Progressive Web Apps: Building Native-Like Experiences

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) combine the reach of the web with native app capabilities. This guide covers building modern PWAs with offline support and native features.

Core PWA Requirements#

Web App Manifest#

Service Worker Registration#

Service Worker Implementation#

Caching Strategies#

Push Notifications#

Subscribing to Push#

Handling Push Events#

Background Sync#

Native Features#

Share API#

File System Access#

Install Prompt#

Best Practices#

1. Test offline mode: Ensure core functionality works offline
2. Optimize asset caching: Cache only what's needed
3. Handle update gracefully: Notify users of new versions
4. Provide feedback: Show sync status and offline indicators
5. Respect battery/data: Use background sync sparingly

Conclusion#

PWAs provide native-like experiences on the web. Start with the basics—manifest and service worker—then progressively add features like push notifications and background sync.