What is PWA (Progressive Web App)

PWA is the result of a unique cross-platform app development methodology that delivers web pages installed on your phone through the mobile browser. It is a hybrid of a native app and a mobile website and uses standard web technologies such as CSS, HTML, and JavaScript to deliver an app-like user experience.

Unlike native apps, PWAs have a better loading experience, can function offline, and are discoverable by search engines. They are why certain brands such as Alibaba, Trivago, and Twitter offer a seamless browsing experience on mobile.

Advantages of PWAs

• Since a PWA is accessed through a browser, it is compatible with operating systems and mobile devices (tablets and smartphones).
• The user does not have to install a PWA on their smartphones.
• Technically, a PWA is a website, so one can rely on the power of SEO to boost its search rankings.
• A PWA keeps the users engaged with push notifications
• It has an app-like UI/UX, which can also function offline.
• The user does not have to update the PWA manually. All updates happen automatically.

Disadvantages of PWAs

• A PWA drains the mobile battery faster because it runs on web technologies that are not built for the mobile environment.
• iOS still does not fully support all the features of a PWA despite Apple launching service workers. The technology is more Android-focused.
• It lacks full access to hardware components such as Face ID and Touch ID, in-app payments, camera access, and so on.

Ever since smartphones came into existence and the popularity of websites increased, merging the two to create a phenomenal experience for customers has been challenging for the developer community.

While many tools and frameworks were put to good use to develop the perfect blend of wide reachability and performance, the results were always sub-par. But in the evolving world of technology, everything changed with the advent of PWAs.