Progressive Web Applications
When a custom application software is delivered through web using common web technologies including HTML, CSS, JavaScript etc, it is referred to Progressive Web Application. Although these progressive web applications uses similar technologies used by web application, it provides the user experience of native app. Progressive Web Applications(PWA) are built in such a way that they can use device features like push notifications regardless of the web browser used.
Progressive Web Applications(PWA) are a kind of innovation originally proposed by Google in 2015. Basically, they join highlights found across sites and portable applications where they make an engaging application that feels like you are accessing to an application. Also, PWA won’t take up as much storage space on your device and have a quicker load speed than their native app counterparts.
One of quick example for Progressive Web Application is the Spotify website. While you can download Spotify to your desktop, you can also access it via a URL. Using the Spotify PWA, users can access songs offline, receive push notifications, and keep music running in the background while they work with other app.
Advantages of Progressive Web Applications
Responsiveness
Since PWAs are browser based, it is easy to bring responsiveness to it so that the app works seamlessly in any device and browser. Most native apps represent the corresponding company’s appearance. It’s all about brand recognition. That is why they always look for responsiveness enabled apps. PWAs are really good in it.
Improved Performance
The world is moving ahead towards browser-based software. Browsers are getting increasingly fast, tweakable, and diverse. This is why PWA’s performance is actually better than native apps. Most importantly, they improve on the functionality and reliability and don’t require any support.
No Installation
Websites are not installed anywhere, they are accessed through browsers. You go to website by typing in the address and, depending on your connection, it gets loaded.
Similarly, since PWAs are web and browser-based, they don’t require any installation. But don’t worry, users won’t have to navigate to your PWA via a browser. They can have PWA icons on their phone that look and feel just like the native app.
App-Store Independence
Most of the apps are available through an official app store. You have to go specific app store to download apps on your phone. In contrast, PWAs are app-store independent which means they aren’t bound by stores and the support and you can download a PWA directly onto your device without going to app store.
Platform-Specific Features
It is a known fact that PWAs are browser-run which has some unique benefits. With native apps, you have to implement the same features for each platform (different operative systems, different device types). However, to do this you’ll have to use different programming languages, which complicates things. But with a PWA, all you need is to develop it. Yes, on any device. And yes, it’s going to work on all others. There are even frameworks for this, like Cordova, for example.
Push Notifications
Push notifications are a mostly commonly feature and standard of many native apps. These are nothing but short messages that pop up on your device, notifying you of messages received, updates, and stuff. They’re like your chat notifications. PWAs have push notifications capability where users can open these notifications and use them, just like they would with native apps.
Few Disadvantages
No Store Download
Even though App store independence is a great feat with PWAs, they miss the features of app stores which are convenient and contain useful libraries that store most of the app content that you may need. Unfortunately, you won’t find PWAs here.
High Battery Usage
PWAs are written in top-level code, making it harder for your device to interpret the code. That’s way it may drain your phone’s battery life. Although research is ongoing about how to avoid this inconvenience, as of now PWAs consume more battery life than typical native apps.
No Cross-App Login
Native apps have the capability to talk to other apps and authenticate logins (Facebook, Twitter, Google). As a webpage, PWA doesn’t have the capability to communicate with other apps installed.
Are you looking for a Web Application development or Progress Web Application? Please feel free to contact us to discuss your requirements and take your project to next level.