What is a PWA (Progressive Web Apps)?
Progressive Web Apps basically is new age web capability improvised to deliver app-like user experience.
What excites most about PWA is that they are able to transform app development to a lesser importance element. The outcome is that the mobile website is transformed into an app. The point is still open for a debate and is yet to reach a conclusion, if brands require an app plus a website or a PWA. Evolving this into reality means, the requirement list will have the following ingredients, push notifications, background sync, offline feature for the site/app, having a design similar to a native app and the ease of setting it on the device’s home screen.
Traditionally the web did not have so much to offer, but all thanks to new browsers that support more of HTML5 spec and advances in JS. Progressive Web Apps comprises of the following nine characteristics-
1. Progressive
We call PWA’s progressive as they are compatible for every user, regardless of which browser is being used, since it is built with progressive enhancement as a core tenet.
2. Responsive
It is device friendly; it is compatible with desktop, mobile, tablet or any other device that is next in the line of invention.
3. Connectivity independent
Service workers are the secret agents that help PWA’s work with bad/low quality network or offline.
4. App-like
Being built on the app shell model; PWA’s give users a feel of using an app, with the kind of navigation and app-style appearance.
5. Fresh
The service worker update is the process which always keeps it up-to-date.
6. Safety
It is made available via HTTPS, ensuring prevention from snooping and content tampering.
7. Re-engage able
Push notification feature makes it easily re-engaging.
8. Installation
Users can keep apps on their home screen, without facing the hassle of App store.
9. Linkable
It can be easily shared via URL, with simple installation.
Two very important pillars supporting PWA are Service workers and application shell architecture
Requirements to develop a Progressive Web App are
• Chrome 52, or a version above that
• A personal web server of choice or Web Server for Chrome
• Sample Code
• Text Editor
• Workable knowledge of HTML, CSS, JS and Chrome DevTools.
Now addressing question number two- Is it really necessary to have one?
Hints to identify if PWA can be an appropriate alternative for you, following are the signifying factors.
• If you have content that updates regularly, for example stock tickers, speedy changes in prices and or inventory levels, or any other form of real – time data.
• Communication platforms or chats that need real-time updates along with push notifications.
• When there prevails an audience who is likely to pull data for future consumption, for example news app or blog sites.
• Sites that need regular updating to its content, as visitors check into various times in a day.
• When users mostly use a supported browser.
In a nutshell, the final outcome is beyond a regular website, it is more interactive or has time –sensitive components, or contains rapidly released or updated content. One of the best examples is Google Weather Progressive Web App.
Service Workers
Service workers are an important element of PWA, and essentially are present to deliver added features, that were unavailable to browsers yet. The added features are listed below, to make a note of.
Push notifications: Is a feature which allows the application to notify users of new messages or events, even when user is inactive on the application.
Background Sync: Is a new API, used in order to update data on the occasion when the user isn’t accessing the page/site.
Offline Caching: Is simply browsing offline, users can make use of the application while they are offline; one more advantage is that Speed-cached resources have the ability to load faster.
Pre-fetching data: This enables data to be fetched beforehand.
Talking about the last and the final question – After creating a PWA, how can one make sure that it ranks?
Once PWA are considered and created, what is the trick to make sure that it ranks? Any new and front-end technology with strong SEO experts can have a great impact on SEO visibility. The site making use of application shell architecture may encounter a few issues. Initially it is pretty much necessary to use JS framework or Angular or React. If you are making use of a shorter version you will have to pre-render pages on the server, and then pick up with the application when it’s loaded. This makes it possible to have the entire bunch of good tools, at the same time you can serve something that Google et al understands.
This successfully answers the three questions mentioned about Progressive Web Apps.
