Progressive web app

What it means

A PWA, or progressive web app, is a website that behaves like a mobile app. It can be added to the phone's home screen, opens in its own window without the browser bar, works offline and can send notifications. Yet it remains a website reachable at an ordinary address.

Technically it rests on a few building blocks: a manifest defining the app's name and icon, a service worker that caches content and enables offline use, and a secure HTTPS connection. The foundation is responsive design that adapts to any screen.

A PWA is a cheaper alternative to separate Android and iOS apps. One codebase serves all devices, updates take effect immediately without app store approval, and users do not have to install anything from a store to get started.

How it works in practice

For online stores, booking systems or client portals, a PWA can boost repeat visits: the customer has an icon on the home screen, the page loads quickly even on a weak signal and notifications report order status. Speed also shows up in Core Web Vitals.

Because it is a website, a PWA can be indexed by search engines, which standalone apps cannot. With mobile-first indexing, a well-built mobile version also helps SEO, provided the content is not hidden in client-side code without server rendering.

Before choosing between a PWA and a native app, consider which device features are needed. A PWA can handle the camera, location and notifications, but some advanced features and support on iOS tend to be more limited.

What to watch out for

Offline mode means some data is stored on the device. For sensitive data, such as a client portal with invoices, think through what is stored, for how long and how it is wiped on logout, so that personal data protection is not compromised.

Notifications are powerful but easily abused. Most people decline a permission request on the very first visit, and too many messages lead to uninstalls. Notifications should deliver real value, not just advertising.