Magento PWA: Technical and Business Insights, Features

Are you looking to create a Magento PWA website? Get insight into the development process, benefits, and GoMage’s experience in Magento 2 PWA Development

Today, 73% all eCommerce sales are made via mobile devices. This means that three out of four dollars today spent online is made via a tablet or mobile phone. Statisticians stress the importance of a mobile-optimized eCommerce site.

One solution is to create a website that has a responsive design. Progressive web apps are a better option to achieve the desired goal. PWAs are used by AliExpress and Flipkart as well as other companies.

This article reveals the following aspects of Progressive Web Apps Development:

• What is Magento PWA Studio Project?
• Difference between Magento PWA and native app vs responsive site
• There are many reasons to invest in Magento 2 PWA development
• Development of a PWA comes with costs
• The UX/UI principles for the PWA technology
• GoMage’s Magento PWA storefront development experience
• successful Magento PWA examples
• best Magento PWA providers

Let’s get into the technical details of Magento PWA.

The basics of progressive web apps

Progressive web applications have seen a surge in popularity over the past few years. Every company, large or small, is actively using new technology to improve their eCommerce operations. Not only are there lower development costs and faster project delivery, but also improved user experience.

Let’s take a look at the basics of Magento PWAs.

Do you want to find out if Magento will still be the best eCommerce option in 2022?
To learn more about the differences between BigCommerce and Magento, please visit our article.

What are Progressive Web Apps?

Google PWA team introduced the concept of PWA in 2015.

PWA is a type software that uses the same features as websites and apps. These applications are great alternatives to native apps and aim to deliver a fantastic user experience. PWAs can be accessed via web browsers so customers don’t need to download them to their mobile devices.

Businesses can use progressive web apps to explore new ways of interacting with customers. These solutions remove the need for separate apps for Android, iOS, or web. They also allow cross-platform solutions to be created that do not provide the best user experience. PWAs can be used to reduce time and money required for web development.

Magento store owners have the ability to develop web apps in progressive mode since 2018. The same year, Magento also released PWA Studio which includes tools to help with PWA storefront maintenance and development. Magento 2 store owners now have the ability to create progressive web apps using the same platform that they already use. Adobe offers tools to help you migrate your existing Magento 2 store to Magento 2 PWA. However, this is only for stores that are running on the most recent version of the platform (2.3.X).

What is the Magento PWA Studio Project Project?

The Magento PWA Studio project provides a set of tools that developers can use to build, deploy, and maintain a PWA storefront built on Magento 2.3 or higher. It makes use of modern libraries and tools to create a framework that adheres to Magento’s extensibility principle.

PWA Studio includes everything you need for building PWA stores that can be supported by Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source. It also includes libraries to help you set up a development environment, create your own storefront components, and Magento 2 PWA extensions.

GoMage PWA Storefront has you covered.
See how it works.

PWA Benefits for Magento 2

PWA technology is used by many companies. Magento PWA is growing in popularity because Adobe invests a lot of time and effort into developing and improving the technology.
Let’s look at the 12 top benefits Magento 2 PWA offers for your business.

• Device-agnosticism

Magento 2 PWA’s main advantage is its device-agnostic nature. This simply means that these applications can be used on any browser and device. Customers can shop online using the device they prefer.

• No. 1 position in Google SERP

PWAs have many properties that are shared with websites. These properties include high rankings in search engines such as Google which make them easily accessible and convertible to all users. This is Magento’s greatest advantage over native or hybrid apps. With the help of paid ads, marketing activities, SEO, and other practices, you can make them more easily discoverable. App stores are a good place to promote traditional apps.

Are you tired of reading the article?
Learn more about Magento PWA by watching our video.

• Easy and quick Installation

PWAs are available through web browsers and native apps can be downloaded from app stores. It is therefore not necessary to download the PWA to access the service via URL.

• Available in app stores

It is also possible to add PWAs both to the App Store or the Google Play Store. You don’t need to create separate apps for Android and iOS.

You can quickly convert any PWA to a native application using technologies such as Trusted web Activity. This protocol uses Custom Tabs to combine web-app content and create an application. Our GoMage PWA Storefront was recently added to Google Play, and will soon be available in the App Store.

