Progressive Web Apps – Is it the Future of Apps?
Ever wished that there was some mechanism to create apps in no time and run it on different systems with your users loving them, completely? Well, your wait is over, Progressive Apps are here! Proposed by Google in 2015, Progressive Apps have marked their presence in the world solely because of the ease they offer with the developers and the seamless experience they promise their users.
This article is all about Progressive apps and why all app development companies who are changing the mobile app world are already getting into it.
PWAs (Progressive Web Apps) are the perfect blend of the web and mobile apps. Being built on the app shell model, they feel and look like mobile apps and the fact that they run similar on all devices and can run on low internet network makes them a lot like web apps. With re-engagement factors like push notifications, progressive apps can easily be shared with the world with just a link that is served as HTTPS.
Being the best of both web and mobile apps, the apps are in actuality very different from both, technically. It comes into the picture when a cache application programming interface replaces the traditional web cache with the help of JavaScript task that runs in the background.
What enables the PWAs to run offline is that its API saves the static resources from all the sites that have been visited on the device.
Benefits offered by Progressive Web Apps
The reason that PWAs are demanded and preferred by users and companies alike and the reasons why Flipkart increased its conversions by 70% by switching to the app type is solely because of the increase in speed and cost effectiveness. And this is why it is demanded even when it calls for custom mobile app development. Let us look at some of the reasons in detail –
Increased Speed
The second time any user visits the site, even on a flaky internet network, he is able to view the page, previous searches, and product pages with utmost ease and no change in experience.
Reduced Cost
What makes PWAs cheap is that it runs on all devices and operating systems with payment done only once.
Another success story
The capability to deliver a great user experience helped AliExpress in improving their conversions for the new users across all devices and browsers by 104% and the increase in iOS conversions was 82%.
When should you opt for it?
Let us see when does it makes sense to have a progressive web app.
If you want your users to view some of their transactions or interactions with the app, give them PWAs, but if you want them to be active in real time and order something that you offer, give them mobile apps. Because even after the high internet speed and low data usage, the apps cannot offer your clients the chance to view all your pages as and when they desire.
So if you need interaction, give them mobile apps and if you need to remind them something or keep them on your page passively, use Progressive Web Apps.
For everyone who wishes to have something that is easy to create, works on all devices, and feels like an app while highlighting all the important features of their website, Progressive Web Apps is the best as it can get.
Bio: Tripti has been writing for the past 3 years. Currently being associated with ChromeInfotech, one of the leading app development companies, she is learning the tricks of the trade of the fast evolving mobile market.