Best Practices
PWA Development Guidelines
Build high-quality Progressive Web Apps that are fast, reliable, and engaging. Follow these best practices to create exceptional user experiences across all devices and platforms.
Core PWA Requirements
Essential criteria that every Progressive Web App must meet
HTTPS-only (required for service workers)
Valid web app manifest with required fields
Registered service worker with fetch event
Responsive design that works on mobile and desktop
Fast loading time (FCP < 3s on 3G)
Works offline or on slow networks
Cross-browser compatibility
Accessible to all users (WCAG 2.1 AA)
Comprehensive Guidelines
Detailed best practices for every aspect of PWA development
Performance First
Fast loading and responsive experience
- •Achieve First Contentful Paint (FCP) under 1.8 seconds
- •Keep Time to Interactive (TTI) under 3.8 seconds on mobile
- •Implement code splitting and lazy loading
- •Optimize images with modern formats (WebP, AVIF)
- •Minimize JavaScript bundle size and leverage tree shaking
- •Use HTTP/2 and implement resource hints (preload, prefetch)
- •Implement efficient caching strategies with service workers
Responsive Design
Seamless experience across all devices
- •Support all screen sizes from 320px to 4K displays
- •Use responsive images with srcset and sizes attributes
- •Implement touch-friendly interfaces (44x44px minimum tap targets)
- •Test on real devices across different form factors
- •Support both portrait and landscape orientations
- •Use CSS Grid and Flexbox for flexible layouts
- •Ensure readable font sizes without zooming (minimum 16px)
Offline Capability
Work seamlessly without internet
- •Implement a service worker for offline functionality
- •Provide a custom offline page instead of browser default
- •Cache critical assets and pages for offline access
- •Use IndexedDB for client-side data storage
- •Implement background sync for offline actions
- •Show appropriate offline/online status indicators
- •Test thoroughly on slow and unreliable networks
Installability
Enable native app-like installation
- •Create a comprehensive web app manifest file
- •Provide high-quality app icons (192px, 512px minimum)
- •Set appropriate display mode (standalone, fullscreen)
- •Define start_url and scope correctly
- •Register a service worker for offline support
- •Implement custom install prompts for better UX
- •Meet all PWA installability criteria
Security & HTTPS
Protect user data and privacy
- •Serve all content over HTTPS (required for PWAs)
- •Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers
- •Use Subresource Integrity (SRI) for third-party scripts
- •Validate and sanitize all user inputs
- •Keep dependencies updated and scan for vulnerabilities
- •Implement proper authentication and authorization
- •Follow OWASP security best practices
Accessibility (a11y)
Inclusive design for all users
- •Achieve WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance minimum
- •Use semantic HTML elements correctly
- •Provide proper ARIA labels and roles
- •Ensure keyboard navigation throughout the app
- •Maintain sufficient color contrast ratios (4.5:1 minimum)
- •Support screen readers with meaningful alt text
- •Test with assistive technologies regularly
SEO Optimization
Discoverable and indexable content
- •Implement server-side rendering (SSR) or static generation
- •Create descriptive, keyword-rich meta titles and descriptions
- •Use proper heading hierarchy (h1-h6)
- •Implement structured data (JSON-LD) for rich snippets
- •Generate and submit XML sitemaps
- •Optimize URLs with meaningful slugs
- •Ensure fast page load times (Core Web Vitals)
Cross-Browser Support
Consistent experience everywhere
- •Test on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge
- •Use feature detection instead of browser detection
- •Implement progressive enhancement strategies
- •Provide fallbacks for modern features
- •Use polyfills when necessary
- •Test on both desktop and mobile browsers
- •Monitor browser compatibility with tools like Can I Use
Deep Linking
Support direct navigation to content
- •Implement proper routing with unique URLs
- •Support URL parameters and query strings
- •Handle browser back/forward navigation correctly
- •Enable social media sharing with Open Graph tags
- •Implement canonical URLs to avoid duplicate content
- •Support bookmarking of specific app states
- •Test deep links from external sources
App-Like Experience
Native feel with web flexibility
- •Use standalone display mode to hide browser UI
- •Implement app shell architecture for instant loading
- •Match OS theme with theme-color meta tag
- •Use system fonts for native feel
- •Implement smooth animations and transitions
- •Remove unnecessary website chrome (headers, footers)
- •Support platform-specific gestures and interactions
Engagement Features
Keep users coming back
- •Implement push notifications (with user permission)
- •Add app shortcuts for quick actions
- •Display app badges for updates or notifications
- •Implement share target API for receiving shares
- •Create a smooth onboarding experience
- •Use persistent storage for user preferences
- •Implement analytics to understand user behavior
Testing & Quality
Ensure reliability and excellence
- •Use Lighthouse for PWA audits (score 90+ target)
- •Test on real devices with various network conditions
- •Implement automated testing (unit, integration, e2e)
- •Monitor performance with Real User Monitoring (RUM)
- •Test offline scenarios thoroughly
- •Validate manifest and service worker functionality
- •Use WebPageTest for detailed performance analysis
Official Resources & Documentation
MDN Web Docs - PWA Best Practices
Comprehensive guide from Mozilla Developer Network covering all aspects of PWA development.
web.dev - Progressive Web Apps
Learn PWA development from Google's web development resources and tutorials.
Microsoft Edge - PWA Best Practices
Microsoft's comprehensive guide to building robust Progressive Web Apps.
Next.js - PWA Configuration
Official Next.js documentation for building Progressive Web Apps with React.
Essential PWA Development Tools
Lighthouse
Automated auditing tool for PWA quality, performance, and best practices
Workbox
JavaScript libraries for adding offline support and caching strategies
PWA Builder
Tools to help you build and package PWAs for app stores
Ready to Build Your PWA?
Follow these guidelines to create a Progressive Web App that users love. Once your PWA is ready, submit it to PWAStore.io to reach a wider audience.