PWA: the perfect choice
Apps are now an integral part of our lives. The new trend is PWA, or progressive web application, which takes app usage to a higher level and is a preferred choice from both a technological and user perspective. What is a PWA? What are the benefits and which major companies have opted for it? Let’s find out!
PWA has gained incredible popularity in just a few years. It is predicted that by 2027, its global market could reach $10.4 billion. This is set to grow in the future, with more and more companies switching to PWA, which is more flexible and allows offline use, push notifications and access to mobile device hardware. But what is PWA and what are its benefits? Here are the details!
What is a PWA?
PWA combines the benefits of a website and an app. At first glance, it looks like a mobile app, and the way it is used is very similar. However, it comes with a URL, like a website, through which it can be accessed.
A long list of advantages
The progressive web app has many advantages, the most important of which are the ones that have enabled it to conquer the world.
Platform independent
PWA is built on the principle of decentralisation. This allows it to be platform-independent and run as smoothly on an Android device as on an iOS device. It doesn't matter the device or the type of operating system, you don't need to download it from an app store, you can simply load PWA through your browser.
Offline access
A huge advantage of PWA is that it can be used when the internet is down. If the user has visited the website before, they can use it at any time in the future, under any circumstances.
Speed and security
User experience is a key concept nowadays. 3 seconds is the maximum time people spend waiting for a loading page. If more time is needed, the visitors simply navigate away, and do not wait for the page to "wake up". PWA is built to deliver unprecedented speed, hence increasing customer satisfaction. It's also more secure than traditional applications.
Cost-effectiveness
Cost is an important consideration in development. PWA can save significant amounts of money, as there is no need to develop the application for all platforms, just one version. Cost-effectiveness is further enhanced by the fact that the maintenance costs of PWAs are quite low, with updates being a few clicks away. This is also beneficial for users, as they do not need to download a new version, the latest version is automatically available.
SEO-friendly
Search engine optimisation helps potential customers and users to find your company organically. PWA, due to its website-like nature, is great to optimize for the right keywords.
Big players’ choice
PWA has convinced many large companies that it can be used to meet customer needs at a higher level. Starbucks, for example, created a PWA for online orders. This made the interface more accessible, even when offline, scrollable and overall, the UI/UX design became more user-friendly. With this move, Starbucks has doubled the number of users ordering on the site.
Uber, like Starbucks, switched to PWA to improve the user experience for website visitors. It did this because analytics revealed that 30% of users book from a computer, not a mobile device.
Native and hybrid application
We have already written about PWA in detail, but what is the difference between a native app and a hybrid app? Native apps are developed for mobile devices and can be downloaded from app stores. They are programmed using Java, C# and Swift.
Hybrid apps are created by mixing web apps and native apps. They are written in HTML5 and JavaScript, essentially web apps in native garb. They are fairly slow because the page elements have to be downloaded one by one.
n addition to native and hybrid apps, there are PWAs, which far outperform and outperform existing solutions. It's a state-of-the-art technology that opens countless doors, enabling newer and newer uses. It allows brands to get even closer to their target audience.
At SynerinSoft, we believe that the PWA is the app of the future. Click here to see how we make a progressive web app!