Did you know what is the Benefits of Progressive Web Apps? Progressive Web Apps, since their introduction in the technological world, have become one of the most discussed innovations in recent times.

They are now used by almost all companies today, including tech giants such as Twitter and Alibaba. This is because, with Progressive Web Apps, a PWA developer can provide their clients and users with an engaging and satisfying experience.

Incidentally, most websites and web pages that we are familiar with are made by Progressive Web Apps development companies, and the list of companies that use them does not end with just a few tech giants.

With this being the case, it is undeniable that Progressive Web Apps are indeed a successful technological innovation of our times. Clearly, there is a reason that Progressive Web App development has taken the tech industry by storm.

With Progressive Web Apps, it is easier to deliver high-end user experiences in very cost-effective ways. It is indeed a well-documented and well-studied success story. Nevertheless, in this article, we have highlighted some of its greatest benefits and achievements.

What Are Progressive Web Apps?

We are familiar with the working of a normal website. On a web browser, we enter our search request and we are provided with a number of websites corresponding to the specific request.

Similarly, we also know how native apps, or apps that we download and store in a smartphone and a tablet, are meant to be used. A Progressive Web App, in simple terms, is created when a website meets a native app, through the use of the Progressive Web App development technology.

A Progressive Web App is essentially a web page in how it is accessed by a user. It requires a web browser and (sometimes) an internet connection to function.

Sometimes, Progressive Web Apps can also function offline. In this sense, a Progressive Web App is a web page that can be coded in such a way that it appears or feels like a website but can have icons that look and feel like a native app icon.

This icon will provide users with a link to a webpage, instead of an app that is stored in the device’s memory. With this technology, it is guaranteed that its users can have an experience that allows a website to feel like a native app when in use. For this purpose, a PWA developer can use various kinds of app development frameworks and codes to build Progressive Web Apps.

What Are The Benefits Of Using A Progressive Web App?

Now that we know what a Progressive Web App is, it will be easier to discuss how they are beneficial for businesses and corporations for their official websites.

Below, we discuss some of the benefits of Progressive Web Apps and why it will be useful for a business to look into PWA development while creating or redesigning their websites:

1. Ease Of Conversion

Let’s say a company that has previously relied on regular websites to promote their business, wishes to make a conversion to mobile apps. The fact that these two technologies require different sets of codes and processes means that it could be quite tricky to make this conversion happen. This is where the use of a Progressive Web App can come in handy.

When integrating an older website into an app form, it can be quite tricky to make sure that all the content and functionality is not lost. Therefore, when such migration is necessary, most companies choose the route of Progressive Web Application development.

This is simply because doing so is relatively easier than creating a native app from scratch. For instance, Progressive Web App development uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to write codes for a web app.

These are similar to the technologies that are used to build a regular website as well. This means that converting a website to a web app will take less time than creating an app from scratch. The main reason for this is that native apps require different programming languages to code.

The conversion of a website to a web app can be done in under five steps: creating an HTTPS link for the website, adding in service workers, creating a web app manifest, and then testing the web app for its functionality.

With these steps, it is easy to ensure that a website now functions like a native app, and also has the encryption and protection of an HTTPS site.

2. Greater User Engagement

It is a known fact that the end-user experience of a Progressive Web App is similar to that of a native app. Since native apps are familiar to a lot of users, this transition from a website to a web app is bound to be far more engaging for a lot of users.

This is because the looks and feel of a web app are very similar to that of a native app. One important example of how a mobile app development company can ensure the engagement of users is the use of push notifications.

As we know, native apps have a feature that allows them to send push notifications that show up in the notifications bar of a mobile device.

These push notifications generally inform the user of something new and exciting that is happening in regard to the services that the app provides. In a way similar to native apps and their push notifications, Progressive Web Apps can also send push notifications for various things.

Another factor that must be taken into account here is that such push messages are far more effective than sending potential customers promotional text messages or emails.

This is because, as more people learn about privacy and safety, they are less likely to give away their personal phone number and email address to sign up for any service.

