Progressive web apps
Progressive web apps are web applications that use modern web capabilities to deliver an app-like experience to users. They are built using standard web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and are designed to work on any platform that uses a standards-compliant browser.
Progressive web apps can be installed on desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones, caching essential resources, enabling the website to load and provide significant offline functionality even without an internet connection.
The first PWA was Twitter Lite, launched in 2017. Since then, many other companies have adopted the PWA model, including Starbucks, Pinterest, and Uber. These apps leverage the benefits of PWAs to provide users with fast, reliable, and engaging experiences across different devices and platforms.
Benefits of Progressive Web Apps
Progressive web apps offer several benefits, including improved performance, offline functionality, and the ability to be installed on a user's device. They can also provide a more engaging user experience, with features such as push notifications and background sync.
PWAs are more cost-effective than traditional native apps, since they can be developed and maintained using standard web technologies, without the need for separate codebases for different platforms.
Additionally, PWAs can be easily discovered and shared via URLs, making them more accessible to users. They also benefit from automatic updates, ensuring that users always have access to the latest features and improvements without needing to manually update the app.
Overall, progressive web apps offer a powerful way to deliver high-quality, app-like experiences to users across different devices and platforms.
Requirements for Progressive Web Apps
To implement progressive web app support, certain requirements must be met, including the use of a web app manifest file and a service worker. The web app manifest file provides metadata about the app, such as its name, icons, and theme colors, while the service worker enables offline functionality by caching resources and handling network requests.
Maskable Icons
Implementing PWA-support will require a series of maskable icons that will be cropped by the user-agent to match other icons on the device. On Android, this lets developers get rid of the default white background around their icons and use the entire provided space by generating adaptive icons. Ex:
Browser Compatibility
This feature currently works on Brave, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera and Vivaldi.
Mozilla Firefox's support for PWAs
As of late 2025, Mozilla Firefox is in the process of reintroducing and developing support for Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) on its desktop browser, particularly for Windows users. This includes features like installation prompts and offline capabilities. However, the support is not as comprehensive as in Chromium-based browsers, and some PWA features may still be limited or unavailable.
Apple Safari's support for PWAs
Apple's Safari browser on both macOS and iOS/iPadOS supports Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), but its implementation and feature set differ significantly from other major browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Apple has historically taken a more cautious approach to PWA adoption, which has resulted in several notable limitations.
On iOS and iPadOS, a PWA cannot be installed via an automatic prompt or banner like on Android. Users must manually add the web app to their home screen by navigating to the "Share" menu in Safari and selecting "Add to Home Screen" (Vinova SG, 2025). On macOS Sonoma, a similar "Add to Dock" option is available within the Safari browser (Apple Support, 2025).
A significant limitation on iOS is that all third-party browsers are required to use Apple's WebKit engine (MobiLoud, 2025). This means that even if a user downloads Google Chrome or Firefox on their iPhone, the underlying technology for rendering web pages, including PWA functionality, is still dictated by Apple's WebKit. This contrasts with Android and desktop environments, where browsers use their own engines.
Apple's EU Controversy
In early 2024, Apple temporarily removed PWA support for users in the European Union to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple cited security and privacy concerns related to allowing alternative browser engines to access PWA functionalities (DEV Community, 2024; MobiLoud, 2025). This move was met with significant developer and user backlash. In response to the criticism, Apple later reversed its decision and restored PWA functionality for EU users, stating it would continue to build on the existing WebKit architecture (MobiLoud, 2025).
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References
Apple Support (2025) Use Safari web apps on Mac [Apple] https://support.apple.com/en-asia/104996
Awesome (2024) The truth about progressive web apps [YouTube] https://youtu.be/3ODP6tTpjqA
Brainhub (2025, June 5) PWA on iOS - Current Status & Limitations for Users [2025] [Brainhub] https://brainhub.eu/library/pwa-on-ios
Codewave (2024, October 16) Limitations and Status of Progressive Web Apps on iOS [Codewave] https://codewave.com/insights/progressive-web-apps-ios-limitations-status/
DEV Community (2024, February 17) iOS 17.4 Update Ends PWA Support in the European Union [DEV Community] https://dev.to/lilxyzz/ios-174-update-ends-pwa-support-in-the-european-union-3p95
MobiLoud (2025, August 4) Do PWAs Work on iPhone? (Progressive Web Apps for iOS) [MobiLoud] https://www.mobiloud.com/blog/progressive-web-apps-ios
Tigren (2024, June 24) 11 Major Progressive Web App Limitations to iOS Users [Tigren] https://www.tigren.com/blog/progressive-web-app-limitations/
Vinova SG (2025, April 28) Navigating Safari/iOS PWA Limitations and Bugs: Essential Tips and Tricks [Vinova SG] https://vinova.sg/navigating-safari-ios-pwa-limitations/
Wikipedia contributors (2025, September 12) Progressive web app [Wikipedia] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_web_app
📅 September 12, 2025
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