The term “progressive web application” or PWA has become very popular recently, this technology can benefit startups, providing users with an app-like web experience. Plus, PWAs are easy to install, launch, and maintain, and cost less than building traditional apps. To launch a successful PWA, startups need to partner with a trusted PWA development company, which is never easy. So in this article, Tech Town will mention the main factors that startups need to consider before choosing a PWA development partner.

Development of PWAs

The term “progressive web application” was introduced in 2015. Chrome developer Alex Russell first used it in an article describing this brand new type of web application. Since then, PWAs have grown, with Alibaba, Twitter and Forbes among the first to adopt the technology. Later, other well-known brands followed suit and turned their websites into PWAs. 

Here are the main factors contributing to the popularity of this innovative technology:

Support from industry leaders

Right from the beginning, PWA technology has received support from two big companies, Google and Microsoft. They have established best practices that help PWA developers deliver high-quality solutions. Armed with these helpful information and tutorials, users also begin to explore PWA technology more eagerly.

Improved system and multi-browser support

Today, users can access PWAs through mobile devices or computers across multiple browsers. Take a look at the PWA’s most important innovations to provide users with a responsive, traditional app experience:

•     Android smartphone owners have been allowed to add a PWA to their home screen using most browsers today, including Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.
•     PWAs are available in the Google Play and Samsung Galaxy stores. The latter has even added a special section to encourage more users to become familiar with PWA technology.
•     Apple Pay is now supported in PWAs. Users can now experience smooth payments similar to traditional apps.
•     The service is fully supported on Android. That means users can receive push notifications even if they don’t start the app.

Success in specific areas

PWA technology is really useful for the e-commerce industry. The implementation of PWAs has brought great results to popular online marketplaces. For example, AliExpress saw an 82% increase in iOS conversion rates after adopting this technology. 

Other industries that have benefited from PWAs include:

•     Tourism.
•     News sites.
•     Social media and entertainment.
•     Housing and hotels.
•     Health care, beauty and food.

Some of the major brands that have turned their websites into PWAs are:

•     Wego.
•     Forbes.
•     The Washington Post.
•     Twitter.
•     Starbucks.
•     And many more brands…

Which Startups Should Try Using PWAs?

As you have seen, PWA technology brings huge benefits to your startup. For startups that build a PWA instead of a traditional app, you should do it when:

•     Launch an online marketplace or news site – where the content is constantly updated.
•     Limited resources, cannot afford to invest in mobile application development.
•     Important information about push notifications for iOS users.
•     Want to give users a better experience than websites.
•     It is not possible to be certain that the user will install the application.
•     Don’t want to discount Apple 30% of revenue from in-app sales.
•     There is no need to integrate the application with the hardware of the mobile device.

Factors to consider when choosing a PWA development partner

The fields of web development demand are growing rapidly, the number of software developers is also increasing steadily. Statista predicts that there will be 28.7 million programmers worldwide by 2024. 

The same goes for companies that develop PWAs, the number of which is increasing dramatically. Therefore, finding a reliable technology partner for PWA development has become a complicated task. 

To help startups make the right choice, Tech Town has compiled the key characteristics of a best PWA developer.

Experience is key

Always choose a partner with relevant experience in PWA development. Not only do their experts know how to build fast-loading, engaging, and reliable PWAs, but they can also put their knowledge into practice. 

When visiting a PWA developer’s website, check their portfolio carefully. That helps startups better understand the scope and complexity of the projects that the partner has been working on. Make sure that portfolio includes PWA development case studies. They will be solid proof that the startup’s partner has enough experience to work with this innovative technology. 

One of the benefits of choosing an experienced partner is that you will get a more accurate estimate. The right PWA development company will consider the key factors that affect the final cost of a PWA such as design complexity, number of features implemented, and time it takes the development team to implement. 

Based on that, the PWA developer will be able to calculate the exact cost of the PWA development project from start to finish.

Adopt PWA development best practices

How can a PWA developer build a high-quality product? First of all, they use the best practices provided by Google. These documents provide a brief overview of PWA technology. 

In addition, Google developers would love to share their coding experience and show how they build PWAs. For that reason, they introduced the Progressive Web App Training program. What they offer will explain how to convert a website into a PWA.

High skills in web design

When it comes to PWA development, design skills play a very important role. The solutions provided should give the customers a smooth and engaging user experience. To this end, highly skilled designers typically follow the latest PWA design guidelines, including:

•     Provides great UX and UI for both desktop and mobile devices.
•     Get rid of Footers and put important information on the navigation bar.
•     Allows the user to return to the exact location of the list from which they exited before.
•     Show an interaction to let the user know that they’ve taken an action on the app.
•     Smooth page loading speed.
•     Display compelling visuals to increase user engagement with the PWA.
•     Design an eye-catching home screen logo to ensure your PWA stands out from the crowd.

Solid programming experience and understanding of modern technology

When choosing a PWA development partner with a lot of experience in coding, they will be well versed in the latest programming languages, frameworks, and testing tools. They know exactly what technologies should be used for your project. Besides, experienced developers will be able to build stable PWAs and work flawlessly on any device. They will ensure that the solution provided is always compliant with major operating systems. 

To talk about the most suitable frameworks for PWA development, we should mention Angular.js, Polymer, React, Vue.js, and Ionic. These technologies help developers build solutions that load fast, attractive, and reliable. 

At Tech Town, we use the following technologies to develop PWAs:

•     React and Vue.js to develop the front-end of the application. React speeds up the development process due to its wide range of libraries and tools. Vue.js makes application development lightweight and easy to fix.
•     The back-end of the PWA will be built with the help of Ruby and Ruby on Rails.
•     Finally, we use SCSS/CSS-in-JS/Modular Stylesheets to style the site.

Development method

It would be very practical for startups to ask their PWA development partners about the methodology to be applied. Here, we recommend that you choose an Agile partner. 

First, with the Agile approach, developers are free to implement new functionality and make changes as needed. 

Second, the development process will become transparent to both parties, which helps startups increase control over the project. 

Finally, the Agile approach helps companies developing PWAs to prioritize features and allocate resources appropriately.

Conclude

Tech Town hopes the tips in this article will help you find a reliable PWA development partner. 

Make sure your partner has proven case studies of building successful PWAs. Next, it would be practical to ask about their development approach and the technologies they use 

If startups need to find a PWA development partner to help increase brand recognition, fast and attractive loading speed, or you want to convert your website into a PWA. Tech Town is happy to help you. 

Tech Town knows how to turn your ideas into reality. Please contact us to discuss your ideas.