Progressive Web Apps (PWAs): Best Practices for 2025

by | May 10, 2025 | Uncategorized

Progressive Web Apps

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) have reshaped the digital landscape by blending the best features of mobile apps and websites. They offer a fast, engaging, and reliable user experience while requiring less development time and resources than native apps. As technology advances, PWAs remain at the forefront of web development. In this article, we’ll explore the best practices for delivering high-performing, user-friendly PWAs in 2025, focusing on delivery, caching, and offline functionality.

What Are PWAs?

PWAs are web applications that use modern web capabilities to deliver an app-like experience to users. They are:

  • Reliable: Work offline or on low-quality networks.
  • Fast: Load quickly and respond seamlessly to user interactions.
  • Engaging: Feel like a natural app experience with features like push notifications and home screen installation.

PWAs are built using standard web technologies, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and are enhanced with features like service workers and web app manifests.

PWAs Best Practices for 2025

Let’s have a look at why progressive web apps are good for a deep dive into delivery, caching, and offline functionality that bridges mobile and web experiences.

1. Optimise Delivery for Speed

Fast loading times are critical for PWAs. Here’s how to ensure your app delivers content swiftly:

  • Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): Distribute your content through a global CDN to reduce latency.
  • Lazy Loading: Load only the necessary content initially and defer loading secondary resources until they’re needed.
  • Compress Assets: Use tools like Gzip or Brotli to compress HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files.
  • Minify Resources: Remove unnecessary characters from your code to reduce file sizes.
  • Implement HTTP/3: Take advantage of faster connection setups and improved performance over HTTP/3.

2. Master Caching Strategies

Caching is a cornerstone of PWA performance. By using service workers, you can create a reliable offline experience and reduce loading times for repeat visits.

  • Precaching: Cache key assets during the initial service worker installation to ensure offline functionality.
  • Dynamic Caching: Cache content on-the-fly as users interact with the app, balancing storage limits with user needs.
  • Cache Invalidation: Set up versioning for cache files to ensure users always receive the latest updates.
  • Use Cache-First Strategy: For assets that rarely change (e.g., images or icons), serve them from the cache to reduce load times.
  • Network-First Strategy: For frequently updated data (e.g., news feeds), fetch the latest content from the network but fall back to cached data if offline.

3. Enhance Offline Functionality

PWAs should work seamlessly even without an internet connection. Achieving this involves thoughtful implementation of offline capabilities:

  • Offline-Ready Pages: Ensure critical pages like the home page and error page work offline.
  • IndexedDB: Store large amounts of structured data locally for offline access, ideal for apps with complex data requirements.
  • Background Sync: Use background sync to queue and send user actions (e.g., form submissions) when the device reconnects to the internet.
  • Custom Offline Pages: Design a fallback page that informs users about offline status while still being functional.

4. Prioritise User Engagement

PWAs stand out because they’re more engaging than traditional websites. To maximise this:

  • Push Notifications: Send timely, relevant notifications to re-engage users.
  • Add-to-Home-Screen (A2HS): Enable users to install your PWA on their devices for a native app-like experience.
  • Responsive Design: Ensure your app looks and performs well across all devices and screen sizes.
  • Custom Splash Screens: Use the web app manifest to define a tailored splash screen for a polished experience during app launch.

5. Ensure Robust Security

PWAs must be secure to protect user data and maintain trust:

  • Use HTTPS: All PWAs must be served over HTTPS to ensure secure communication between the app and the user.
  • Content Security Policy (CSP): Implement a CSP to prevent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks and other code injection vulnerabilities.
  • Regular Updates: Update your service worker and other dependencies regularly to patch vulnerabilities.

6. Monitor and Optimise Performance

Continuous monitoring and optimisation are vital for long-term success:

  • Performance Audits: Use tools like Lighthouse to measure performance, accessibility, and best practices compliance.
  • Web Vitals Metrics: Optimise for Core Web Vitals, including Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).
  • Analytics: Track user interactions to understand behaviour and identify areas for improvement.

Key Tools for PWA Development

  • Workbox: Simplifies service worker implementation with pre-built strategies for caching and background sync.
  • Lighthouse: Audits your PWA’s performance, accessibility, and SEO.
  • Figma: Creates responsive design prototypes for PWAs.
  • IndexedDB: Enables complex offline data storage.
  • Webpack: Optimises your assets and bundles JavaScript efficiently.

Conclusion

Progressive Web Apps represent the future of web development, offering unparalleled speed, reliability, and engagement. By following these best practices for delivery, caching, and offline functionality, you can create a PWA that not only meets user expectations but exceeds them. In 2025, the demand for fast, secure, and user-friendly digital experiences will only grow—and PWAs are the perfect solution to bridge the gap between mobile and web.