• Page Builder

Magento PWA Studio now offers Page Builder. It’s even better in GoMage PWA Shopfront. The Page Builder integration allows you to render CMS Pages with native content types. You now have greater control over page elements and content.

• Linkable

Another feature shared by PWAs with websites is this. The availability of Unified Resource Identifiers (URI) allows you to keep information and reload it. Customers can save links to their Magento 2 PWAs, share URLs with others, load the same pages that they saved in tabs, and even store them as bookmarks. Progressive apps behave in this way like traditional websites.

• App-like

Magento PWAs go beyond browsers. These PWAs look and feel just like native apps and can be used on any mobile device. This makes Magento 2 PWAs more appealing than hybrid apps. The latter often don’t offer a seamless user experience on all devices. Developers don’t have to figure out how to bypass certain restrictions on mobile devices.

• Low development costs

Native mobile apps are expensive to create because you have to make separate apps for iOS and Android. You don’t need to buy two versions of Magento PWA. One application can be created and it will run on all mobile devices. Development costs are therefore lower than traditional applications.

• No user-side changes

Everybody knows that apps need to be updated from time to time. These updates are installed by the end-users. Magento PWA updates can be performed automatically, without the user’s permission. Users get the most recent features, regardless of whether they upgrade.

• Offline operation

Magento 2 PWA has the best advantage: it can be used offline. Users can still access the information that they have viewed online even if there is no network connection. The built-in cache system automatically saves all pages visited.

Your target audience may be located in countries that have poor or average network connections. Or maybe they just shop while driving, e.g. Magento 2 PWAs can be used to solve the problem while on the subway. This functionality also reduces catalog abandonment by at least 35%. Users can shop inside the store even if they go offline.

• Push notifications

Push notifications are now accessible to everyone thanks to progressive app solutions. They were previously only available for online shops with mobile apps. Google reports that 60% of PWA users allow these apps to send push notification. This feature can be easily turned into a powerful sales machine by reminding users about holiday discounts and special offers.

• Security

Highly secure Magento 2 PWAs can be created. The HTTPS protocol provides data security and protection against man-in the-middle attacks and Magecart attacks. It prevents shopping preclusions and content tampering.

• No app-store requirements

Magento PWA doesn’t require you to meet all the requirements of Google Play or App Store. If your app does not meet the requirements, the app store can ban it or remove it from their list. They don’t send you prior notifications so that you can fix any problems.

These restrictions can be avoided by progressive web apps. Your app is not required to follow rules and regulations. This reduces the risk of it being banned.

These are the reasons why both small and large companies choose Magento 2 PWA to enhance customer experience and connect more users.

PWA UX/UI Principles

GoMage hosted an online conference called GoPWA in September 2021. It was a discussion about eCommerce’s future and current state of PWA. Joseph Russell, Head of Product Design at JH shared the UX/UI principles behind PWAs. The full video is available below. You can also continue reading this article.

Progressive web apps were created to meet the needs of modern customers. They are especially designed to cater to those whose digital activity is becoming increasingly mobile-first, and often mobile-only. This has led to the steady growth of mobile commerce every year.

Mobile-centric customers clearly have different needs and preferences than traditional stores. If we want to close the gap, we need to rethink how we offer our buying experience. Progressive web apps are the right kind of step-change required.

We want to be able to offer a great customer experience. The key is to look at how PWA can be brought to customers from a user-centered viewpoint.

What are the needs being addressed?

Good news: Progressive web apps almost intentionally designed to meet the needs of active mobile users.

PWAs have the potential to revolutionize web development and design. This is possible through a hybrid approach that offers users the best of both worlds. PWAs have the same look and feel as native apps, but they offer higher performance and more functionality.

Google uses an acronym called FIRE to describe the app-like experience that PWAs can recreate.

PWAs are designed to satisfy modern consumer expectations by offering native app features that people love. Native apps are also too costly to create.

How can customers be thrilled?

• Faster site speed

Website optimization must start with performance. Slow websites are not what people want. In fact, nearly 70%admit that website loading speeds affect their willingness to purchase. It’s easy to see why businesses are unhappy with slow websites.

