From App to PWA: Enhance User Experience with Progressive Web Apps"

The progressive web app is a website that looks and behaves as if it is a mobile app. PWAs are built to take advantage of native mobile device features, without requiring the end user to visit an app store, make a purchase and download software locally.

why do we need PWA?

1. Cross-Platform Compatibility : PWA works on different platform and devices including desktop, tablet and smartphones. Instead of creating separate apps for each platform, we can create PWA which will accessible from different devices.

2. Improved Performance: PWAs leverage modern web technologies and performance optimization techniques to deliver fast and responsive user experiences. They can cache assets locally, utilize service workers for offline functionality, and prioritize critical resources to minimize loading times.  

3. App-Like Experience: PWAs offer an app-like experience without the need for installation from an app store. Users can add PWAs to their home screen directly from the browser, and they launch in full-screen mode, giving the impression of a native app. PWAs can also utilize features like push notifications and access device hardware (e.g., camera, geolocation) for enhanced functionality.  

4. Offline Functionality: One of the most significant advantages of PWAs is their ability to work offline or with limited connectivity. By using service workers to cache content and resources, PWAs can continue to function even when users are offline, providing a consistent user experience regardless of network conditions.  

How can we make a PWA?

We can make use of service workers, but before jumping into service worker let's understand what is a web worker.

Now what is a Service Worker?

Imagine you're using a weather forecast PWA on your smartphone. You open the app, and it displays the current weather conditions based on your location. However, as you're out and about, your device loses internet connectivity, and you're unable to refresh the weather forecast.

Here's where the service worker comes into play:

1. Offline Support: With a service worker, the weather forecast PWA can cache essential resources, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and weather data, during the first visit. So, even if you're offline, the service worker can intercept network requests and serve the cached content, allowing you to access the previously loaded weather forecast without an internet connection. This ensures a seamless user experience regardless of network availability.
2. Background Sync: Let's say your device regains internet connectivity while you're still using the weather forecast PWA. The service worker can perform background synchronization, updating the cached weather data in the background without interrupting your experience. So, the next time you open the app, you'll see the most recent weather forecast data, even if you didn't actively refresh the page.
3. Push Notifications: Suppose the weather forecast PWA supports push notifications for severe weather alerts. With a service worker, the app can register for push notifications and receive them even when the app is not actively open. For example, if there's a sudden thunderstorm warning in your area, the service worker can push a notification to your device, alerting you to take necessary precautions.

How you can implement a service worker in your project? 

Firstly add the script tag to the HTML file and inside it write an asynchronous code checking whether the service worker is supported in the existing browser or not if it is supported then, register it using the navigator. serviceworker.register('workerfilename.js') then call the function.

In the js file check the version of the service worker, if it is the old version then open it and store the data in the cache using new cache.open().

and add all the data into the cache API. After we store the data in the cache we will wait for the event to get triggered and once the event load,activate

we will fetch the resource before the page loads next time for the user making it offline.

Thanks