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Progressive web app installed on a phone home screen alongside native app icons
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Progressive Web App (PWA) Development

A progressive web app gives you the reach of the web with the feel of an installed app, without the cost and gatekeeping of the app stores. Users add it to their home screen, open it offline, and receive push notifications, all from a single codebase that runs everywhere. We build PWAs for businesses that want app-like engagement without maintaining separate native projects or waiting on store review.

Installable, App-Like Experiences From the Browser

A PWA installs straight from the browser to a user's home screen or desktop, launching in its own window without the address bar so it behaves like a native app. We configure the web app manifest with icons, theme colours, and display settings, and we implement add-to-home-screen prompts at sensible moments rather than on first visit. Because there is no app store, users skip downloads and approval queues, which lifts install rates. Updates ship instantly the next time the app loads, so every user runs the current version without manual upgrades.

Offline Support With Service Workers

We use service workers to make your app usable when the network is slow, flaky, or gone entirely. The service worker intercepts requests and serves cached assets and data, so screens load instantly and core tasks keep working offline. We choose caching strategies per resource, cache-first for the app shell, network-first for live data, and stale-while-revalidate where freshness can wait a moment. Actions taken offline are queued and synced through background sync once connectivity returns, so field staff and commuters never lose work to a dropped connection.

App-Shell Architecture and Push Notifications

We structure PWAs around an app shell, the minimal HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that renders the interface instantly while content streams in behind it. This separation gives users a fast first paint and a stable frame that does not flicker on navigation. Re-engagement comes from web push notifications delivered through the Push API and service worker, so you can reach users with order updates, reminders, or alerts even when the app is closed. We handle permission requests respectfully, requesting access in context so users opt in rather than dismiss the prompt.

Performance, Lighthouse, and Cross-Platform Reach

PWAs live or die on speed, so we engineer against Lighthouse audits and Core Web Vitals from the start. We optimise loading with code splitting, lazy loading, image compression, and preloading of critical assets to keep Largest Contentful Paint, interaction latency, and layout shift within target thresholds. One codebase serves Android, iOS, desktop, and tablet, reducing what you build and maintain. We test installability and offline behaviour across browsers, and we document where platform support varies so your team knows exactly what each user base receives.

What You Get

  • Installable PWA with configured web app manifest and icons
  • Service worker with offline caching and background sync
  • App-shell architecture for instant first render
  • Web push notification setup with in-context permission flow
  • Lighthouse and Core Web Vitals optimisation report
  • Cross-browser installability testing and documentation

Why Teams Choose TurnGlobal

  • App-like engagement without app store fees or review delays
  • One codebase reaching Android, iOS, desktop, and tablet
  • Offline-ready experience built on service workers and caching
  • Performance engineered against Lighthouse and Core Web Vitals

FAQs

How is a PWA different from a normal website?

A PWA adds installability, offline support, and push notifications on top of a website. Users can add it to their home screen and open it like an app, and a service worker lets it load and function without a connection, which a standard website cannot do.

Do PWAs work on iPhones and iPads?

Yes, with some limits. iOS supports installation to the home screen, offline caching, and increasingly web push, though certain native capabilities remain restricted compared with Android. We test on iOS and document any feature differences so your expectations match what users actually receive.

Can we publish a PWA to the app stores too?

Yes. While a PWA needs no store, we can package it for Google Play and the App Store using wrappers such as Trusted Web Activity or Capacitor when you want store presence as well. This gives you both direct web install and a store listing from one codebase.

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Ready to Start?

Contact our team and we will send the best implementation plan for your business.