Native Apps, Traditional Websites, and PWAs

“To app, or not to app: that is the question: Whether ’tis convenienter in the phone to download The files and notifications of outrageous apps, Or to take arms against a sea of downloads, And by opposing end them?”

Apologies to Mr. Shakespeare, but if he had lived in today, he might have written something similar.

Apps have their pros.

They can use all the device’s hardware and software features such as the camera, GPS, sensors, and more. They are usually faster and more responsive — especially for complex applications. The user experience can be more polished, and even the push notifications can be more reliable.

In addition, an app will appear in the app store, which can allow it to be discovered and downloaded.

But, apps are not without their cons.

With a variety of platforms available — and we won’t get into the ever popular debate between androids and iPhones — one has to develop separate apps for the different platforms. Naturally, this increases cost, and those costs don’t end when the app is released. One still must maintain those separate apps for those separate platforms.

Once one has the app ready to go, one is then at the mercy of the app store. The submission and approval processes can be time-consuming and subject to rejection.

If one does make it into the app store, the app still has to be found, downloaded and installed by users. Even if this hurdle is overcome, the user then becomes responsible for manually downloading and installing updates. For anyone who has ever seen a list of app updates awaiting their approval and decided to put it off for…a “convenient” time that will never come, leaving potentially important updates to the whims of users might not be a great choice.

So what are the benefits of a traditional website?

If one doesn’t want the hassle of an app, one might decide to go the website way.

Websites have some advantages. They are easily accessible to pretty much anyone on pretty much any device without any installation being necessary. As they are fully indexable by search engines, they can be more easily found by potential users. The cost of creating a website is cheaper, and any needed updates can be done immediately and without the need for users to push that Update button.

But, traditional websites aren’t without their cons.

Most websites are pretty useless without an internet connection and have limited offline functionality. A website’s performance might be slower than apps or PWAs, and the website cannot access certain device-specific features and functionalities.

The user experience will be less immersive and “app-like.” A website also cannot send push notifications and may lack interactive features that an app has.

What’s a PWA?

If Website and App fell in love, married, and had a baby, PWA would be that baby. PWAs are Progressive Web Apps, and they combine some of the best parts of apps with some of the best parts of traditional websites.

PWAs have cross-platform compatibility and work on any device with a modern web browser. They have the benefit of not needing app store approval, and they can be easily updated without requiring users to download updates. Users can add a PWA icon to his or her Home Screen — which enables the PWA to function like a native app on your home screen even though it isn’t a native app.

They function offline, and since there is only one codebase for all platforms, it reduces development and maintenance costs. They are indexable by search engines and have efficient caching strategies, which allows for faster loading times. In addition, the user experience is more like an app than a website, which allows for a better user experience.

PWAs have also inherited some lesser desirable traits from their parents.

PWAs still have limited access to device features when compared to native apps. They might lack some native app elements like animations and may not perform as well — especially with graphics-intensive tasks. They also are not discoverable on app stores.

Whether or not a PWA, traditional website, or native app is right for a project depends on the goals and needs.

If you’d like to discover more about how we might be the right partner to help you with your technology needs, contact Swan Software Solutions to schedule a free assessment.