Progressive Web App Development: A Complete Guide

Progressive web apps (PWAs) represent the future of digital experience. They blend the best of the web and native apps while eliminating their downsides. PWA tech brings native app experiences to browsers, using modern web platform features and service workers.

For over nine years, Softermii has assisted clients in harnessing the power of PWA technology. Our team knows how to achieve maximum performance, functionality, and user experiences. With this experience, we present a complete guide to making a PWA. We'll discuss the key features, development process and cost, future trends, and case studies from industry giants.

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Key Features of Progressive Web Apps

Progressive web apps bridge the gap between websites and nativemobile applications. You should explore its defining features if you start a progressive web application development process. Here are the essential characteristics of PWAs:

Responsive Design

PWAs are built to fit any screen size, including desktops, mobile phones, tablets, or other devices. This design guarantees a consistent user experience across all platforms.

Offline Access

PWAs stand out for their ability to operate offline or in low-network conditions. Service workers achieve this by caching key resources. Thus, users can access the app's core functions without an internet connection.

App-Like Feel

PWAs are designed to mimic the user experience of nativemobile apps. They provide seamless animations, intuitive navigation, and gesture support. This feature makes them indistinguishable from their native counterparts.

Push Notifications

PWAs can send push notifications to user devices, like native apps. They enhance user engagement, ensuring timely updates and prompts.

Safety and Security

All PWAs must be served over HTTPS, ensuring secure connection and data encryption. Service workers also act as network proxies, ensuring data integrity and preventing tampering.

Fast Loading Times

PWAs are optimized for speed. Lazy loading, caching, and streamlined code ensure the quick load of these apps. These techniques reduce bounce rates and improve user experience.

Easy Updates

Unlike traditional mobile apps that rely on users downloading updates from app stores, PWAsupdate automatically. Users will experience the most recent version when they visit the PWA.

Discoverability

Since they are web-based, PWAs are discoverable by search engines. This feature can significantly boost the apps' visibility compared to traditional mobile apps, which are limited to app stores.

Low Data Usage

Due to optimized images, caching, and other data-saving methods, PWAs use less data than native apps. This ability makes them a great choice for users on limited data plans.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Developers create a progressive web application with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript technologies. Thus, they are platform-agnostic and can run on any device with a web browser.

Steps to Develop a Progressive Web App

Building a progressive web app is about blending features of web and mobile apps into a unified experience. It must be seamless, efficient, and accessible on any device. The development process is a systematic journey from the idea to deploying the final product. Here's a brief overview of the critical steps involved in developing a PWA:

Project Setup, Preparation, and UX/UI Design

Every successful PWA starts with a clear vision. This phase involves establishing the project's foundation, defining goals, the target audience, and functionality. Next, it's crucial to focus on creating a user-centric interface. The UX should be intuitive, while the UI should be appealing and responsive, ensuring the app works perfectly on various devices.

Based on Chrome web data, roughly 17% of page loads exhibit characteristics similar to PWAs

Development

Here, your vision turns into reality. Developers use modern web technologies and frameworks to make the PWA. They ensure it offers offline capabilities, push notifications, and other signature features. This stage demands a keen focus on performance optimization, ensuring the app is fast and resource-efficient.

Testing and Quality Assurance

Before a PWA is launched, it undergoes thorough testing. Engineers must ensure that the app functions as intended. They identify any issues and verify the PWA meets performance benchmarks. This phase also includes testing on different devices and browsers to ensure wide compatibility.

Deployment and Distribution

It's time for deployment once the PWA has been polished to perfection. Unlike traditional apps that need app store approval, PWAs can be distributed via the web. Yet, it's crucial to ensure that the server settings are correctly configured and that the app is discoverable by search engines.

Technical Documentation

It provides a roadmap of the app's architecture, functionality, and underlying codebase. Documentation helps developers to understand, maintain, or expand the PWA.

Now you know what the development process of the PWA looks like, and you're probably wondering about the necessary investments. The good news is that we got you covered! Let’s look at the table with cost breakdown for the development stages. 

How much to invest in the development of progressive web application?
	Development Stages	Hours	Cost
1	Project Setup, Preparation, and UX/UI Design	280 hours	$11 200
2	Development	640 hours	$25 600
3	Testing and Launch	240 hours	$9 600
4	Deployment and Distribution	80 hours	$3 200
5	Technical Documentation	40 hours	$1 600
	Total:	1280 hours (7.5 months)	$51 200

Please note, that this table includes the estimates and the actual price may vary. To get a quote for your project, please get in touch with us to discuss the details.

