Progressive Web App Primer for Early Adopting Magento Merchants

The augmentation of the web has taken us from distinct versions of a website to desktop versus mobile versions to responsive sites that adapt according to screen size, and then to native mobile apps, that either recreate the desktop expertise as a native app or act as a portal to the responsive version. The latest iteration of all this is PWA. It is the replacement of a responsive website. PWA the trending browsing mobile method PWA is a software platform that aims to merge the best of both the web and the native experience for website or app users. These mobile optimized web pages app-like applications cannot portray all the native app features, but they are quicker, easy to deploy without the need to download a mobile app, more hassle-free checkout and better shopping experience, updates are done on the single instance. The most important advantage from your customer’s standpoint is there is no need to visit the Google play or app store to download the app; it can be simply added to Home Screen from the browser. PWA offers offline access to the content without the need of an internet connection. To provide basic functionality to every user irrespective of the browser PWAs are built using progressive enhancement principles which is a web design strategy, hence they are fully responsive offering the similar experience to a desktop or a mobile. Advantages of PWA The significant advantage of PWA over the native mobile app is that they do not require any different technology. Developers with experience in coding and experience in logical thinking can adapt to PWA. PWAs can be installed directly to the home screen without the hassle of a real download, this not only highlights the improvement in user experience but also the earlier issue of consumer buy-in. Many users abandon their carts or websites if it takes more than 3 seconds to load, PWAs offer a standard app like interfaces but work at the speed of a website. To keep the end user intent and compulsive to open and use the app more often PWAs offer support for push notifications. PWAs actively update without notifying the users thus omitting the need for periodic updates from the app store, and addressing the problem of software fragmentation without the need to maintain the older version of the app. From customer’s and solution provider’s perspective, progressive web apps are cost-effective and time-saving to build and update which can help get the product to the market quickly. The objective of retraction to PWAs is not just to assure of its quick squeak or while offline but to endeavor an entirely standalone experience like any other installed app. MAGENTO PWA Studio It is set of developer tools that centric platform allowing Magento Commerce solution partners and UX developers to deliver fast and fluid front-end experiences on mobile devices. Magento Progressive App module gives the best experience for users without accelerated pages and responsive websites. The websites remain searchable by search engines. Features

• Default name can be set by the admin.
• The splash background color of PWAs is configurable.
• Offline mode support, store admin can configure offline page.
• Multiple push notification can be sent by admin at a time.
• The web app can open without a network connection or a slow net connection.
• Increases the size of traffic and higher conversion rates.
• Works faster than the mobile browser website.
• Default responsive behavior for all mobile devices.
• Purpose-built developer tools for fast prototyping, helpful debugging, rich feedback, and increased productivity. The Magento approach with PWA Studio through the open source on Github will allow development teams to accustom themselves with additional resources and technology required. Frontend development – often 25% of effort – will be easier with the introduction of real-time updates and guided development from Webpack in PWA Studio.

The biggest names in technology are implementing initiatives to transition PWAs into a new mainstream standard for mobile:

• The Microsoft Store is making a growing number of PWA apps available and has defined a set of submission guidelines for developers.
• As of July 2018, Google is now prioritizing page speed as a ranking factor in its mobile searches. With their fast performance, PWA-driven sites obviously stand to benefit.
• With their release of iOS 11.3, Apple has quietly included support for PWA, expanding opportunities for merchants looking to tap engagement and revenue opportunities with the iOS crowd.

Conclusion PWA is a great solution for your Magento website for providing a progressive and better workflow, with higher sales volume. The technology has already established with positive advancement and is in great interest among E-Commerce web merchants. From a developer’s perspective, PWA studio is a new face of architecture which allows you to build PWA on top of Magento and manage all channels via one code base, one deployment, and app. If you are a Merchant and are looking for a Magento Developer to implement PWA, you know where to go.

Tags: magento pwa studio, progressive web app, pwa,