Progressive Web Apps Anyone ?

What is a Progressive Web App (PWA) ? This is an application that is delivered through the web, build using common web technologies including HTML, CSS and Javascript (Wikipedia)

These apps have the advantage of being:

Reliable: When launched from the home screen , service workers enable the app to load instantly regardless of the network state

Fast: Research says that 53% of users will abandon a site if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load. Once loaded , users expect them to be fast – no janky scrolling or slow-to-respond interfaces

Engaging: Progressive Web Apps are installable and live on the user’s home screen, without the need for an app store. They offer an immersive full screen experience with help from a web app manifest file and can even re-engage users with web push notifications.

So PWAs have native-app qualities that have all the above features. This helps online companies/brands deliver improved user experiences regardless of the device or network conditions. Developing countries that do not have access to high speed internet and have a prevalence of low end devices get to experience the apps in offline mode.

Some examples of PWAs are :

Does your brand need a PWA app? My answer to this is yes, first and foremost if you are in the E-Commerce industry. Your priority should be to provide your consumers with a great mobile experience. Just have a look at Jumia, which is the leading E-Commerce website in Africa, they found out that mobile is their leading source of traffic and have focused on giving consumers a seamless experience no matter the mobile device they are on. They use PWA technologies like push notifications to re-engage mobile users who have abandoned their shopping carts