Cost Considerations for PWA Development

When venturing into software creation, one of the primary considerations is the associated app development cost. PWAs have emerged as a cost-effective alternative to native app development. However, several factors can influence the overall budget. Here's a deep dive into the cost considerations for progressive web app development compared to native apps:

	PWAs	Native Apps
Design	Their design is generally less intricate than a native apps' due to its web-centric nature. A single responsive design can cater to various device sizes, eliminating the need for several designs, which might reduce initial design costs.	Often offer unique designs for different platforms (iOS, Android). Aiming for platform-specific user experiences can lead to higher design costs.
Features & Functionalities	Can access many devicefeatures, but there are still limitations compared to native apps. Depending on the functionalities, your investment might be lower.	Can harness the full power of the device's hardware and software capabilities. A richer feature set escalates development costs, especially if integrating advanced functionalities.
Complexity	It is generally lower than native apps as PWAs usually rely on web technologies. It's possible to build a progressive web application using a single code base for all platforms to reduce development time and costs.	Developing a native app involves more intricate coding, especially for different platforms. The app may require complex back-end integrations or use advanced devicefeatures, which can lead to increased costs.
Maintenance	Maintenance costs are usually lower as updates can be pushed directly. Also, users can access the latest version without updating the app manually.	Regular updates must be pushed through app stores, and users must download these updates. Over time, maintaining native apps for different platforms can become cost-intensive.
Deployment	PWAs don't need app store approvals, which reduces deployment time and associated fees.	Launching a native app requires app store approvals, which can be time-consuming. Additionally, app stores often take a percentage of the app's revenue.

Real-World Examples of Successful PWAs

PWAs have empowered business giants to elevate user experiences and boost their profits. Let's explore some PWAs that have made a significant impact on these companies:

Lancôme: A Beauty Giant's Digital Transformation

Lancôme noticed that while mobile traffic was high, conversions were lower compared to desktop. They needed a solution to provide a smooth and efficient mobile shopping experience.

They decided to create a progressive web application to offer users an app-like experience on the web. Lancôme saw:

• a 17% increase in conversions;
• a 51% increase in mobile sessions;
• push notifications yielded an open rate of 18%. 

The offline browsing feature also enabled customers to browse products without an internet connection, improving user retention.

Uber: Extending reach with m.uber

Uber has aimed to be accessible to everyone and everywhere. They needed to cater to users with slow internet connections and basic smartphones.

The company introduced m.uber, designed for fast operation even on 2G networks. With a focus on performance and efficiency, this app allows users to request rides without the need to install the native app. m.uber offers a consistent user experience across various devices and network conditions, especially when high-speed internet isn't available.

Future Trends in PWA Development

Progressive web apps have become an alternative to nativemobile apps. As technology advances and user demands evolve, we can expect PWAs to adapt and integrate new features. Here's a look into the predicted evolutions in progressive web app development:

Broader DeviceFeature Accessibility

PWAs are getting closer to matching native apps using devicefeatures and storage. Get ready for PWAs to use even more device capabilities. It will result in a better user experience and improved storage for smooth performance with data-intensive apps.

Voice Interface Integration

PWAs will likely integrate with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Users can interact with PWA via voice commands, which enhances user experience and accessibility.

Heightened Personalization & Customization

Machine learning and AI allow for dynamic personalization and customization. PWAs may adapt to user behavior and preferences, offering more relevant content and functions.

The worldwide market for progressive web applications is expected to grow to $10.44 Billion by 2027, with a CAGR of 31.9% throughout the projected period

Advanced Data Visualization Tools

With data gaining significance in decision-making, PWAs may incorporate advanced data visualization tools. They allow for presenting insights in a user-friendly visual format. Thus, this integration will help businesses and users in understanding complex datasets.

Enhanced File and Clipboard Interactivity

PWAs are improving their capability to manage files from the device's storage and interact with the system's clipboard. Content creation, editing, and sharing within PWAs become much more fluid.

Blockchain Integration

Blockchain revolutionizes finance and healthcare; PWAs are expected to incorporate those features. This integration can offer secure, decentralized transaction capabilities and data storage options.

Deeper Web Ecosystem Synergy

PWAs will further integrate into the broader web ecosystem. We expect better support for web components, adoption of emerging web technologies, and improved interoperability with other web-based platforms and tools.

Softermii as Your Web App Development Partner

Choosing a partner for custom web applicationdevelopment makes all the difference between achieving online success and getting lost in the noise. Softermii's dedicated team makes every project exceed client expectations. We aim to understand your business vision and provide the best digital solution to align with your strategy.

Please take a moment to explore SmartStart, our innovative solution for financial management. It helps you navigate spending, loans, asset management, and property oversight. The app integrates with different American banking systems. Thus, SmartStart offers real-time insights into your spending habits and financial forecasting. One of its defining features is the algorithm that connects with banks, offering users probable loan options.

On the other hand, PractiCall revolutionizes video conferencing technology. This app is designed for high-traffic scenarios, accommodating large and small meetings. Data privacy is vital nowadays, so we integrated end-to-end encryption into PractiCall. The platform offers multilingual subtitles, breakout rooms, and extensive screen-sharing features.

Conclusion

Our PWA development guide has explored insights, best practices, and valuable tips for making the most of these apps. We've covered the main advantages of PWAs and the technical aspects of creating them.

We know that progressive web application development can be complex, and you may have questions or require expert guidance. The Softermii team is here to support your PWA project. Contact us, and we'll turn your ideas into exceptional software to benefit your users and company.

Ready to leverage PWA for your business? Contact our team now to transform your online presence!