Tag Archives: responsive design

Building Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

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Building-Progressive-Web-Apps

Since its introduction by Google in 2015, progressive web apps or PWAs have been quite popular among developers. The need for developing mobile apps is beyond questions today, and native, cross-platform has existed for quite some time. However, the approach of PWAs has brought some unique benefits.

The techniques of developing PWAs use web stacks like CSS, HTML, and JS to emulate the look and user experience of native applications. In addition, similar to native applications, PWAs promise rich functionality.

PWAs are also preferred because the apps developed using a specific code base are compatible with various devices, or these apps come with cross-platform compatibility. Once you download and install PWAs on your device, you can add them to the home screen and click on them to get redirected to the website. To explain further, with PWAs, you can expect the best experience by combining the experience of visiting a web page and using a mobile application.

In this article, we will talk about how to build progressive web apps. But before that, we will discuss the standout features and technical components of these apps.

Excellent Features of Progressive Web Apps

Though progressive web apps emulate the look and experience of native applications, these have truly unique features.

Push Notifications

Progressive web apps can keep users occupied by sending push notifications. These notifications are ideal for informing users of the latest offers and discounts and creating a sense of FOMO. Further, these messages help boost sales by promoting various products and services. In addition, push messages to make a user more interested in opening and using a particular application.

Full-Screen Loading

PWAs usually open in a standalone mode, offering an app-like interface. But with full-screen modals and changes in loading operations, progressive web apps can be loaded as full-screen apps. This is especially essential when you are using the apps on devices with smaller screens.

Offline Functionality

These applications enable an interface or application shell for caching strategies. So, these applications can load essential and varying information every time they are re-opened. With progressive web apps, you don’t need to enter vital and changeable information like payment history, shopping cart, avatars, and messages, every time you return. Thus, you get to enjoy an improved user experience (UX)even in offline mode.

So, even if your internet connection is disrupted or the speed is down, you can easily use these apps.

HTTPS Security

Progressive web apps come with improved security as these come with HTTPs extensions. Accessing the content is difficult for a hacker or unauthorized users.

Responsive Design

Progressive enhancement strategies or principles are used in developing progressive web apps. So, your browser cannot impact your interaction with the website. Further, the quality of your connection will have no role in determining how you interact with the applications.

At the same time, PWAs are responsive and hence meant for devices with varying screen sizes. So, you will get the same experience while using your mobile, tablet, or personal computer.

Automatic Updates

These applications can get updated independently, making using them more convenient. At the same time, with Web APIs and modular architecture, updates of these applications become free of risks.

Easy Installation and Accessibility

Search engines identify PWAs as applications, but these apps are not distributed through app stores. Further, as these applications are distributed in URL forms, they are discovered without any hassle. As a user, you have to visit a website and add the application to your device’s home screen.

You can click on the application whenever you want to use it.

Use of Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) for Fast Load Times

Due to the use of AMP or accelerated mobile pages in PWAs, these get uploaded very fast. Further, when the apps get loaded fast, the user experience is improved naturally. Again, as speed is an important factor for Google in ranking, AMPs offering better speed become essential in the SEO optimization of these apps.

Technical Components of Progressive Web Apps

The technical components of PWAs determine how performance optimization can be done for these applications. These apps are based on four technical elements: Service Workers, Web Manifest, Transport Layer Security or TLS, and Application Shell Architecture.

Service Workers

Features like push messages, background sync, and offline working mode come in PWAs because of Service Worker. This technical element is essentially a JavaScript file that runs differently from the PWAs. Further, the Service Worker sends responses to interactions between the application and users. These responses include network requests coming from pages the PWA serves.

Web Manifest

The native-app-like interface of a PWA comes from Web Manifest. In other words, with Web App Manifest, a web developer can decide how a user sees the app display and the way it can be launched.

It is a JSON file; with it, a web developer can get a “centralized place” for the metadata of the PWA. The short and full name of the PWA, starting URL, the type, location, size, and links to icons are included in the manifest. Further, a web developer can decide on the address bar’s color theme and splash screen. A developer needs to connect the manifest with a single link in all the headers of website pages for the application of these settings.

Transport Layer Security

These applications work with the security protocol of TLS or Transport Layer Security. This protocol ensures that data exchange between two PWAs is strong and safe. For data integrity, the website should be served through HTTPs, and an SSL certificate should be installed on a server.

Application Shell Architecture

The development and maintenance of PWAs cover fetching static content from dynamic content. The application shell architecture consists of core design elements; thus, the application continues to work even offline. In addition, as a renowned progressive web apps development company in India, this application shell architecture works well with JavaScript-heavy applications.

How PWAs are Built

PWAs are created using CSS, HTML, and JavaScript programming languages. Further, these are distributed with the help of web servers. While developing a PWA, we deploy the application on a server that can be accessed through HTTPS. These web servers have back-end and front-end codes.