On the other hand, a Progressive Web App can give users the option of allowing push notifications and then send them quick messages that are more likely to catch their attention than an email or newsletter.

Further, since these push notifications get sent directly to the device’s notifications, it is easier to be spotted by the users and does not require them to share any of their personal details.

Therefore, in this manner, a Progressive Web App can function like a native app, and inform its users of various new offers or sales related to the services that the web app offers.

This way, with the use of push notifications, Progressive Web Apps can be used to ensure greater user engagement than with regular websites.

3. Better Search Engine Visibility

When it comes to search engine optimization and visibility ranking, Progressive Web Apps are also more beneficial than native apps. This is because, unlike a native app, a Progressive Web App is already meant to function as a website.

When a website is converted to a Progressive Web App, it can retain most of its content that will allow it to appear in search engine result pages.

A native app, on the other hand, does not allow a search engine to read through all of its content. This means that it is less likely to show up in a search result for its content, unlike a website or web app.

Therefore, for anyone looking to move from a website to an app platform, Progressive Web Apps are quite beneficial. Further, as any web development company would agree, the use of a Progressive Web App results in greater speed during loading, fewer rates of bouncing, very few data requirements, and other such features. All of these are generally aspects that will lead to a better ranking on search engines like Google and Bing.

4. Cost-Effective Development

It is true that the overall process of developing a Progressive Web App is less expensive than building a native app. With Progressive Web Apps, all it requires is four to five steps of converting a website for creating a new web app.

Moreover, it also does not require it to be made differently for different platforms, as long as a browser is present in a device to support it. This way, a Progressive Web App is often more cost-effective.

5. Less Installation Time

A Progressive Web App, unlike a native app, does not require to be downloaded on a device to be used. A web app uses browsers to allow users access to it. This means that users can completely forego the complicated process of installing a new app on their device to use it.

If at all there is a need for an icon for the homepage, it hardly takes any time for this to be added as it is similar to adding a shortcut to a web page on the device’s home screen.

Therefore, the use of Progressive Web Apps saves the time that is required for installation and also does not require any internal storage space to be used.

6. Updates Are Not Required

A Progressive Web App is essentially a website that is maintained by the company that runs it. It will certainly need updates and bug fixing at various points in time, but this will not have to inconvenience the user. Thus, progressive Web Application development is good for businesses.

When a native app has an update that is released, it has to be updated by downloading it from an app store. But with a Progressive Web App, this will not be required at all, as all updates can be made at the web page level and they will be visible across all platforms simultaneously.

7. Offline Functioning

A Progressive Web App, unlike a website, is capable of functioning, at least in part, without an internet connection. This is because it saves caches and other such information on the native end of the user.

This information will then be updated at the web page level, once the internet connection is restored. This feature allows Progressive Web Apps to make sure that users do not lose their work on the web page and that they can continue to work uninterruptedly.

8. No Need For App Stores

An app store is a virtual market from where native apps are downloaded for free or after making payment. This means that a native app that is listed on these stores is required to follow certain guidelines that app stores will have for the different kinds of apps that they host.

For instance, for native apps that provide the service of virtual wallets, the Google Play Store stipulates that it should not endorse gambling. If an app is found to violate these rules, it will be removed from the app store.

On the other hand, with Progressive Web Apps, since it does not require an app store to distribute it, it does not have to follow any such guidelines to be made available to the public.

Of course, a Progressive Web App still has to adhere to the workings of a search engine if it has to be visible, but this is still less constricting than the terms and conditions of various app stores.

Conclusion

As it is now evident, the combination of a website and a native app, one that yields a Progressive Web App, is quite beneficial in many ways. With a Progressive Web App, it is easier to provide security and data privacy for users, allowing it to be chosen more than other such apps.

Considering these features and benefits of Progressive Web Apps, there is no doubt that PWA development is indeed the way into the future. So, if you or your company wishes to migrate to an app-based platform, Progressive Web Apps are definitely the way to go.