Progressive Web App (PWA)

What is a PWA?

A Progressive Web App (PWA) is a web application that can be consulted like a classic website from a URL or from a search engine such as Google. Except that the PWA make it possible to offer functionalities that a classic web application does not offer:

• It is possible to install it from the web on computers or mobile devices (smartphones or tablets). It then appears in the list of applications on the device like any other native application.
• It becomes as much as possible independent of the connection. The use is done in a fluid way even being offline or having a weak connection (provided that it is installed and that the pages have been loaded).
• It becomes possible to access native features of a device (like a classic application).

Why install a web application?

Installed Progressive Web Apps run in a standalone window instead of your web browser tab. They can be launched from the home screen or the taskbar for example. It is also possible to search for them on a device and switch between applications from the application switcher, which makes them feel that the application is part of the device on which it is installed.

Note that for an application page to become available offline, it must have been loaded at least once before. Indeed, we speak of a "progressive" application because it loads and updates gradually as it is used in connected mode.

Installing a PWA also unlocks access to native features. Among which we find for example the camera, the GPS, and the contacts. These are functions that are not accessible for a classic web application.

When a web application moves from a browser tab to a standalone window, it transforms the way users think about it and interact with it.

The business impact of an installable website

Why do you want a user to install your PWA? To facilitate the return to your site!

Where an Android or iOS application would add at least three steps (redirection to the store, downloading the application, launching the application), the installation of a PWA is done transparently in a single step. click without moving the user away from the current funnel.

Users who have installed your PWA will be much more engaged because your application is directly at hand and can be launched with a single click. So installation is a great way to keep people coming back to your site and improve customer loyalty. So do not hesitate to promote the installation of your application to your users.

What are the advantages of creating a PWA?

With a PWA app you can reach anyone and on any device with a single code base. In addition, you free yourself from the constraints of submitting to App-Stores and you reduce development costs because you do not need to carry out specific development for each platform (iOS, Android, etc.).

Progressive web apps therefore give you the opportunity to offer a web experience that your users will love.