Progressive web app

PWA logo

A progressive web application (PWA), or progressive web app, is a type of web app that can be installed on a device as a standalone application.[1] PWAs are installed using the offline cache of the device's web browser.[2]

PWAs were introduced from 2016 as an alternative to native (device-specific) applications, with the advantage that they do not require separate bundling or distribution for different platforms. They can be used on a range of different systems, including desktop and mobile devices. Publishing the app to digital distribution systems like the Apple App Store or Google Play is optional.[2]

Because a PWA is delivered in the form of a webpage or website built using common web technologies including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and WebAssembly,[3] it can work on any platform with a PWA-compatible browser. As of 2021, PWA features are supported to varying degrees by Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Firefox for Android, and Microsoft Edge[4][5] but not by Firefox for desktop.[6]

  1. ^ "What are Progressive Web Apps? PWA Guide for Beginners". freeCodeCamp.org. 2024-01-18. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
  2. ^ a b "Progressive Web Apps | Software AG". techradar.softwareag.com. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  3. ^ Ltd, Cybellium. Mastering Front-end development. Cybellium Ltd. p. 273. ISBN 979-8-8668-4882-9.
  4. ^ "Can I use pwa?". CanIUse. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Is Service Worker Ready?". Jake Archibald.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference firefox-desktop was invoked but never defined (see the help page).