Learn · Web apps

What is a progressive web app (PWA)?

A progressive web app (PWA) is a website that behaves like an installed app: users can add it to their home screen, it can work offline, and it can send notifications, all without going through an app store. It's built with normal web technology, so one build works across devices.

The appeal is reach and cost. Instead of building separate iOS and Android apps plus a website, you build one PWA that runs everywhere and installs from the browser. Users skip the app store, and you skip store fees and review delays.

The trade-off is access to some deep device features, which native apps still handle better, and iOS supports PWAs less fully than Android. For many businesses that want an app-like experience without native app cost, a PWA is a strong middle path.

Updated July 2026

Learning Center More on web apps

Should I build a web app or a native mobile app?
Build a web app if you want one product that runs everywhere in the browser, cheaper and faster to ship, with no app store. Build a native app if you need the best performance, deep device features (camera, sensors), offline power, or the credibility and reach of being in the app stores.
What is the difference between a website and a web app?
A website mainly shows information: pages you read, like a brochure, blog, or portfolio. A web app is software you use in the browser: it takes input, does something with it, and saves state, like Gmail, a bank dashboard, or a booking system. The line is interactivity and data, not looks.
What is SaaS?
SaaS (software as a service) is software you access online and pay for by subscription, instead of buying and installing it. You use it in a browser, the provider runs and updates it, and you pay monthly or yearly. Slack, Shopify, and Notion are SaaS. Most business software now works this way.
What is an MVP and why start with one?
An MVP (minimum viable product) is the smallest version of an app that delivers real value and can be put in front of users. You start with one because it gets you to real feedback fastest and cheapest, before you spend heavily building features nobody has confirmed they want.
What is user authentication?
Authentication is how an app confirms who a user is, usually a login with an email and password, a social login, or a one-time code. It's paired with authorization, which decides what that verified user is allowed to do. Together they protect accounts and control access to data.
How do web apps store user data?
Web apps store data in a database on the server, not in the page. When you save something, the app sends it to the backend, which writes it to the database and can retrieve it later for you or others. Small preferences may also be kept in your browser, but the real record lives on the server.

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What is a progressive web app (PWA)?

Should I build a web app or a native mobile app?

What is the difference between a website and a web app?

What is SaaS?

What is an MVP and why start with one?

What is user authentication?

How do web apps store user data?

Want this built, not just explained?