Progressive Web Apps (PWA)

So, what does the words “Progressive Web Apps” means? You can imagine a site, which uses web-technologies, but interactes with user as mobile app. That’s what we call PWA.

The main goal of such technology to increase the number of visitors trough improving the usability of web apps on different devices.

How does it works:

PWA allow combine simplicity of web-site with technical possibilities of apps. Almost everyone have faced that problem, but hardly anyone have paied attention. In such mobile browsers like Opera, Google, Firefox, Microsoft Edge when you visit the site you can stumble upon the message, where you are offered to install PWA on your smartphone. After installing, you can use icon from your desktop as application. It is useful and convenient! You don’t need to search necessary app in App Store or Play Market and wait till it’s downloading. Also it uses much less data and memory, than mobile app. That’s why there is an opinion that Progressive Web Apps are the future.

How it should be implemented:

There are few important qualities for progressive web app, let’s talk about them.

1. Adaptability — ability to adapt to any device (phone, tablet, desktop or something else);

2. Independency — ability to work offline;

3. Native look — the application must correspond to the user-friendly ways of interacting and navigating;

4. Self-renewing — he application must monitor the automatic update process;

5. Withholding — using technical capabilities motivate the user to reuse the application, for example by push notifications;

6. Safety — app should prevent interception and data substitution, by using HTTPS;

According to these requirements you can create real working PWA, which can win simple applications in all categories of comparing.

Why business needs PWAs:

Statistic says that number of people, who still download apps significantly decreased. It means that PWA can become a new level in century of mobile technologies.

Let’s consider pros of PWA:

• Users appreciate the simplicity and convenience, here PWA in a better position.
• PWA works faster ( 53% of users will abandon a site if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load);
• Message with offer is shown only when user demonstrated interest (repeated visit to the site).
• Installation of the application is instant. All components that require a long download are already installed in the cache when the user visited the site first time (such apps have less size).
• Simple apps connect with planform (IOS/Android), but PWA works everywhere.

Cons of PWA:

• It is new technology, that’s why not everyone can be so brave and try this method;
• Not all browsers have such function.

Examples and statistics of using a PWAs:

United eXtra Electronics

• 4 times more visitors coming again
• 2 times more sails from users, who used the link

Twitter

• Saves 70% on data;
• Saves 30% on loads;

Alibaba

• 76% rise in conversions;
• 4 times higher interactions rate.

A lot of other companies, which decided to try such thing as progressive web apps, now have really great results.

In Conclusion:

Popularity of this technology is increasing every day. It has a lot of positive sides and a few number of negative ones!

So, what is your decision? Try PWAs or take away from this perspective technology?