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Progressive Web Apps: A Practical Overview

What a progressive web app can offer, and when its extra capabilities are useful.

Eira Digital · · 1 min read

Progressive Web Apps: A Practical Overview

A website with additional capabilities

A progressive web app is built with web technologies while offering some experiences associated with installed apps. Depending on the implementation and browser, these can include installation and access to selected content without a network connection.

Choose features around a real need

The useful question is what improves a visitor’s experience. A frequently used tool may benefit from quick access on a device. Reference material may benefit from offline availability. A simple information page may need only clear content and fast loading.

Set realistic expectations

Browser support and device behaviour vary. Test the capabilities you plan to offer, and keep the ordinary website experience usable when a feature is unavailable. Explain whether information is saved locally and what requires a connection.

Start with the smallest improvement that solves a real problem, then test whether people find it useful.

Further reading: MDN’s PWA overview.

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