An Overview of Progressive Web Applications

A Progressive Web Application (PWA) is a Web Application taking advantage of modern-day web capabilities in blend with the best of Web and Mobile App Development and gives users an app-like experience right in their browsers.

A Progressive Web Application (PWA) is a Web Application taking advantage of modern-day web capabilities in blend with the best of Web and Mobile App Development and gives users an app-like experience right in their browsers. In short, it means that users can access all the needed information and capabilities directly on their browsers, without the need to download a mobile app.

Progressive Web Apps provide a number of advantages like easy deployment and maintenance, larger community base, improvised performance, faster loading time, higher customer retention, less data use, compatibility with higher number plug-ins, etc. compared to a Native Application Development.

Survey has shown that generally, users consider downloading an app is a tedious process, especially considering the huge number of steps involved between the first app contacts to finally searching, downloading, and installing the app. There is approx. 20% drop in the user’s conversion in this process. However, with Progressive Web Apps, the user is immediately able to start using the app once he finds it. Hence, all the steps in the traditional app download approach can be eliminated. In the future also, we user returns to the app, he is prompted to install the app and start using it.

The ability to send push notifications in the Mobile Application Development helps in higher customer retention as it attracts users to reopen the mobile application unlike in the web application. As said above, PWA takes the advantage of best of both the mobile and web technologies, here also helps in taking the advantage of mobile app features ensuring better performance and higher retention without the hassle of maintaining a mobile application.

Some Of The Popular And Successful Examples Of Progressive Web Apps Are:

1. AliExpress

2. Twitter Lite

3. Flipkart

4. Forbes

5. BookMyShow

6. Pinterest

7. OLX

8. MakeMyTrip

9. Pure Formulas

10. Settled

Above mentioned are successful Progressive Web-based Apps of different companies across different domains.

Below Is a Few Of The Characteristics Of A Progressive Web App:

· Linkable

· Independent of connectivity

· App-like

· Fresh

· Discoverable

· Progressive

· Responsive

· Installable

· Re-engageable etc

Future of PWA’s

We believe PWA’s are definitely here to stay even in this competitive market considering the number of benefits it offers right from the lower cost of development & maintenance to, user experience, features, and importantly customer retention to name a few. The only limitation at this point in time it has is that it’s not supported by all the browsers or software’s but, considering the rapid innovation in the technology world and strong community base we are sure this limitation will be resolved soon.