Progressive Web Apps (PWA): App Revolution without App Store

Why develop an expensive native app if a website can do the same? PWAs are installable, run offline and save massive costs.

"Download our app!" – This set is less common. Why? Because users no longer want to install a 100MB app for each service. The solution is called PWA.

A Progressive Web App is a website that feels like an app. It is fast, reliable and installable – but it lives in the browser.

What can a PWA?

‡ **Installable:*It lands on the home screen (iOS & Android). ‡ Offline-capable: Thanks to service workers, it also works in the radio hole. ‡ Push Notifications: Send messages directly to the user. Full image: No browser bar, pure app feeling.

PWA vs. Native App

Feature PWA Native App

Development costs Low (1 codebase) High (iOS + Android separated)

Installation 1 click (Browser) App Store (Hurde!)

Updates Immediately (like website) Waiting for Review

Hardware access Good (camera, GPS, etc.) Perfect (Bluetooth, AR, etc.)

How do I build a PWA?

You essentially need three things:

HTTPS: Security is mandatory. Web App Manifest: A JSON file that defines name, icons and colors. Service Worker: A JavaScript script that runs in the background, takes over caching and allows offline functionality.

The Apple factor

Apple supports PWAs on iOS, but with restrictions (e.g. limited push notifications, no "install banner"). It gets better, but Android is clearly leading here.

Back to trends

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Progressive Web Apps (PWA): App Revolution without App Store