Web & SEO
What is a progressive web app (PWA)?
A progressive web app (PWA) is a website built to behave like an installed app: it can be added to a home screen, launch without browser controls, work offline, and send notifications.
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Technical definition
A progressive web app is a web application that meets a set of technical criteria allowing installation and app-like behavior. The required pieces are a web app manifest declaring name, icons, and display mode; a service worker enabling offline caching and background behavior; and delivery over HTTPS.
A PWA runs in the browser engine while presenting as a standalone application. Access to device capabilities is broader than a plain website's but narrower than a native app's, and support varies by platform.
In plain terms
A PWA is a website that can be installed. Your customer adds it to their home screen, taps the icon, and it opens without a browser bar around it.
There is no app store involved. You send them a link.
Why it matters
The cost difference is the point. A native app means separate builds for iOS and Android, developer program fees, app store review, and a resubmission for every update. A PWA means one project, one deploy, and updates that reach users the moment you publish.
For most small business use cases, that trade is favorable. A booking app for regulars, a staff scheduling tool, a loyalty card, an internal dashboard: none of these need to be in a store, and being in a store adds friction to installing them.
Where native still wins: heavy device integration, background location, tight camera or Bluetooth work, and being findable in an app store, which matters if discovery is the point.
The honest limit is iOS. PWA support on iOS has historically lagged Android, and notification behavior in particular differs. Verify the capability you are depending on before you build around it.
