What it is
A progressive web app is a website built so it can be installed like an app. A web app manifest gives it a name, icon and launch behaviour, and a service worker lets it cache files and keep working when the network is slow or gone. Once added to the home screen, it opens in its own window without browser chrome.
There is no store review and no separate codebase to maintain. Updates ship the moment the site is deployed. Device access is narrower than a native app, and support varies by browser and platform, so progressive web apps suit tools that are mostly forms, lists and lookups rather than heavy camera or background work.
How I use it
- The contact card on this site is an installable web app with its own manifest.
- Offered to clients as an installable web app with no store at all, next to native field apps for iOS and Android.
- Checked on a real device before it ships, like every other screen.
A PWA is the right choice when a store listing would only be friction: an internal tool, a quick lookup or something a customer uses now and then. I reach for one when the job is mostly reading and filling in, and save native apps for work that needs the camera, signatures and offline sync all day.
Questions
Do we need an app store listing?
Not always. A progressive web app installs to the home screen straight from the browser. A store listing makes sense when you need deeper device features or the reach of the store.
PWA or native app for field crews?
For crews who need the camera, signatures and offline sync all day, native. Rental Pilot's field app is React Native for that reason.