Recently Jack and his wife opened an online store for clothes and accessories. The website was designed well and easy to navigate, which attracted many customers. Still, Jack wanted to start a mobile shopping app for their store. They knew a dedicated app would offer faster load times and better notification for sale. It will also help the customers with a more streamlined checkout process. But after research, they decided to start a Progressive Web App for their digital business.
What research findings convinced the couples that a browser-based app would be a game changer for their business?
What is a Mobile Application?
Today, nearly everyone owns a smartphone and uses various apps daily. Mobile apps have made life easy and smarter. Apps allow us to do everything from the comfort of our home. Whether it is shopping, ordering food, or transactions, apps simplify the process. We can also get medical help and book a car with just a few taps.
Mobile applications are commonly called mobile apps. They are software programs developed by mobile app development companies for use on a mobile device.
Apps became popular due to their ability to provide a personalized experience. It can store data, work offline, and send notifications. This gives a smooth and engaging experience. But, we need to update them regularly. This process can take up more mobile memory.
Though the app has many benefits, there are many challenges with the app. We need to go to the app store and download the app before installing it. Sometimes this time-consuming process becomes frustrating. Businesses need to make apps for both Android OS users separately and iOS users separately. This can cost business highly.
To reduce the challenges of mobile applications, app developers found a solution. It is called Progressive Web Apps (PWA).
What are Progressive web applications?
Progressive web apps are a type of website but it gives the feeling of using a mobile app. So we can define this kind of application as a mixture of a website and an app. They are fast and can work offline. The main advantage is that users can use them without downloading them from the app store. But they work with the help of a browser on mobile.
The new browser-based app was first introduced by Google engineers in 2015. Alex Russell developed the concept and Frances Berriman designed the interface. They bought a new approach to app development that was able to close the gap between a website and an app.
Important features of a PWA
- You can use progressive app on any device whether a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
Whether you are using a laptop or any smart device, the PWAs will give you the same experience everywhere. It will automatically customize to work on any device.
- They can work in offline mode or slow networks.
Unlike the native apps, this next-gen app can work offline. They use the cached resources for this purpose. That is they store important data on your mobile. With the help of the service workers, you can access these apps during offline mode.
- They can run in any browser. With browser updates, they also get improved.
Progressive apps update, as browsers update. This keeps them modern and easy to use.
- These apps offer a native-app-like experience.
This gives smooth navigation and interaction. This makes the user experience enjoyable.
- PWAs get automatic updates in the background.
Users always get an updated version of the app. Service workers handle these updates.
- Push notification’s
Progressive web applications can also send push notifications to users same as the native apps. This allows the business to update customers about the latest news, deals, or products. It helps to increase user engagement and retention.
These important features highlight the main benefits of using PWAs in a business. These advantages go beyond their technical features. They can improve business operations significantly. They enhance user experience and customer engagement. The ability to work offline helps business to reach customers, no matter where they are. Push notifications and automatic updates keep users informed about any changes. This also increases customer retention and higher engagement rates. This helps in the improvement of the business. Progressive web-based applications also help companies to stay competitive and adaptable with a cost-effective solution.
Nowadays, browser-based apps are becoming popular because they offer many benefits. These advantages are helpful for both the business and customers. These features make progressive web applications an attractive option for businesses to stay competitive.
Technologies used for building Progressive web apps
To build progressive web applications, developers use several technologies. These technologies make them faster, more reliable, and more engaging.
The building blocks of any website are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This is the main technology used in progressive browser-based applications. These languages help to create the structure, design, and behavior of the progressive applications.
Service workers play an important role in PWA’s functioning. They act as the bridge between the app and the browser. It allows the app to work in offline mode or at places where the internet connection is slow. They use the cached data to work in situations where there is a connection problem. They also provide tush notification services. They update the app in the background to give us the most updated versions.
The appshell model loads the basic part of the app first, so the users can start using the app. The web App Manifest file tells the browser how to install and launch the app in the browser to get a native app feel. It is a JASON file that provides metadata about the progressive web app.
5 important steps to build a progressive responsive web app
Building a progressive web-based application may be difficult for noncoders. But if you understand the steps and know the coding languages to build an app, it is a simple process.
The first step is to identify the need for the browser-based application and what features it should have. Based on the requirements designers design a responsive design for the app. Responsiveness allows users to use the app on any type of device. By using CSS frameworks, they ensure the layout is proper on all devices. When the design is over, the developers use minimal HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create the app shell. This is the core of a progressive web app because it contains the basic structure of the app. It contains the important parts that users interact with. Coders use lazy loading, image compression, and code splitting to make the app faster.
After the development stage, the app undergoes a testing phase to find any bugs. Testers use various browsers and various devices for testing. In the last stage, after testing, developers publish this application on secure servers. Regular monitoring and updating, based on customer feedback starts now.
Future of Progressive Web Applications
The future of progressive web apps looks bright as mobile become more attached to our lives. More businesses will start PWAs to enhance their operations. As technology evolves, more interesting changes will occur in progressive web apps. It will continue to get better. It may bring the web and mobile experience even closer. Businesses that take the risk to adopt this next-gen app into their business, will see great results. If the developers include Artificial intelligence, then it will be a big advancement. AI’s predictive capabilities can help the app make smarter decisions. It can send personalized recommendations to customers by tracking their preferences.
Conclusion
PWAs offer many benefits that force the business to adopt them to their business. Progressive responsive web apps provide mutual benefit to both the customers and the business. They can work offline, and allow push notifications for the customers. The ability to update in the background gives the users a regularly updated version of the app. As technology advances, PWAs also get better with new features. They could offer a more seamless experience to both users and businesses. The ability to adapt will make them a key player in the future of mobile apps.
