Progressive Web Application Trends to Follow in 2024 and Beyond

What is Progressive Web Application, and Why is it the Brand's Favorite?

Progressive web apps are the best thing to happen in the world of website and app development. Think of them as a 2-in-1 technology that combines the benefits of mobile apps and websites. 

Benefit 1: It frees users from downloading one more app on their Android or iOS device. You can call them apps that run on websites.

Benefit 2: Despite being a website, they have all the features of native apps. 

Benefit 3: Even if the internet connection is stable, progressive web apps can load on your users' devices. That means you never lose a customer, and they never miss a product/service.

Benefit 4: PWAs are highly compatible. They work on desktop web browsers like Chrome and Firefox and mobile browsers like Opera and Safari. 

Benefit 5: It makes your business discoverable and accessible to a large audience, which means more chances of conversions and sales. 

Benefit 6:No need to struggle with app submission on Android or iOS since they are not real mobile apps. 

Benefit 7: There is no need to hire additional developers for PWA development, as it works on existing technologies like HTML, CSS, and more. 

For these unique benefits, progressive web apps are popular among businesses, resulting in a stronger bottom line. 

Examples of Popular Brands Embracing Progressive Web Apps

We have a long list of brands who understand the real power of progressive web app development. They have modified their existing apps or websites or developed them from scratch. All with one goal- boost customer experience and sales. 

Uber: This American multinational transportation company is reducing customers' commute times and saving their time and device space. Their ride-booking application runs on PWA technology, giving users quick access to their services. 

Pinterest: A perfect example of the PWA app, Pinterest is designed to browse inspiration for multiple topics without downloading any mobile app. It's lightweight and offers a web-like experience to users even on mobile devices. 

Spotify: This music app provides a near-identical experience to its native app. Users love this music streaming application for its offline functionality, which is the best advantage of progressive web apps.

Google Maps Go: Though not a fully PWA, this light version of Google Maps offers a streamlined navigation experience for users with limited storage space or slow internet connections. It provides all the essential map functions without the bulk of a native app.

Forbes: If you want to keep your customers informed about current news and events without bothering to log in every time, learn from Forbes's web app. It does not spoil readers' experiences despite having a lot of content by offering faster load time.

Starbucks: The largest coffeehouse chain in the world made its store locator app 99.84% smaller and lighter than its iOS mobile app using PWA. In addition to reducing the app's size, Starbucks improved customers' ordering experience with fast loading time.

The Washington Post: The Washington Post's top priority is reader experience, and it will adopt any technology that offers it. In 2016, it leveraged PWA to give its readers an uninterrupted, high-performing web experience. 

Twitter Lite: Thanks to the progressive web app approach, users with limited data plans or older devices can access Twitter. The company adopted it to keep users connected and updated on trending topics without performance glitches. 

Top Trends in PWA Development

Web3 Integration 

Just like AI, Web3 is raising businesses' curiosity by opening multiple doors of possibilities. Security is the main reason behind the increase in demand for Web3 technologies. Integrating them with PWA will be double advantageous. On one end, users can have better control over their data with blockchain and decentralization, whereas on the other end, they can have innovative web experiences.

Web Assembly 

Web assembly is expanding the possibilities for progressive web app developers. It allows them to use multiple programming languages without being tied to a single web browser. Web assembly also makes things portable, easing the code deployment across different platforms. 

Many believe it replaces JavaScript, but WebAssembly is only complementary. It is highly useful in performance-critical areas like 3D games, data visualization tools, and more. 

AR and VR applications that require massive immersive and interactive experiences are easy to build with WebAssembly. 

Performance Optimization

Speed is undoubtedly important, whether in mobile application or web app development. It will decide how many users will keep using your app. Progressive web app developers can optimize performance by using code splitting, service workers, and effective caching strategies. 

AI Integration

You cannot go blind about using AI. This technology can speed up the success of your PWA. How? Chatbots powered by AI can give your users the feel that your app is made only for them. Its ability to personalize the experience and chat like humans will enhance your users' experience.

Accessibility for All

During mobile application development, your focus should be more on accessibility than on nice features or design. The latest trend in PWA prioritizes accessibility to ensure every user can use the application regardless of their ability.

Improved Developer Experience

Progressive web app developers will prioritize leveraging new tools, frameworks, and libraries for tasks like auditing and optimizing PWAs. Chrome Dev Tools, Workbox, and Lighthouse are a few such tools that need better tools to ease the process while increasing accuracy and speed.

Conclusion 

Businesses need more than traditional mobile apps or websites to improve their users' experience and make sales. Progressive web apps promise both while giving the biggest advantage of offline functionality and high performance. These reasons make PWA a popular choice for businesses worldwide, irrespective of their business model or industry. Businesses can take full advantage of this approach by focusing on recent trends in PWA development.

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