Progressive Web Apps: possibilities and limits

A Progressive Web App (PWA) uses web technologies to offer application features. Depending on the implementation and device, it may be installable and make some content available offline.

Installation and repeat use

Installation may help people who return to the same service regularly. It may offer less value for a website someone visits once to find a phone number.

Offline use needs a defined scope

Decide what is stored, when it is refreshed and which actions still require a connection. Having a cached page does not mean a visitor can complete a payment offline.

Test the devices that matter

Features and installation behaviour vary between browsers and operating systems. Test the devices your audience uses and provide a useful fallback when a feature is unavailable.

Allow for ongoing work

A shared web codebase can be useful, but caching, updates and testing create their own requirements. The proposal should cover both the features and the work needed to keep them running properly.

Start with the application feature your customers would actually use. That is a better basis for the decision than the label.

Start with when and why people will use it

If people return regularly, list the actions they repeat and the information they would find useful offline. If they mainly need to read about your services and contact you, start with a well-designed website. When we discuss web development, these needs help us decide which application features are worth building.

Further reading: MDN: Progressive web apps.