Let’s begin with a definition:
“A Progressive Web App uses modern web capabilities to deliver an app-like user experience.”
Depending on the user's needs, Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are a great option for people who find it more freeing and flexible to open up a browser instead of installing a mobile application. PWAs take advantage of ever improving technologies to provide users with some of the power of both mobile sites and native apps.
For a brief overview, here are some of the key characteristics of PWAs from our partners at Google:
- Reliable - Load instantly and never show the downasaur, even in uncertain network conditions.
- Fast - Respond quickly to user interactions with silky smooth animations and no janky scrolling.
- Engaging - Feel like a natural app on the device, with an immersive user experience.
In a recent talk at an Angular meetup, I had the chance to go over PWAs, giving a brief overview to then jump into how to use Lighthouse to test and improve your webpage; using a service worker app shell and much more.
You'll also learn how you can add a number of progressive aspects to your application including faster load times, offline support and the ability to install a link to your mobile home screen.
Watch the talk below!