Back-end codes are like endpoints that any progressive web app needs. These codes let you content stored in the server database. However, it’s wise to note that depending on the app, you may not even need server-side endpoints. The app runs on an installed device, cutting the need to require server-side data.

On the other hand, front-end codes include the tools like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript required for app installation on a device. HTML is required for app content description, including text, pictures, or call-to-action buttons that appear on the site.

Further, CSS lets you put HTML content in the app layout. JavaScript is required to make user interactions possible in the interface. Apart from coding elements like HTML, you require a JSON manifest file to let you connect your application with the host operating system.

The components involved in front-end and back-end code remain connected to bring the comprehensive functional integrity of the app. Explore the below steps to get a sneak peek into the development of PWAs.

Taking Care of the Web Server

Users can access PWAs through web servers. So, it’s wise to start the work with the development of a web server. You can start a local server by making a new folder using the command prompt and Node.js library combined.

Furthermore, you need to take care of the HTTPS URL where you need to publish your app as soon as it goes live. If your selected host doesn’t offer HTTPS by default, you can choose to serve your website in App services that include HTTPS. GitHub page is another alternative with HTTPS support for hosting your website.

Developing the Start Page of the App

People get to see the first page when they open your app. So, you need to start bringing content to your web server by making the app start page. In this step, you must utilize the folder contents you created in the first step.

Make a new file and write the codes based on the app you are developing. Obviously, the code components differ based on the app function. For example, in a food delivery app, the content is different from the code used in developing the temperature converter. After completing the file, save it with a name and view it on the web server.

Web App Manifest Making

The app you are developing can run on the browser. But, it requires a web app manifest so that it can be installed. Web App Manifest, the JSON file, contains crucial details about the app, including name, icons, and description.

Make a new file containing the metadata details and add an icon image. The added code connects the web app manifest file to the site.

Creating the User Interface of the Progressive Web App

We will build the main application’s functionality once the progressive web app has a start page and web app manifest file. At first, we create the HTML code and paste it into the index.html file. Then, we make use of the JavaScript code so that the converter starts working. For loading the JavaScript file, we have to reopen the index.html and paste the right code just after the closing tag.

Next, it’s time to add the CSS style to the application and make it very attractive. To add CSS style, we create a new converter.css file and add the code. Further, we reopen the index.html file for referencing the new CSS file with the addition of proper coding within the head tag.

Finally, we visit http://localhost:8080 to see the app before making it installable.

Adding Service Worker

Once you hire us as the progressive web apps development company in India, we will take special care of adding service workers. This technical element is very important to make the PWA fast and functional even if the network condition is poor or completely disrupted.

Service workers are web workers with some specialization. They block the network requests sent from a PWA to offer offline functionality, advanced caching, and continuing background tasks. The background tasks cover getting push notifications, adding badges to the icon of the application, and acquiring from the server.

Installing the PWA

Your PWA already has a service worker and web app manifest at this stage. So, now the app can be installed using supporting browsers.

Final Thoughts

Rich in features and various technical elements, PWAs are great for app development at a lesser cost. Further, these applications ensure better engagement of the users, convenient and safe application updates, and hassle-free installation. So, if you want to get PWAs built for your business, contact Dream Logo Design, your trusted progressive web apps development company in India. We do Lighthouse auditing of every PWA to be sure of its performance.

Responsive Design: Why It’s Essential for Your Website

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Responsive Design

Developing a website with a combination of content and pictures is not sufficient to get a good flow of web traffic. A responsive design is a strategy that you shouldn’t miss whether you want to promote your blog or business. But what does it actually mean to have a responsive webdesign?

To get a web responsive design, the webpage needs to have certain criteria that make the use of the website convenient and hassle-free. Let’s explore in detail what makes a website responsive, the causes of getting a responsive pattern, and some useful FAQs.

Responsive Design Company

What do we understand by Responsive Design?

The website design, when it becomes responsive, includes certain building elements in text arrangement, page size, and content display. Without getting into the nitty-gritty details of coding mechanisms, we can say these coding and building elements used while making the web pages generate responsiveness and adaptability to external changes.

What kind of external changes are we referring to? Let’s say you have come across a webpage that looks quite nice and easy to use on your desktop.

But whenever you access the same webpage on your mobile, the image and overall layout fail to adjust with the screen, giving you poor visibility and user experience. That shows the incompatibility of the page that comes from design elements to behave accordingly with the changed screen parameters.

Making the webpage responsive involves all web contents starting from text arrangements to design patterns becoming well-adjusted to fit into phones, tablets, and desktops. With responsive design CSS and HTML codes, every component online visitors can find on the page gets resized with the screen space correctly. The designs and content shrink or enlarge to give an impeccable user experience and prominent view irrespective of your device.

 Why Your Website Needs a Responsive Design?

 Many causes reflect the significance of getting a responsive design.

Mobile Optimization

 A website with mobile compatibility can fit better with the mobile screen dimensions. A site having such quality gets more web traffic because most people tend to use websites from their phones.

