An analysis by Christoph Schellhaus, Technology Manager
PWAs (Progressive Web Apps) are hybrids between mobile web pages and apps. They are built with the same technology that is used for websites: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, whereas native apps are usually built with Java or a programming language from the C-family. They are websites that can be added to the home screen, can run offline and are able to load additional content in the background.
There are good reasons to create a PWA rather than an app:
- Cost – A PWA is a website with added features, so it isn’t necessary to invest in developing one or even two native apps (one for each major OS). The same team can create a website and a PWA, as both are created in the same programming language: JavaScript. This is a huge pro for all website operators who can’t afford to develop an app.
- Ease of access – Users are more likely to install a PWA, as it is easier and faster; there is no detour via an app store, no app store verification, etc. Once the user has visited the website on their mobile device, the PWA can be downloaded and installed instantly for future use.
Most people don’t want to download an app for every newspaper or magazine they read now and then, but quickly adding a PWA to their home screen is a tiny obstacle.
- Accessibility – The key difference to a website is that a PWA also works offline.
The original idea was to create an offline-first environment for places where cellular connectivity is limited, such as parts of India, Brazil and Africa.
Twitter has already created a PWA alternative for the Indian market. It is lightweight at only 1 MB, compared to the iOS app which puts 119 MB on the scales. However, not only in countries with poor connectivity will people enjoy the lightweight alternative; Twitter’s PWA loads 30% faster and uses up to 70% less data. Faster access and faster download speeds equal a better user experience.
Furthermore, even in other countries there are spots without network access. For example, not every subway or aircraft offers free Wi-Fi. Subway commuters could benefit greatly from being able to pre-download the news at home, where Wi-Fi is fast and cheap, and then read it on their daily journey to work.
- Increased flexibility – In the past, JavaScript wasn’t a good choice for creating complex applications. It ran only in a browser and was single threaded (meaning no multi-tasking). But deployment of frameworks and libraries and its ongoing evolution have made it into a powerful tool. Service Workers are making it possible to run the code multi-threaded (allowing multitasking); with node.js, server-side scripts can be created in JavaScript and can replace PHP; and with Angular, even desktop apps can be created using JavaScript.
Great opportunities are out there. Websites, PWAs as an alternative to mobile apps, server-side scripts, and stand-alone desktop apps can all be created with the same programming language, allowing code modules to be shared between all these different products.
- Advertising – A PWA also makes life easier for advertisers and marketers. It is technically identical to a web page; thus, publishers can deliver ads in the way they are used to on the web. Advertisers can track and measure without all the difficulties that arise in a web-to-app environment. Measurement is much easier and more reliable when ad activity and conversion take place in a web-only world.
So, why are PWAs not already widespread? A piece of the puzzle necessary to enable PWAs – Service Workers – aren’t supported by Safari yet. However, even in Cupertino this is considered as an advantageous technology, and support of Service Workers in Safari is coming in the near future.
Of course there are some cons for PWAs when compared to native apps. Complex programs will still run more smoothly deployed as a native app. Also, in-app payment via an app store is convenient for users. On the other hand, there is healthy competition between web-based payment suppliers on the market, so costs of payment transactions are being reduced.
However, this should be on the radar of everyone working in Digital – great opportunities ahead!
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