately reach the application, which leads to improved engagement and more sales.

While the concept of PWAs is still new, they are quickly gaining traction as businesses and developers find the advantages and features they offer to be too lucrative to ignore. PWAs offer a unique way to engage users, run applications across multiple device types, and bring users back to the application more often.