How can you create native-like web apps with progressive web apps and web app manifests?

1 What are progressive web apps?

Progressive web apps (PWAs) are web apps that use modern web technologies to deliver native-like features and benefits. PWAs can work offline, load faster, send push notifications, and even be added to the home screen of the device. PWAs are also responsive, secure, and discoverable by search engines. To create a PWA, you need to follow some best practices and use two key components: a service worker and a web app manifest.

2 What is a service worker?

A service worker is a script that runs in the background and acts as a proxy between your web app and the network. It can intercept and handle requests, cache resources, and perform tasks even when the web app is not open. A service worker can enable offline functionality, improve performance, and support push notifications for your web app. To use a service worker, you need to register it in your main JavaScript file and write the logic for caching, fetching, and updating in a separate service worker file.

3 What is a web app manifest?

A web app manifest is a JSON file that provides metadata and configuration options for your web app. It can specify how your web app should look and behave when it is added to the home screen of the device, such as the name, icon, theme color, orientation, and display mode. A web app manifest can also define the scope and start URL of your web app, as well as the shortcuts and categories for app launchers. To use a web app manifest, you need to link it in your HTML file and provide the relevant properties and values.

4 How to test and debug your PWA?

To test and debug your PWA, you can use various tools and methods. One of the most popular tools is Lighthouse, which is a web audit tool that evaluates your web app against a set of criteria and provides feedback and suggestions for improvement. You can run Lighthouse from the Chrome DevTools, from the command line, or as a Node module. Another tool is Workbox, which is a set of libraries and modules that simplify the creation and maintenance of service workers. You can use Workbox to generate, inject, and update service worker code, as well as to manage caching strategies and precaching.

5 How to deploy and update your PWA?

To deploy and update your PWA, you need to follow some steps and best practices. First, you need to ensure that your web app is hosted on a secure server that supports HTTPS, which is required for service workers. Second, you need to optimize your web app for performance, accessibility, and SEO, by using techniques such as minification, compression, lazy loading, and semantic markup. Third, you need to implement a versioning system and a cache invalidation strategy for your service worker and web app manifest, to ensure that your users always get the latest and best version of your web app.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?