Progressive Web App (aka-> PWA) is a google initiative which they started in year 2015.
Progressive web app can be defined as the web app built with modern web capabilities which give app like experience along with fast and smooth transactions. Progressive web apps are not websites or web app completely but they are the best of what you can find on any website along with the best of mobile apps. User experience will be like any other mobile app.
The more you use this app the more it become powerful, I mean the usability of these app increases as you use it. It gives you more and more relative data via push notifications, become more and more fast(even on low speed internet).
- You do not need to install these app.
- They can reside on your mobile/tablet as any other app (app icon on home screen).
- You can open these apps on any browser (chrome, opera, firefox)
How PWA works?
App shell is the answer, it get loaded and displayed to the user (it permanently cached the data) and the content is loaded dynamically as the user progress to the app or navigate. One of the reasons why it is called Progressive is the more you use the more it get efficient.
Another best part of progressive web apps is using Service Worker which enable the offline browsing and capability of sending push notifications while the app is in offline mode.
Challenges
Another best part of progressive web apps is using Service Worker which enable the offline browsing and capability of sending push notifications while the app is in offline mode.
Challenges
- Browser support is limited
- Educating customers for more and more usage of such apps in order to make it fast is hard.
- Migration of native apps which works offline is not possible in this case.
- Higher security layer with API calls over HTTPS.
