What makes progressive web apps a trend to follow in 2022

When it comes to web development, Progressive Web Apps have been a popular choice to enable exceptional user experiences. Since they seamlessly adapt to different browsers, screen sizes, and device specifications, they offer a great way to drive higher conversions and customer engagement. 

Despite being around for a while, this approach to mobile and web development is a hot trend to embrace in 2022. Read on to learn why! 

Progressive Web Apps in 2022

Although mobile apps are increasingly being used to work, play, and socialize, numerous companies still fail at providing favorable and consistent user experiences across different mobile devices. They either take a long time to load, comprise unresponsive pages, offer unfriendly navigation, or have elements that have not been optimized for touch. 

With different users using different devices and operating systems to access websites and apps, a progressive design approach to development ensures the website or app behaves and functions properly – and as seamlessly as native apps would. Being highly responsive to various form factors, they adapt quickly and properly to various screen sizes, paving the way for an enjoyable app experience – regardless of the device or OS. 

The recent collaboration between Microsoft and Google has caused an uproar in the web development space, aiding developers to easily publish Progressive Web Apps in the Google Play Store. Microsoft’s PWABuilder and Google’s Bubblewrap are now working together to make writing Progressive Web Apps easier and package them for distribution in app stores. So, what makes Progressive Web Apps a trend to follow in 2022?

• Platform independence: Enabling a platform-independent design, the Progressive Web App approach allows developers to develop and deploy apps on different platforms using a single codebase. Moreover, since they are discoverable by search engine indexing, they facilitate fast and accurate information retrieval while also prioritizing the website in search results. 
• Look and feel like native apps: Progressive Web Apps today offer just the same look and feel like native apps and have a similar effect on user experience. They are just as quick to install and offer the same level of responsiveness as well as a range of comprehensive capabilities similar to modern websites with seamless database access. 
• Simplified app development: Because Progressive Web Apps enable greater platform coverage using a single codebase, they simplify app development to a great extent. Such simplification ensures seamless rollout on multiple platforms and also reduces the time and resources needed to get an app to the market. 
• Intuitive user experiences: Platform independence combined with the inherently installable nature of Progressive Web Apps makes the user experience seamless and intuitive. Being extremely responsive and lightweight, they adapt to evolving platforms and screen sizes and deliver a consistent user experience. 
• Quick deployment: Progressive Web Apps is great for startups who want to get an MVP into the market as soon as possible as well as for companies who want to get an app in the hands of users quickly and affordably – and with minimal resources. Instead of using a different browser each time to access an app or website, users can simply download and install them on their devices. 
• Seamless support: Progressive Web Apps also offer the ability to work everywhere while providing seamless cross-device support to users who often switch between devices. Such support ensures user needs are constantly met and that their experience with the app is always up to the mark. 

The article has been written by Anurag Sinha, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Wissen Technology (Wissen.com)