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PWA DevelopmentWeb Development

Progressive
Web App
Development

App-like experience directly in the browser — offline support, push notifications, and home screen installation without App Store or Play Store. Lighthouse PWA score of 100 guaranteed.

Service WorkersOffline ModePush NotificationsHome Screen InstallWorkbox.jsLighthouse 100
See Live PWAs
100
Lighthouse PWA Score Target
< 1s
Repeat Visit Load Time
No
App Store Fees or Approval
2x
Engagement vs Mobile Web
PWA vs Alternatives

PWA vs Native App vs Regular Website

PWAs occupy a unique position — the distribution reach of the web combined with the experience quality of a native app. Here is an honest comparison.

FactorProgressive Web AppNative App (iOS+Android)Regular Website
DistributionDirect browser install — no storesApp Store / Play StoreBrowser only
Offline SupportFull offline via Service WorkersFull native offlineNone (requires internet)
Push NotificationsYes (Android full, iOS 16.4+)Full native supportNo
Home Screen IconYes — installable from browserYes — via app storesNo
Update ProcessInstant (browser-managed)Store review (days)Instant
Development Cost1x (one codebase)2x (iOS + Android)1x but no offline/install
Store FeesNone15–30% Apple/Google cutNone
App Store DiscoverabilityLimited (Google indexes PWAs)Full store listingSEO only
Hardware API AccessGood (camera, GPS, BT, NFC)Full accessGood but no install UX

When to choose PWA: Your audience needs to discover you before committing to an install, you want one codebase with no App Store fees, or your core use case is content, e-commerce, or dashboards. Choose native when you need App Store presence, deep hardware access, or background audio.

PWA Capabilities

What Modern PWAs Can Do

Browser APIs have caught up fast. Here is what we can build into your PWA today — no App Store required.

Works Offline
Service workers cache critical assets and data so the app works even without an internet connection.
Push Notifications
Re-engage users with native-feeling push notifications on Android and iOS 16.4+.
Install to Home Screen
Users install directly from the browser — no App Store or Play Store required.
Camera & Mic Access
Access device camera, microphone, and sensors via browser APIs.
Background Sync
Queue actions made offline and sync them automatically when connection is restored.
Geolocation
Access device GPS for location-aware features and maps.
Bluetooth & USB
Web Bluetooth and Web USB APIs for hardware device connectivity.
App Shortcuts
Long-press the home screen icon to access deep links into key app features.
Share Target
Receive shared content from other apps — photos, links, and text.
How We Build It

8-Phase PWA Development Process

From Lighthouse audit to a production PWA scoring 100 on all metrics.

01
Audit & Strategy
Week 1

We start with a PWA feasibility audit of your existing site or product. We score Lighthouse, identify which pages need offline support, plan the caching strategy, and define the install prompt UX.

Lighthouse baseline auditCaching strategy documentOffline page mapInstall flow wireframes
02
Manifest & Icons
Week 1

We create the Web App Manifest with all required fields, generate icon sets for every resolution (from 48px to 512px maskable icons), configure splash screens, and set display mode and theme colours.

manifest.json configIcon set (all sizes)Maskable iconsSplash screen assets
03
Service Worker Build
Week 2–3

Using Workbox.js (Google's SW library), we implement caching strategies per resource type, set up precaching for the app shell, configure background sync for offline form submissions, and handle SW lifecycle events cleanly.

Workbox SW implementationPer-route caching rulesBackground sync queuesSW versioning strategy
04
Offline Experience
Week 3

We design and build a branded offline page shown when the user has no connection and no cached version. For data-driven apps, we implement IndexedDB for offline data storage and sync, ensuring the core user journey works without internet.

Branded offline fallback pageIndexedDB offline data layerOptimistic UI updatesSync queue for offline actions
05
Push Notifications
Week 4

We implement the Web Push API with a subscription flow, a permission request that explains the value before asking, server-side push via VAPID keys, and notification action buttons. We also set up a notification preference centre in the app.

Push subscription UIVAPID server setupNotification templatesPreference centre
06
Install Prompt UX
Week 4

We implement a custom "Add to Home Screen" prompt that appears at the right moment (after the user has demonstrated intent), with a branded install card showing a preview of the installed app. The prompt is suppressed after dismissal and re-shown strategically.

Custom install prompt UIPrompt timing logicPost-install onboardingInstall analytics tracking
07
Performance Tuning
Week 5

We run Lighthouse and WebPageTest audits, target 90+ on all PWA scores, optimise Core Web Vitals, implement route-based code splitting, lazy load below-the-fold content, and ensure sub-3 second Time to Interactive on 3G connections.

