Progressive Web App takes advantage of modern technologies to combine mobile and web apps. A progressive web app can be the next big thing for the mobile web app. It was introduced by Google in 2015, and since then, it has attracted most of the developers in terms of the development process and users in terms of providing a great user experience.
Some core benefits of developing a progressive web app are:
- You can install the app on both mobile and desktop home screens.
- The benefit of accessing the content in offline mode.
- Receiving Push Notifications.
- Access to the camera.
- Background Synchronization.
Well, we have seen the benefits of developing Progressive Web App for our business. It is also important for us to know about the steps to develop a progressive web app. In this blog, we will be discussing the steps to build a progressive web app.
Steps To Build A Progressive Web App
There are certain steps that need to be followed for developing a progressive web app.
1) Serve Over HTTPS
SSL adds an extra layer of security to the web and helps your users feel secure while using your web app.
In PWAs, if you want to allow home screen installation and use service workers, you need to implement HTTPS. To implement SSL, you can purchase from your domain registrar and connect with your PWA development company to configure it in your web app.
In the current market, we often notice cyber crimes, and to avoid these and make your web app secure, it is essential to implement SSL.
2) Create an Application Shell
If we talk about application shell in PWAs, it is the first thing that appears on the user screen. To make it load faster on the user screen, it should be on an index HTML document with inline CSS. The web apps should be developed in such a manner that the content should appear sooner and ensure that the user should not wait for long.
3) Register A Service Worker
A service worker is essential when we talk about progressive web apps. These are handy and easy to set up. Before implementing a service worker, ensure that whether it is supported by your web browser or not.
Register the service worker file, called service-worker.js.
4) Add Push Notifications
In today’s mobile app development market, all the latest apps are coming with Push Notification features, helping both customers and businesses. Customers get timely notifications about products, services, offers, and any new updates the business has introduced without opening the app.
You need to click on self.registration.pushManager from the service worker file to get access to the push notification.
To configure push notification in your PWA that works seamlessly, you can use Google Firebase that comes with Firebase Cloud Messaging feature.
This can be implemented when you want to develop an app from scratch.
Businesses have boosted their sales in the last few years after integrating push notifications.
5) Add a Web App Manifest
When the web app manifest is implemented, commanding over the web browsers becomes an easy task. You can easily track PWAs working when installed on the user’s mobile or desktop.
To operate PWA app in your browser, it is important to manifest JSON file which is supported in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. It is partially supported in Safari.
Thus, to install the app, you need to insert the manifest.json file in the root directory of PWA.
6) Configure the Installation Prompt
When a user visits a web app, the browser automatically detects and sends a prompt message to the user to install the app on their home screen and find out whether they are interested in installing the app or not.
7) Analyze Your App’s Performance
PWAs performance matters a lot for your business. You need to ensure the working of the web app in all network conditions so the user can run it on any network. There should be no fluctuation in your web app; it should also load faster in every web browser.
Various factors affect an app’s performance. Some of these are:
- Analyzing app speed and loading time
- Looking for all the tabs working properly or not.
- UI and UX functionality
- Navigation
Analyze your progressive web app performance using RAIL System technology. (user-centric performance model). After analyzing your report, you can work with the development team to fix the issue and make the web app work efficiently.
8) Audit Your Report With Lighthouse
As businesses are coming up with PWAs, Google is becoming a champion supporter of progressive web apps, as the future is all about PWAs. Lighthouse tools can prove to be a good supporter that helps in PWA development.
Lighthouse tool can help you audit your web app keeping PWA guidelines and providing you with a score out of 100. With the help of the Lighthouse tool, you can score the app based on web best practices at the same time.
By analyzing the report generated by the lighthouse tool, you can work on the drawbacks that users are facing and fix them.
You can work on these points using the Lighthouse tool:
- Registers a Service Worker
- Responds with a 200 when offline
- You are accessible with JavaScript when content is not available.
- Uses HTTPS
- Redirects HTTP traffic to HTTPS
- Page load is fast enough on 3G
- Prompt to install the web app.
- Configured for a custom splash screen
- Address bar matches brand colours
- Has a <meta name=”viewport”> tag with width or initial-scale
- Content is sized correctly for the viewport
Make a note of these pointers and work on their issue if found. Implementing the above-mentioned points will help you to improve your app performance.
Conclusion
Well, it can be assumed that this blog post has helped you know about progressive web apps and the steps to develop a web app.
If you own a business and want to develop your business app using PWA technology, you can connect with a progressive web app development company and build your app.
Author Bio
This blog is written by Steven Martin, who is a profession web app developer, having an experience of 7 years in mobile app and web development. He is expertise is development and loves to share his knowledge through online platforms like blogger and WordPress.