Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) have been a topic of keen interest and heated debate for years now and indeed a frequent topic of discussion on Coder Radio. Overall the development of technologies that enable richer apps to be developed as PWAs has continued at a brisk pace and 2024 was looking to be the beginning of a golden age for the collection of technologies that get bucketed into that PWA moniker. However, there’s a giant shiny red Apple in the room that has complicated what was on track to be triumphal story. Let’s take a look at what the promise of PWAs ideally is, how they have evolved going into 2024 and what headwinds face developers hoping to create them and organizations hoping to implement them.
The Promise of PWAs
PWAs have always been touted for their potential to bridge the gap between web and mobile app experiences, offering users a seamless, app-like interface across all devices without the need for separate development paths. The allure of write-once-run-anywhere, combined with the ability to work offline, receive push notifications, and load at lightning speeds, has made PWAs an attractive proposition for developers and businesses alike.
The Evolution in 2024
Hitting Warp speed to 2024, and we’ve seen some significant milestones in the journey of PWAs. Browser support, which was once a patchwork of inconsistencies, has now become more uniform, with major players like Google, Mozilla, and Microsoft offering robust support for PWA features. This has laid a solid foundation for developers to build upon, reducing the friction in creating and deploying PWAs. Additionally, the integration capabilities of PWAs have seen remarkable improvements. APIs for accessing device capabilities, such as the File System Access API, Geolocation API, and others, have become more powerful and standardized, enabling PWAs to perform tasks that were once the exclusive domain of native apps.
The Market’s Response
From a market perspective, many businesses have started to recognize the cost-effectiveness and reach of PWAs. The ability to deliver app-like experiences directly from a web browser without the need for app store approvals has opened new avenues for direct user interaction. This ability to avoid App Store approvals and the dreaded code-signing and entitlement process associated with Apple App Store is a huge selling-point for enterprises in particular who might need an entire sweep of relatively small apps but don’t want the hassle of managing an MDM for or enterprise signing; even if your app is just going to be used by your team internally to have a native iOS app, you still need to jump all the Apple hurdles as though you were releasing software on the public iOS App Store.
The 100LB Apple In The Room
However, it’s not all smooth sailing for PWAs. Despite the advancements, there are still challenges that need addressing. Performance optimization remains a critical issue, especially on lower-end devices and in regions with spotty internet connections. Additionally, the varying degrees of feature support across browsers can lead to inconsistencies in user experience. Another point of contention is the discoverability of PWAs. Without a centralized store or directory, it falls upon businesses to market their PWAs effectively and of course educate would-be users on how to install; this is another reason that I think they will ultimately have the most continued success in the enterprise space where IT staff and vendors can assist users in setting up PWAs on their devices. The much larger silverback Apple of an issue is the recent change in policy from Apple to all but cripple PWAs in the EU in response to European legislation that was aimed at diminishing the tech giant’s control of the iOS app ecosystem. Apple has been dragging their feet behind other browser vendors on mobile (for example Google’s Android) for years, but the upcoming 17.4 iOS update’s changes are a body blow to PWA developers everywhere.
As we navigate through 2024, the state of PWAs is still mostly positive; it’s downright rainbows and unicorns if you’re not interested in being on on iOS. The advancements in technology and shifts in market attitudes towards PWAs indicate a bright future, albeit one that requires navigation through some lingering challenges. For developers and businesses, the message is clear: the PWA journey is well worth embarking on, promising a world of opportunities to deliver seamless, high-quality user experiences across the web and mobile landscapes.
In the spirit of Coder Radio, let’s continue to monitor this space closely. The evolution of PWAs is a testament to the ever-changing world of software development, reflecting our adaptability and relentless pursuit of better, more efficient ways to connect with users across the globe. Stay tuned, and let’s see where this journey takes us!
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