How to Choose a PWA Development Agency

This article was originally posted on Codica Blog.

Progressive web applications are considered one of the most important web development trends for 2021. PWAs are easy to launch and maintain, being a great alternative for native apps due to their cost-efficiency.

That is why PWA is a rapidly evolving technology with many software development companies that offer progressive web app development services. And the choice of the software provider for your progressive web app can be quite complicated.

In this article, we will discuss the main points of choosing the software provider for building your progressive web app.

Why are PWAs so popular?

The “progressive web application” term was coined by a Chrome developer Alex Russell and a designer Frances Berriman in 2015. Alex Russell published an article and revisited the Apple technology of mobile-aimed web apps introduced in 2007. Since that, PWA technology has been expanding and constantly improving.

You can find the main factors that facilitated the spread of PWAs.

Industry leaders support

The PWA technology is supported by the biggest tech players Google and Microsoft. In particular, Google develops guidelines and tutorials and publishes the most fruitful progressive web app case studies. That leads to the fact that programmers are highly likely to consider PWA technology.

Advanced system and browser support

Let’s revise the most significant improvements in the PWA industry that made it possible to create a native-like web experience:

• PWAs can be installed on the home screen using almost all modern mobile browsers.
• Progressive web apps can be downloaded via Google Play and Samsung Galaxy store now.

Source: https://www.sammobile.com

• Apple Pay is now supported in PWAs.
• Android users can receive push notifications now.

Success for specific domains

Great examples of AliExpress, Flipkart, OLX, and many others prove that building PWA for the e-commerce industry can be very profitable. As an example, AliExpress increased the conversion rate for iOS by 82% after launching the PWA.

Below, you can see the mobile version of the AliExpress progressive web app.

Other industries that successfully implemented PWA technology include:

• Travel;
• News;
• Social media and entertainment;
• Rental and housing;
• Beauty, health, and food.

Main aspects of choosing a PWA development company

The web development field is constantly evolving and expanding, and the number of web developers is thus increasing. That is why the quest for a reliable software development company can be complicated.

To help you find the right PWA development company, we have formulated the main requirements for the progressive web app development agencies.

Relevant experience and adoption of the best practices

The first thing to check is an experience in PWA development, so the developers should be able to build performing, smooth, and engaging PWAs. You can turn to the portfolio of the software agency to understand if it is a suitable development partner for you.

By partnering with the team that has relevant experience, you will get more accurate estimates of the time and costs for the PWA development projects.

The companies that specialize in building PWAs should be aware of the best practices for the PWA development provided by Google.

Expertise in web design

Design plays a big part in the creation of progressive web apps. To achieve an exceptional and engaging user experience in PWAs, we highly recommend following the latest progressive web app design guidelines. They include:

• Giving an excellent UX and UI for both desktop and mobile devices;
• Getting rid of footers and leaving only essential information to the navigation bar;
• Allowing users to get back to the exact scroll position;
• Displaying touch interaction;
• Ensuring smooth page loading;
• Creating attractive splash screens and eye-catching home screen logos.

Solid and up-to-date programming experience

When searching for a PWA development agency, opt for candidates with proven experience in using the latest programming languages, frameworks, and tools.

Speaking of the tech stack we use at Codica, it includes React and Vue.js for the front-end part and Ruby and Ruby on Rails for the back-end part. It helps us deliver fast-loading, engaging, and reliable PWA solutions for our clients.

Development process

We would recommend that you choose a PWA development company that adopts agile methodology. And here is why. The agile methodology makes it easier for developers to implement new functionality and make needed amends. Also, the development process becomes transparent for both parties that results in increased project control.

Lastly, agile product development helps in prioritizing the development and testing tasks and allocating resources efficiently.

How Codica can assist you with PWA development
Since 2015, Codica team has been exploring the powerful PWA technology. We subscribe to the view that this technology will remain an important part of the future of the Web. That is why the web applications our team delivers are PWAs by default.

Also, recently Codica was listed among Top PWA Development Agencies, which is a great honor for us.

Case study: Insurance PWA

Now, we would like to tell you about one of the progressive web apps we successfully delivered recently. It is an insurance application for bicycle riders.
The goal was to build a user-friendly and smooth progressive web app that will allow mobile users to access the full functionality from their phones.

Our solution

• The app’s functionality can be accessed even using a poor network connection.
• Created user-friendly UX and pleasing UI design.
• Built an ultra-secure data storage thanks to blockchain integration.
• Implemented a unique loyalty program that offers a cashback in case users did not have any incidents over the insurance period.

Conclusion

Make sure that your chosen progressive web app development agency has a proven record of building successful PWAs and is great at web design.

Also, if you want to get more details on how to find the right PWA development company, check our full blog article: Progressive Web App Development Agency: What to Consider to Hire the Right One?