The Future of Web App Development – PWA

While the last decade has been dominated by apps natively developed for each platform, today, cross-platform development has become the main focus. The notion of mobile-first websites has pushed the innovation to bridge the gap between an application and a website. For many people, installing a whole separate app for minor tasks seems unnecessary wastage of limited space. However, a PWA or Progressive Web App solves that issue by installing as a contained application inside their internet browser that can be added to their home screen. So, seeing the increased adoption of PWAs, as a developer, you must know the best practices for web app development, and Adivorous is here to help you with that!

What Exactly is a Web App vs. a PWA?

Only about a decade ago, the traditional web leapt forward by replacing static web pages with more dynamic and interactive websites. We had a slew of web applications, such as online document generators, for example, Google Docs or Keep Notes. They were not only productive web applications but also synced perfectly with their Android or IOS applications.

However, we have PWA apps that are specifically designed using modern web technologies, designed to act and feel like a native mobile app. For example, you can look at the WhatsApp web application, Microsoft’s video editor Clipchamp or even Canva. Even their apps available for them at the Microsoft Store are essentially the same, except they run independently from the browser.

When someone visits your PWA on their mobile browser, they can choose to add it to their home screen. Once there, it sits alongside their native apps, such as WhatsApp or Instagram, opens without the browser’s URL bar, and can even work on slow networks. They’re called “progressive” because they work for all users, no matter which browser they use, and enhance the experience based on the device’s capabilities.

Why PWA Web App Development is the Key in India?

While the internet speeds have become much better in the last decade, it is yet to catch up with the rest of the world. Especially, keeping in mind that the majority of India is rural, the quality or stability of the internet can vary extremely. While 4G/5G is widespread in metros, tier-2 and tier-3 cities often face fluctuating network speeds. Thus, downloading heavier apps is not a plausible option. Therefore, as a developer, you need to offer an alternative, and that is PWA, because it solves the following challenges:

• Zero Friction: No App Store or Play Store visit required. No massive downloads. A PWA is accessed via a link, and installing it takes kilobytes, not megabytes.
• Offline Reliability: Thanks to technology called “Service Workers,” PWAs can cache content. If a user on a Mumbai local train enters a dead zone, the app doesn’t crash; it shows cached content, keeping them engaged.
• Storage Friendly: A typical native e-commerce app might take 150MB on a phone. Its PWA counterpart might take less than 2MB. For users constantly deleting photos to make space for apps, this is a game-changer.

Best Web App Development Practices for Maximum Installation

As a web app developer, you need to design your app that fits your target audience best. This includes making your PWA performance-centric. Remember, in India, speed is not a luxury; it’s a necessity; therefore, your PWA must load nearly instantly. To make that happen, you need to make aggressive minification by compressing your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript relentlessly. Use modern formats like WebP to avoid using a desktop-sized image on a mobile device. Furthermore, only load images or content as the user scrolls down to them. Don’t waste their data loading things they haven’t seen yet.

On the other hand, adopt an “Offline-First” approach by treating offline access as a core feature, not an afterthought. Your web app development should be about building the app as if the user has no internet connection, then enhancing it when they do. Use service workers to cache the App Shell (the main UI structure) and essential data, ensuring the app loads instantly on repeat visits, no matter the network status.

Furthermore, ensure to simplify web app navigation by avoiding complex menus. Use clear, recognisable icons over text labels where possible. Ensure buttons are easy to tap on smaller screens. You should also focus your web app development on localisation by including the 22 official languages in India. Your PWA should support major vernacular languages, not just English and Hindi. This fosters immense trust and usability.

Lastly, consider integrating seamless authentication using mobile numbers instead of email. In many parts of India, users may not have an active email address but almost always have a mobile number. Prioritising OTP-based logins via SMS over traditional email and password combinations can greatly reduce signup friction. But more importantly, make sure the stored user data is well protected against malicious hackers and their spyware.

Conclusion

While the app ecosystem is still growing strong, web developers have realised that keeping the two intertacting platform is the way forward. Especially if your target audience includes the vast and diverse people of India, PWA is the best bet for you to gain maximum reach. At Adivorous, we realise this fact and focus on Progressive Web Apps, which offer businesses a cost-effective single codebase that reaches everyone, everywhere, even when the signal drops. Thus, your web app development must pay attention to this part of progress.

FAQs

1. Is developing a PWA cheaper than native mobile apps?
   • Generally, yes. Instead of building separate apps for iOS (Swift) and Android (Kotlin/Java), plus a website, you build one codebase using standard web technologies (HTML/CSS/JS) that works everywhere. This significantly reduces development and maintenance costs.
2. Can PWAs send push notifications like real apps?
   • Yes, on Android devices, PWAs can send push notifications exactly like native apps, which is great for user re-engagement. However, keep in mind that iOS support for push notifications in web apps is newer and has some limitations compared to Android.
3. Do PWAs work on iPhones (iOS)?
   • Yes, PWAs work on iOS. Users can access them via Safari and add them to their home screen. However, Apple restricts some features compared to Android (like background sync or easy installation prompts), but the core experience remains solid.
4. How do users find my PWA if it’s not in the App Store?
   • That’s the beauty of it—they find it through Google Search, social media links, or QR codes. It makes your app “SEO discoverable.” However, Google and Microsoft now also allow you to package PWAs to be listed in their respective app stores if you choose.