Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are an amalgamation of the best of the web and the app. As the name suggests, PWAs are web applications, which appear like native mobile apps. With the convenience of mobile apps, PWAs exist on the web like any other website and can be added directly to the user’s home screen. PWAs offer a wide range of benefits similar to a native app such as reliability, push notifications, offline capabilities and higher engagement.
As PWAs are designed to be platform-agnostic, they can function seamlessly across multiple platforms enabling users to install them on their device’s home screen directly. Before you hire experts from the leading PWA App Development Company, let’s check out some of the distinctive features that make PWAs different from native mobile apps and websites.
Distinctive Features of Native Mobile Apps and PWAs
Progressive web apps (PWAs) and native mobile applications are built from distinct methodologies and both provide different benefits and features.
- Development
One of the main differences is traditional mobile apps are made exclusively for a particular platform like Android or iOS. On the other hand, PWAs can function seamlessly across multiple platforms enabling users to install directly on the device’s home screen. This means that for the iOS platform, apps are built utilising programming languages like Swift and for the Android platform, apps are built using Java.
PWAs are built using conventional website-building technologies like HTML, CSS and JavaScript. However, developers you are hiring for your PWA development needs must have good knowledge of these languages and frameworks.
- UX and UI
Traditional mobile apps are built particularly to use the characteristics and functions of the current mobile features which means the user experience is extensively optimised by effectively deploying the hardware of the device like GPS, camera, sensors, and others.
On the other hand, progressive web apps cannot completely use the characteristics of the phone or PC and primarily deliver an experience exactly similar to an application through their design offline capabilities and enhancement techniques.
- App Distribution
We all know that the distribution of native mobile apps is done through their respective app stores like Google Play store and Apple App Store. This means the native mobile apps are deployed in compliance with platform guidelines and approvals to make them work seamlessly within the stores.
However, in the case of progressive web apps, they don’t need to follow the traditional installation process as it is not done through app stores. PWAs can be conveniently discovered through search engines, shared through URLs and accessed directly through web browsers where users can add to their devices’ home screens instantly.
Benefits of PWA Over Web and Mobile Apps
PWAs are being used by many big brands. One example is Twitter Lite, which is known for delivering an exceptional and quick response with offline access capability. Another one is Flipkart Lite which offers a seamless shopping experience with offline browsing capabilities.
- PWA exist on the web like websites which means they can be found in the Google search result making it easily accessible and can be discovered effortlessly.
- PWAs eliminate friction as users don’t need to visit app stores and download the apps from there. These apps are added directly to the home screen instantly offering a user-friendly interface similar to a native app.
- Building and maintaining PWAs are less costly as they are platform-independent making them websites with all the functionalities of a mobile app.
- PWAs make use of the App Shell Architecture, which ensures rapid loading providing a static frame with fast web components for the first load where additional content is loaded progressively.
- Service Workers in PWAs bring the best of both web and mobile to PWAs, responsible for handling smart and reliable caching, maintaining background sync, push notifications and offline browsing.
Closing Statement
As we can see, PWAs combine the best of both web and app offering speed and usability like a native app and robust backend framework and connectivity like a website. This is the reason why many successful brands are already making use of PWAs to enhance their business operations.
Make sure that you connect with experts who have in-depth knowledge of the technology before unlocking the power of progressive web app development services for your business. Step into the world of next-generation web apps with PWAs and make your business future-ready.