Transform Your Application into a Progressive Web App

A Step-by-Step Guide to Boost User Engagement

Source: Google Images

Progressive Web Apps (PWA) combine the best of web and mobile app experiences, allowing users to access your application offline, receive push notifications, and install it on their devices like a native app. In this article, I will walk you through the steps to implement PWA in your application.

Enable HTTPS

To ensure a secure connection, enable HTTPS for your application. You can do this by obtaining an SSL certificate and configuring it on your web hosting app. Services like Let’s Encrypt provide free SSL certificates, or you can use paid options for more advanced features. Alternatively, you can publish your application using GitHub Pages, which automatically provides HTTPS support.

Service worker

A service worker is a JavaScript file that runs in the background, enabling offline support and other advanced features for your PWA. Here’s an example of how to create a service worker:

self.addEventListener('install', event => {
 // Perform installation tasks, such as caching static assets
});
self.addEventListener('fetch', event => {
 // Intercept network requests and serve cached assets when offline
});
self.addEventListener('push', event => {
 // Handle push notifications
});

In your index.js or index.tsx file, make sure to register the service worker:

import * as serviceWorker from './service-worker';

serviceWorker.register();

This enables the service worker in your application.

Please refer to this Gist for implementing offline support using a service worker.

Workbox Webpack Plugin

To simplify the implementation of service workers and caching strategies, you can use the Workbox Webpack Plugin. It integrates with the webpack build process and helps manage caching and offline functionality in your PWA.

Source: Google Images

Workbox provides two webpack plugins: GenerateSW and InjectManifest

• GenerateSW: This plugin generates the service worker for you. Here's an example of how to configure it:

// webpack.config.js

const WorkboxWebpackPlugin = require('workbox-webpack-plugin');

module.exports = {
  // Other webpack configuration options

  plugins: [
    new WorkboxWebpackPlugin.GenerateSW({
      swDest: './<your_dest_dir>/service-worker.js',
      exclude: [/\.html$/],
      clientsClaim: true,
      skipWaiting: true,
    }),
  ],
};

• InjectManifest: This plugin allows you to customize the service worker by injecting it into your project. Here's an example of how to configure it:

// webpack.config.js

const WorkboxWebpackPlugin = require('workbox-webpack-plugin');

module.exports = {
  // Other webpack configuration options

  plugins: [
    new WorkboxWebpackPlugin.InjectManifest({
      swSrc: './src/service-worker.js',
      swDest: './<your_dest_dir>/service-worker.js',
    }),
  ],
};

Choose the appropriate plugin based on your needs and integrate it into your webpack configuration.

Web Application Manifest

The web application manifest file is required to make your application progressive. It provides metadata about your PWA, allowing it to be installed on users’ devices and appear as a standalone application. The specification suggests the extension should be .webmanifest, but browsers also support .json extensions, which may be easier for developers to understand.

Source: Google Images

Create a manifest.json file and include it in your HTML:

<!-- index.html -->

<link rel="manifest" href="manifest.json">

The manifest.json file should be a JSON file with the following structure:

{
  "name": "<Your_App_Name>",
  "short_name": "<Your_App_Short_Name>",
  "display": "standalone",
  "scope": "<Scope_Of_Your_App>",
  "start_url": "<Your_App_Start_Path>",
  "background_color": "<Splash_Screen_Color>",
  "theme_color": "<Tool_Bar_Color>",
  "icons": [
    {
      "src": "<App_Icon>",
      "sizes": "512x512",
      "type": "image/png",
      "purpose": "maskable any"
    }
  ],
  "related_applications": [
    {
      "platform": "webapp",
      "url": "<Your_App_URL>"
    }
  ]
}

Customize the fields in the manifest file to match your application’s information, such as name, short name, colors, icons, and start URL.

Source: web.dev

Yay! Congratulations on making your application progressive and user-friendly! Users can now install it on their devices and access it offline.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can successfully implement a Progressive Web App (PWA) in your application. Enabling HTTPS, creating a service worker, using the Workbox Webpack Plugin for caching and offline support, and defining a web application manifest will enhance your application’s capabilities and user experience.

In the next article, we will explore storage options for PWAs, allowing you to store data locally and provide a seamless experience even when offline.