Table of Contents
What are Progressive Web Applications?
Let’s start with the definition of PWA
Progressive Web Applications are responsive websites designed to provide facilities like a fully functional mobile app. Progressive web applications in Magento 2 are developed using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It gives the feel and functionality of native apps despite being a website.
PWA makes the browsing experience easier and faster for the user. You can find many Magento PWA examples, which use this web technology. Common PWA examples are Twitter. Lite, Ali express, Starbucks.com, etc.
Difference Between PWA and Native Apps
Progressive Web applications and Native apps both have their advantages and disadvantages. Simply, it can run on an iPhone or Smartphone with no browser window or anything. In addition, PWA assures you the fast user experience, offline functionality, and push notifications, and drives more user engagements. Here are some of the following differences to consider building a progressive web app or a native app:
- Application Launch: The native app requires a dedicated team to launch on the Android and IOS platform while progressive web apps can develop faster and ship quickly, as it is essentially a website.
- Permissions: With PWAs, No need to wait for app store validation while the Native app needs approval for app stores.
- Development Cost: Creating a native app is quite expensive, which creates a risky barrier for early startups, whereas it is less costly for progressive web development in Magento 2.
- Platform Compatibility: Native apps can only run on a single platform, either iOS or Android, while PWA offers you cross-platform availability, supported by all mobile browsers irrespective of the operating system.
- No Installation Required: Progressive web apps are much better than Native apps, as it doesn’t need to download or install from an app store. You can directly put the link to the mobile home screen and save the storage space.
- Accessibility: Need to access the Google play store or iPhone stores to update native apps to the latest version while just refreshing to update PWAs.
- Easy Promotion: Business owners can easily share and promote the PWA of their eCommerce stores. With Native apps, it requires much effort and time to ask anyone for installation.
Benefits of Magento Progressive Application Development
Magento Progressive Web App will enhance shopping experiences on mobile and desktop devices. Online retailers are chasing Progressive Web Apps to attract users, increase conversions, and have the best browsing experience for all mobiles across all platforms. We talked about some pluses of PWAs in this article, but here’s an overview:
- Cross-Browser Compatible: Build a single eCommerce Progressive Web Application to run on any device browser. Cross-platform availability saves the cost of building a separate app for different OS platforms.
- Lightning Fast: The speed of the Magento 2 PWA will increase the conversation by 110%. Setting up a PWA Storefront makes the front-end lightweight, resulting in faster loading speed.
- Low Data Usage: Great reliability and faster speed will reduce data consumption. Developing Magento web apps decreases the use of storage spaces on your user’s device.
- Mobile app-like UX: Get the same-like mobile app look to make the shopping experience smooth and easy. You will see no browser URL and Navigation tool while using PWAs.
- Offline Browsing: Access the progressive web stores offline and let customers browser their favorite products. The unavailability of an Internet Connection will not stop users from shopping.
- Push Notifications: Re-engages users after leaving the stores by sending relevant CTAs to push notifications. Boost the re-engagements by getting into the pocket of your customers.
- Add Icon to Home Screen: It offers users a smooth browsing experience by adding a PWAs icon to the device’s home screen. It offers feels like a natural downloaded web application.
Why should we go for Magento 2 PWA Development
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Enhanced and Smooth User Experience
Headless PWA apps offer fast loading speed and a responsive user interface to increase user engagement. It also works with all screen sizes. With the smooth user-friendly experience, shoppers are more likely to return to your stores. -
Overall Performance
Progressive web applications in Magento 2 are lightweight and accessible from anywhere. It ensures retailers the effortless marketing and promotion of their store. The smooth and reliable UX of PWAs in Magento gives a truly app-like experience to the users. -
Built-in SEO Capabilities
SEO optimization boosts the website to reach more customers and help them find the products faster. PWA Magento 2 development offers you a built-in SEO feature to increase the conversation rates. With strong capabilities, you don’t need to change anything while converting it into Magento 2 websites. -
Low Development Cost
Magento PWA is the cheapest online store to engage customers than native apps. Instead of investing your money in building native apps separately for both Android and iOS, you can save the cost by developing a single PWA to combine desktop and mobile in one place. -
Offline availability
Magento Progressive web applications are available offline, but with some limitations. Some features will be unavailable, if it isn’t part of the natural caching system. Just like accessing static pages of the websites or apps, but can’t upload anything until connectivity is there.
3 Simple Ways to Convert Your Magento 2 Website to PWA
Following are the 3 easiest ways to convert your Magento 2 store into Progressive Web Applications.
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Install and configure Magento 2 PWA Extensions –
It can add the basic PWA features most simply. It is affordable and costs between $50 to $150 to integrate the full features of PWA. -
Install the Magento 2 PWA Theme –
Download and integrate the PWA theme in Magento 2 website with the essential PWA features. To customize PWA Storefront, hire a Magento 2 developer to do the job. -
Launch Magento 2 PWA Studio
Develop your PWA store with a set of developer tools, deploy, and maintain a fully featured PWA Magento 2. You can also check our Magento 2 PWA Studio Demo to convert your Magento 2 Store.