Solution · Apps & software
Progressive web apps (PWA)
A progressive web app (PWA) is a website built to behave like an app: it can be added to the home screen, opens full-screen, loads fast on repeat visits and can work with a poor connection. For many businesses it covers most of what a mobile app would give them — without app store publishing and with one codebase for every device.
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In short
In short
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A PWA is a web application with a manifest and a service worker, which make it installable and allow caching and offline behaviour.
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It works on any device with a modern browser and does not need app store approval; updates reach users immediately.
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Push notifications work on Android and, since iOS 16.4, on iPhones for web apps added to the home screen.
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Some device features and deep system integrations remain available only to native apps.
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Discoverability is different: a PWA is found through search and links, not through app store search.
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Scope
What makes a website a PWA
- Web app manifest — a file with the app's name, icons and colours, which lets the browser offer installation and open the app without the browser interface.
- Service worker — a script that sits between the app and the network. It can serve cached pages when the connection is poor, preload data and receive push notifications.
- HTTPS — required for service workers to run.
- Responsive, app-like design — navigation and interactions designed for touch, not a desktop website squeezed onto a phone.
When a PWA is a good choice
- Internal tools and portals used on phones and computers — field staff, clients checking orders, partners submitting requests.
- E-commerce and ordering where many customers will not install an app but return regularly.
- MVPs, when you want to test demand before investing in store apps. See MVP development.
- Markets with mixed devices, where a single codebase that runs everywhere is simpler to maintain.
When a native or cross-platform app is better
- Heavy use of device hardware: background location tracking, Bluetooth devices, advanced camera features.
- Store presence is part of the marketing, or customers expect to find you in the App Store.
- Complex offline work with large local data sets and background synchronisation.
- Notifications are critical and most of your users are on iPhones — web push on iOS requires the user to add the app to the home screen first, which many never do.
A side-by-side comparison is in PWA vs native app.
How we build PWAs
- Offline strategy by screen. Which pages must work without a network (a list of orders, a saved form), which can show a friendly message, and what happens to actions taken offline.
- Caching that does not serve stale data. Prices, stock and statuses are always fetched fresh; static files are cached aggressively.
- Installation prompts at the right moment — after the user has done something useful, not on the first visit.
- Push notifications with a clear reason and an easy way to switch them off.
- Search visibility. Public pages of a PWA are still web pages: they are rendered for search engines and have proper titles, descriptions and structured data.
What we need from you
- The main scenarios and which of them must work offline.
- Which devices your users have, if you know from analytics.
- The systems the app connects to.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can a PWA be published in app stores?
Google Play accepts PWAs packaged as Trusted Web Activities. Apple's App Store is stricter and generally expects apps that offer more than a wrapped website. If store presence matters, a cross-platform app is usually the more reliable route.
Do PWAs work on iPhones?
Yes, in Safari and other iOS browsers. Installation is done through "Add to Home Screen", and web push notifications work for installed web apps on recent iOS versions.
Can we start with a PWA and build a native app later?
Yes. The server, API and admin panel stay the same; a native or cross-platform app is added as another client for the same backend.