Lighthouse 90+ reportCore Web Vitals passingPerformance budget definedOptimised asset pipeline
08
Launch & Monitoring
Week 5–6

We deploy to Vercel or Cloudflare Pages with edge caching, set up SW update notifications so users know when a new version is available, configure error monitoring (Sentry), and track installation events in Google Analytics 4.

PWA deployed to CDNSW update notification UISentry error monitoringPWA install event tracking in GA4
Service Worker Caching

The Right Caching Strategy for Every Resource

Not all content should be cached the same way. We select the right strategy per resource type to balance speed and freshness.

Cache First
Best Used For
Static assets (CSS, JS, fonts, icons)
How It Works

Serve from cache immediately. Fetch network in background to update cache. User always gets instant load.

Real Example
App shell, fonts, logo, navigation icons
Trade-off to be aware of
Content may be slightly stale until next background update
Request Flow
1. Request comes in
→ Check cache first
Cache hit? → Serve immediately
Also fetch network in background
→ Update cache for next time
Lighthouse PWA Checklist

We Tick Every Box on the PWA Checklist

Google's Lighthouse defines exactly what qualifies as a Progressive Web App. We guarantee all of these pass on delivery.

Runs on HTTPS
Has a web app manifest
Manifest has name, short_name, start_url
Registers a Service Worker
Icons for all sizes (192px, 512px)
Display mode set to standalone or fullscreen
Industry Use Cases

Where PWAs Deliver the Most Impact

PWAs work best when your users value instant load times, repeat visits, and offline access more than deep hardware integration.

News & Media

Readers open news offline on commutes. PWA caches last 20 articles. Push notifications re-engage readers for breaking news.

5x longer sessions vs mobile web
E-Commerce

Browse products offline, cart persists, checkout when connection returns. No app store friction means higher conversion for first-time buyers.

36% higher conversions vs mobile web
SaaS Dashboards

Users install the dashboard like a native app. Offline data access, push notification alerts for critical metrics, without maintaining separate iOS/Android apps.

40% lower bounce rate after install
Travel & Bookings

Cache itineraries, boarding passes, and maps for offline access in airports and poor signal areas. Push notifications for flight status changes.

46% more page views after install
Education & eLearning

Students in low-connectivity areas access course content offline. Background sync uploads assignment submissions when connection is restored.

2x course completion rate
Food Delivery & QSR

Near-instant menu load, offline menu browsing, push notifications for order status, and home screen icon for repeat orders.

137% higher engagement vs web
Technology

Our PWA Technology Stack

We build on Next.js with Serwist (the modern TypeScript-first Service Worker framework) and Workbox.js for advanced caching. Every PWA ships to Vercel or Cloudflare Pages for globally-distributed edge serving.

Next.js 15
App framework with built-in PWA support via next-pwa or Serwist
Workbox.js
Google's SW library for advanced caching strategies and precaching
Serwist
Modern TypeScript-first SW framework, the recommended Next.js PWA tool
IndexedDB / idb
Client-side database for offline data storage and background sync queues
Web Push API
Server-side push notifications via VAPID keys, implemented with web-push library
Vercel / Cloudflare
Edge deployment with CDN caching, automatic HTTPS, and global distribution
What's Included

Every PWA We Build Includes

Lighthouse PWA Score 100
We verify and share the Lighthouse report — Installability, Service Worker, Performance, and Best Practices all green.
Custom Install Prompt UI
Branded "Add to Home Screen" prompt with timing logic, iOS fallback instructions, and post-install onboarding.
Offline Fallback Page
Branded offline experience shown when the user has no connection and no cached page available — not a browser error screen.
Push Notification Infrastructure
Full stack push notification setup: VAPID keys, subscription management, server-side sender, and notification preference centre.
App Manifest & Icons
Web App Manifest with all required fields, icon sets for all resolutions (including maskable icons for Android), and splash screens.
SW Update Notification
When we deploy a new version, users see a "New version available — refresh" banner instead of silently getting stale code.
GA4 PWA Event Tracking
Install event, push subscription event, and offline usage tracking configured in Google Analytics 4 from day one.
30-Day Post-Launch Support
Browser compatibility issues, SW lifecycle bugs, and notification delivery issues resolved at no charge within 30 days.
Free PWA Consultation

Ready to Launch Your
Progressive Web App?

Tell us your current website stack and goals. We'll give you a PWA capability assessment, caching strategy, and Lighthouse roadmap within 24 hours.

See Live Examples
FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Progressive Web Apps.

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