So with high visibility and ease of use on mobile devices, a webpage gets a good influx of web traffic. Thus, a business can reach the larger market section if its webpage has a mobile responsive design.

 

Great Ease in Website Use

 No one likes a slow-loading website or a page that cannot display the content or pictures properly on smaller screens of mobile phones. When users feel at ease while navigating the website, they tend to stay longer on the site.

Further, they can understand the blog or business services or products better while browsing comfortably through the site. Thus with a responsive design, you give more clarity to online consumers.

 

Preventing Duplicate Content

While modifying your website, you can land up with two website versions. One is made compatible with mobile, and the other is for desktop. The presence of two versions can lead to the formation of duplicate content. Plus, the availability of two URLs with the same content confuses search engines like Google on which version to prioritize while ranking web pages.

But you can use responsive structuring of webpages to handle the issue of generating duplicate content. That said, the responsive design of webpages is never the direct contributor to avoiding duplicate web content. But making your website responsive can help you in preventing generating duplicate versions.

With responsive webpages, you get a single version of the mobile responsive website. That aids in avoiding the issue of having two URLs with duplicated content.

 

Enhanced Speed in Page Loading

When the design elements are incompatible with the screen dimensions, the page takes more time to load properly and gets readjusted with the available space. But the page gets readjusted smoothly when the design and page elements are responsive to the device change. Thus the page loads easily without consuming much time.

 

Minimizing the Bounce Rate

Bounce rate denotes the rate at which an online user leaves quickly after visiting the website. Leaving a site just after visiting is encouraged by poor page loading speed or bad user experience. With a high bounce rate, your website can never satisfy the algorithm of search engines and get a good SEO ranking.

Apart from having good content, the webpage needs to be responsive to give users a good experience. That definitely brings down the bounce rate, and people take more time to get familiar with business pages or blogs.

 

More Spread on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter

When your website has a responsive design, it gives comfort and ease in website use. That brings more influx of online consumers, and they prefer browsing your web pages. Thus, you have more chances of getting your webpage getting shared across social media platforms.

 

Final Thoughts

A responsive design for websites is a necessary component in giving a better user experience. Apart from the role of giving improved user experience, responsive webpages remain essential for many reasons. With a responsive structure of websites, you can give ease and convenience to people who view websites from mobile phones.

Device compatibility remains a great driving force to incorporate responsive elements while making a website. You can browse responsive webpages without going through slow loading or struggling to view the website content as you move from desktop to mobile. Further responsiveness of a website helps you more easily understand the blog content, business services, or products. All in all, responsive and adaptive webpages hold the ultimate power to make online audiences know about your business pages or website.

 

FAQs

 

What Is Responsive Website Design?

A responsive layout for a website can be understood as an indispensable criterion for reaching a larger section of the virtual audience. The degree of responsiveness of a website results from making web pages that can be comfortably accessed through different devices and platforms. Responsiveness helps users easily navigate the webpage and get a good user experience.

 

What Is Responsive Web Design In HTML?

HTML or (Hypertext Markup Language) forms an integral part of website development. So undoubtedly, using HTML goes a long way in making a responsive and adaptive web design.

With strategic use of HTML elements, you can make image and text arrangements fit into the screen width of the device you are using. The HTML makes the webpage look adjustable and good irrespective of the device screen.

 

What Are Examples Of Responsive Design?

Responsive webpage design involves setting the width property of images in a compatible range to make the image fit nicely with the size of the device screen. That means the image shrinks or enlarges without losing clarity, depending on the device’s screen size.

Plus, you can consider changing the page layout in response to the device as an example of adaptive design. With flexible grids, you can get larger content condensed into compact sections as you move from desktops to mobile phones.

 

Why Is Responsive Website Design Important?

A website with a responsive layout is important because of many causes, one of which includes giving a good user experience. Another plus point of having a responsive structure is mobile compatibility.

Almost every user accesses the webpage through mobile or has a chance of doing so. That requires a mobile website design compatible with mobile users and shows the importance of responsive pages.

 

How Does Responsive Website Design Work?

Responsive structures or designs work by being adaptive to the device parameters and responding to changes. The design elements fit into the width of the device screen and find their suitable arrangement in the available screen space.

Also, the responsive site rearranges itself to fit with the device orientation. Notably, the responsiveness of the design elements enables no loss in color brightness.

 

What Are The Benefits Of Responsive Website Design?

With a website being responsive, online users can use the site with ease and without any facing any hassle. They don’t have to wait for the webpage to load and zoom in or out to see the content and images properly.

So, with a good user experience, you can get a good SEO ranking. Plus, with a responsive design, you can get good engagement from your consumers. They face no problem doing tasks like subscribing to a newsletter, clicking on action buttons, and downloading online documents.

 

Can Any Website Be Made Responsive?

Irrespective of the amount of design and content elements in the webpage, any site or page can be made responsive. With optimized use of page developing elements, any website can be made to fit into any device.