How to Make a React Progressive Web App?

The technology that has been used in ‘progressive’ web apps came in only a few years back. It gained humongous popularity since then marking its way ahead to build future-ready mobile applications.

Progressive web applications are engaging, reliable, and fast to work with. They bring out the top native applications and mobile websites. Before many brands overlooked the constant proliferation of mobile technology, yet it simplifies reaching out to their growing customers.

Why Can Brands Invest in Progressive Web Apps?

PWA’s provide a booming user experience through progressive enhancement. Robust PWA solutions help drive and stimulate technological capabilities, empower companies, and add the right amount of balance to the business. 

These progressive web apps work seamlessly in offline mode. They interpret mobile-like behavior such as native performance. PWA’s get installed easily and they are extremely responsive. They do not require application store submission.

It offers the following features:

1. It sends push notifications.
2. It can be accessible in no network or unstable connections.
3. It can access the hardware of mobile devices.

How To Build React Progressive Web Apps?

Catching up with the trend and phase, PWA’s have been shaped along with existing architectures using libraries such as React and JS module bundlers like webpack. A PWA should not require a wholesale rewrite when developers work with minor tweaks. Factors like shipping just what users need, routing, thrusting some metrics in place, throwing all non-essentials can be a great idea for fast performance.

Lighthouse is a tool for auditing, it helps in checking the app that meets a bar for web performance under emulated mobile conditions. It is available as a Command Line Interface (CLI) and Chrome Extension.

The Top-Level Audits That You Should Consider While Developing React PWA?

• To install the web application with a custom flash screen;
   
• Check if the network connection is secure;
   
• Check if the address bar matches brand colors;
   
• The design should be mobile-friendly;
   
• To improve the website progressively;
   
• It persuades the users to include the application to the home screen;
   
• To shoot up the page performance;
   
• To load and install the app on the offline/flaky connections;

The above mentioned points are achievable with some cautions. Without any arguments, web applications can be eccentric. From a document-centric platform to a first-class application platform, It has evolved tremendously. 

Use JS libraries appropriately to make your application engaging and attractive.

Some Examples of Open-Source React Progressive Web App

• Upgraded for Lighthouse
• Universal rendering
• Service worker app shell catching
• Built without React Router, React, and Firebase
• Content caching in cache API
• Cross-browser, including UC browser

Top Examples of React Progressive Web App

• Amazon
• Flipkart
• Canva
• Photoscape
• In Video

The Process That Required to Build Progressive Web App

Developing and building a React Progressive Web Application with React cross-platform app development framework, gives the latest version of Node installed. Install a code editor such as Visual Studio Code. 

There are three options that you can use:

1. To spike a React app with ‘progressive’ functionalities.
2. You can use the Create React App tool by Facebook.
3. You can import ready-made React apps from Github.

Now, without any further ado let’s check the procedure required to build React PWA:

1. To start with, install the Create React App tool in the system. Fire up your code editor, enter the following code:
   npm install –global create-react-app
    
2. After this, the installation of the Create React App tool begins. Once it gets completed, mention the following code:
   create – react – app react-PWA-example
   # and cd in that directory
   cd react – PWA – example
    
3. After entering the following code, check the package.json file, check out the dependencies that come up with the file. Using the code editor, install the ‘React-Router’ dependency. After that, take a test by running the npm run start command.
    
4. The Lighthouse is the free extension by Google, you can use that to analyze a web app and check if it is progressive or not.
    
5. The example mentioned above has a default service worker for ‘cache static’ assets, instead, we can also create a custom service worker. For this, first, create a new service worker file in the source directory of your project, and then replace the following code with the name of your custom service worker theme:
   window.addEventListener(‘Load’, () => { const swUrl = ‘${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}/service-worker.js’;
    
6. After this, add testing functionality to this service worker file by using the default console.log(“”) command.
    
7. Make a new production build of the application.
    
8. For an improved PWA score make sure to check the console Lighthouse because of the added service worker functionality.
    
9. After completing this, you can also write more intricate service worker code, depending on the functionality you desire.
    
10. Before the application initializes, ensure to display the loading messages or CSS by editing the index.html file to eliminate the import references of CSS files from app.js and index.js files and enhance app performance. It helps in adding ‘secure contexts’ to burgeon the ‘progressiveness’ of the application.
     
11. The Create React App has an unambiguous file in the public directory. It supports basic configurations. You may customize the public/manifest.json file to add functionalities such as icons, install options, and PWA icons on the home screen or desktop to access easily.
     
12. After you have completed all the above mentioned steps, your application is finally ready for deployment. Turn on caching by converting the value of doCache to true by using the Firebase. Install the Firebase and initialize the Firebase module.
     
13. Once you are done, use the following command to deploy the application:
    npm run build && firebase deploy
     
14. The Firebase CLI tool returns a URL, which opens in a web browser. The hosting URL will have
    HTTPS: https://pwa-example-1.firebaseapp.com
     
15. Finally, execute the Lighthouse tool, and you will get 100 PWA SCORE. That suggests that your PWA is ready.

Conclusion

Vidhema Technologies is an IT company operating since 2016 and has a trusted and proficient team of developers. We are here to provide you with the latest and trending features of mobile and web application development.

With our progressive web app development services, we are here to help you in every phase of the development process. Check out our social media handles and visit our website for more information. 

 

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