It’s no secret that performance is an integral part of any online business. As a result, companies are moving towards a new web technology called progressive web apps (PWA) to improve their online presence and performance.
Consider this scenario; your site has the usability and feel of a mobile app plus the extensive capabilities of a regular web application. PWA development has allowed us to blend the best of both worlds, resulting in a dynamic application that can be accessed across all channels, even with a limited internet connection.
What are Progressive Web Applications?
The interface of a Progressive Web Application looks like a mobile app but runs and performs like a website, eliminating the hassle of downloading mobile apps. Opposite to conventional mobile applications, PWA does not require any download; instead, users can directly access them through a unique URL and add the app icon to their home screen for easier access. Because of the above-mentioned benefits, PWAs are expected to surpass native app development. An excellent example of PWA is Starbucks mobile website.
According to Google, the marketing of PWA apps outperforms traditional mobile applications since users don’t have to download and install an entire app, and the user experience is almost similar.
In this competitive digital environment, most business owners are still trying to figure out whether mobile app development aligns with their objectives. For most startups, PWA could be a better option to start from as it requires less initial investment, and the development time is also less as compared to traditional mobile applications or websites.
Benefits of Using PWAs
Now that we understand how PWA is changing the web app development arena. Let’s dive deep and understand the benefits of using PWAs.
Faster app development
According to developers, building a PWA is considerably easier and faster than building a traditional website or mobile app. There is no need to develop a separate website and a mobile app because one single PWA serves both mobile and web.
Offline Functionality
These applications are designed to function with limited network connectivity. The offline feature of progressive web applications is an extremely attractive function as it allows the app to serve content even when there is no internet connection; though the offline functionality is limited but most of the features are available for users.
Great User Experience
The UI of progressive web apps is similar to native applications. They load quickly and serve up-to-date content with no need to update every time. In terms of lifetime value, PWAs provide a great user experience and long-term value with little to no maintenance.
How PWAs can Help Startups
Startups are known for their fast-moving nature and hunger to increase their user base. PWAs offer multiple benefits that startups can leverage for faster implementations of their unique solutions.
Increased Userbase – Cross-platform compatibility of PWAs makes them the best option to target both mobiles and web users to increase their user base and connect with them using a single click or through push notification
Lower Costs & Maintenance – Usually, startups are resource conscious and PWA is just the right choice for them as it provides nearly the same functionality and user experience with much less cost and limited resources.
Faster Deployment – For a fully functional mobile application, you need to go through an entire application development cycle followed by multiple rounds of changes and bug fixes before releasing it to the general public. With PWA’s, the app deployment process is faster and additional features can be added later as per the convenience.
Better Hardware Integration – Gone are the days when the web application was limited to just text and images. With advancements in software development technologies, the web now supports great hardware integration. Here are some of the features.
- Push Notification
- Geo-Location
- Live Camera
- Biometric Authentication
- Motion Sensors
- Summing Up
Now that you have an in-depth understanding of Progressive web applications, the question arises; Is PWA an appropriate choice for your business growth? Well, it all boils down to your requirement. If your primary focus is to deploy your solutions faster with a better user interface and increase the Userbase then PWAs are the best option to go with.
If you think PWA is the right choice for your business, We are here to help. critical Solutions is the technology partner for many leading companies and has successfully delivered software solutions to a variety of industries.
If you have any questions, call us or email your queries at sales@kritikalsolutions.com