Today, in an age of rapid transition, The Internet, as we know it, has steadily grown into something truly amazing. It was really intriguing to watch this transition, and it will be much more exciting to see what lies ahead.

Progressive web apps are web apps that use the current web technologies to provide a native user interface. They blend what we love most about the internet with what we love about native applications. No installation is required, loading time is very fast, and the app can be accessed from an icon on the home screen.

What’s so good about progressive web applications?

Progressive mobile applications integrate native user experience with the benefits of web apps:

• Discoverability: In reality, radical mobile apps are websites themselves, because they are indexed to search engines.
• Simple to upgrade: New content and updates to your radical web app can be downloaded immediately when you open it.
• Protection: As any network request is handled by service staff, progressive web apps should be hosted through HTTPS to avoid security issues.
• Offline work: unlike regular internet networks, you would be able to open a radical web app from your smartphone, even without an internet link.
• User experience: Innovative mobile apps have native experience and efficiency with limited page refreshes. In addition, much as native applications, they can be added to the home screen.
• Intuitive design: A progressive mobile interface can run seamlessly on your smartphone, tablet and laptop as well.
• Linkable: Radical web apps can be shared like every other website link.

Wind of Change: Going to Progressive Norms

Time has not stood still. Web platforms are getting more and more mature, providing countless capabilities to build dynamic web applications that are by no means inferior to smartphone apps.

For example, a modern web application like Google Docs in no way grants Microsoft Word to its desktop counterpart, and this is just the beginning. Web app development is starting to push desktop apps into the abyss, and it seems that in the near future we will only need a browser.

In 2015, Google introduced a new web application building model called Progressive Web Apps. It combines the best of web and mobile applications and makes the most of the latest browser capabilities.

A progressive web app can be described as a hybrid between a web page and a mobile app. In fact, the term “Progressive Web Apps” is just a buzzword. They are made of HTML, CSS and JavaScript and “live” in the browser, but offer more capabilities and more access to the underlying operating system and hardware (more access to the native phone APIs).

Just like a native app, you can add a PWA to your home screen with a custom icon. A native app may be incompatible with some devices, as OS, hardware or firmware may not be supported, which is not the case for PWAs.

The reason why they are called ‘progressive’ is that they will operate independently of the technical environment and will only be implemented if they are available on the device without damaging or sacrificing the content. There’s nothing new about it, progressive enhancement has been implemented in web apps for years now.

But they should not be confused with the above-mentioned cross-platform mobile applications made with tools such as Cordova, React Native or Electron. All of these technologies convert the source code (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript) into executable files (.apk,.exe) that need to be downloaded and installed.

The main idea behind PWAs and what really makes them stand out from all of the technologies mentioned above is that PWAs do not require installation. To be able to use the PWA, all you need to do is visit its website and save it to your home screen. This is it. All source code and resources will be stored locally (saved in local storage) allowing the PWA to work offline.

Service Workers

The key workhorse that drives the PWA and helps it to run even though there is no internet link is a modern technology called Service Staff. Once cached, the PWA will always be loaded from the local storage. If new content or new versions of the app are available, the service worker will automatically update it behind the scenes next time you connect to the Internet.

Another cool thing worth mentioning is that PWAs can send push notifications, a privilege that only native apps have been able to use until recently.

Here’s just a small subset of the capabilities already available in PWAs (apart from those mentioned above):

• Access to hardware features such as webcam, microphone, Bluetooth, battery status, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass and a bunch of sensors.(ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, etc.)
• Indexing of search engines;
• Complete screen mode;
• Access to the system of files;
• Ability to add an icon to your home screen;
• Access to the clipboard;
• Hardware-accelerated 3D graphics that use WebGL;
• You can easily share PWAs via URL

Safari is a little slow in introducing innovative mobile applications, including their key feature—Service Workers, but it’s just a matter of time until they catch up with other browsers. All other new web APIs mentioned above, including push alerts, are open.

What does this mean for the startups of tomorrow?

Again, Google is ahead of the “Progressive Web Apps” curve. We should expect a massive market for PWAs in the near future, and they can definitely restart the growth of web applications. PWAs remove the need to import and install something on your mobile computer that has been a stumbling block since the spread of mobile apps. PWAs can do the job in most situations and can also be a much smarter investment. There’s no need to build and manage three different code bases for Android, iOS and the Network. There is no need to fight for popularity in app stores. You can use good old SEO strategies to draw users and turn them into consumers.