What is a progressive web app, and when is it the right choice?
A progressive web app (PWA) is a web application that behaves like an installed app: it can be added to the home screen, opened without browser controls, work offline using cached data and receive push notifications. It is delivered and updated over the web, without an app store. A PWA suits products that need installability and offline capability without deep platform integration, and where fast updates are a priority.
The main advantage is speed of release. Fixes reach users the next time the app loads, with no app store review, which is particularly valuable for internal and operational tools.
PWAs are less suitable where users expect to find the product in an app store, or where it needs background location, sustained background processing, platform payments or hardware features that browsers support only partially. Browser support varies by platform and should be checked for your target devices.
A practical approach is to launch as a PWA and add a native wrapper later if app store distribution becomes necessary, as most of the work carries over.
Installability alone does not drive adoption. Users install apps that provide ongoing value.
Related service
Mobile App DevelopmentiOS and Android apps from one codebase, with offline support and app store submission.
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