What Is a PWA? A Website That Acts Like an App

A Progressive Web App (PWA) is a website you can install on your phone and use like a regular app. No app store and no download page. You open it in Chrome, tap Install app, and it lands on your home screen with its own icon. Why I like them Installable: it opens full screen, without the browser bar. Works offline: basic parts of the app can load without internet. Uses your phone: camera, flashlight, vibration, GPS, Bluetooth and NFC. One codebase: just HTML, CSS and JavaScript. The 3 pieces HTTPS: a secure connection. A manifest file: your app's name, icon and colors. A service worker: a small script that enables offline mode. That's all you need for Chrome to offer the install button. What's next I'm testing all of this on my Pixel 9, starting with the easiest project I could find: a button that makes the phone vibrate.