It takes approximately 15 seconds to download a typical website. PWAs, on the other hand, allow this speed to be reduced to just 3 seconds. This allows for a shorter wait time and increases customer satisfaction.

• Increased interactivity

Customers enjoy seamless buying experiences after installing a PWA with just one click. PWAs offer a more user-friendly and interactive experience than websites. This encourages deeper engagement and high satisfaction.

PWAs are a great way to retain customers over the long-term. They can be accessed by customers at all times. They simply need to click on the icon at the home screen to return to buying.

Many APIs are available that provide PWAs capabilities that are very similar to native apps. All the features previously available only to native apps can now be used with PWAs, including geolocation, camera, microphone, and other hardware.

• Simple installation

It is crucial to install an app on a mobile device in order to gain long-term customer loyalty and increase revenue. PWAs are able to match or even exceed this feat.

PWA can be installed and activated instantly.

Customers need to click a single button to add a PWA on their home screens. To increase their chances of installing the PWA, you can set the button’s display time.

• Network resilience

Native and PWA apps rely on streaming data from servers. It is not uncommon to find dead zones in tunnels or buildings, as well as broken signals and failed hardware in today’s age of free internet.

It’s even more difficult if you want to sell to the next billion internet users. PWA is a reliable way to speed up loading times and make it work with slow internet connections.

GoMage’s Experience with Magento PWA Development

GoMage believes Magento PWA is the most important trend in eCommerce. Although the trend is still in its infancy, it will soon reach its peak.

Mobile device purchases are growing rapidly. Even though they make frequent purchases on certain websites, users are less likely to download eCommerce native apps for their mobile devices. Magento 2 PWA is the future of eCommerce, as it offers the same speed and user experience on native apps. They don’t even need to visit a website URL from their browser.

GoMage launched its GoMage PWA Storefront on Magento PWA. The Page Builder is one of the most useful features in our PWA product. You can create new pages, update existing pages with drag and drop, add new components to your page, delete them, or reorganize them on the page in just seconds.

Already, large companies have successfully used GoMage PWA Storefronts. GoodCook is the #1 brand of kitchenware in the US and migrated their website over to GoMage PWA. Their recipe blog was transformed into an eCommerce website. The main challenge of the project was to transition to PWA technology while maintaining current online shop traffic and the loyal audience.

The new solution had to be able to integrate seamlessly into the existing technology architecture for information management system and order management system.

In the video, learn about the key goals and the results of creating an eCommerce PWA.

Technical aspects of PWAs

Although PWAs have a lot of similarities with native apps and websites, they are very different from them. We will review the technical specifications of progressive apps, and then compare them to other solutions.

Let’s see which side wins this battle.

What is the Work of PWA?

Magento PWA uses headless architecture. This means that the presentation layer and the business logic layer are separated. This architecture is made up of four components:

• Web app manifest
• Service worker
• Shell architecture
• Transport Layer Security (TLS).

Let’s take a closer look at each component and how they are used in Magento 2 PWA development.

1. Web app manifest

The Web app manifest can be found in the form a JSON file. This file is responsible to the Magento PWA’s native interface. Developers define how the app will work on mobile devices. They also specify how users can launch it and what content they will display to them. It is possible, for example, to enable full screen mode with an invisible URL bar.

Web manifest must contain metadata such as the short and long names of applications, icons, description and display mode, orientation and other specifications. You can also include a splash screen, theme, and app colors.

All headers of website pages should contain a link to the JSON files with the web manifest in order to enable PWA settings.

1. Service worker

The Service worker is a technical element that supports offline work mode, background data syncing and native-like push notifications. It also fetches content, connects with other elements, etc. It’s represented as a JavaScript script file that runs in Magento 2 PWA. It responds to various user actions.

• Offline mode

The service worker’s main task is to enable caching for the application interface. Once a user has visited a website, they can continue to use it offline with no changes in the information. Every time a device connects to the network, dynamic content is updated. A progressive app does not need to make API calls every time a user visits the site.

• Push notifications

Magento PWA’s main advantage is push notifications. This app can send push notifications even when the browser is closed.

• Background Synchronization

This allows for a seamless shopping experience. The app will mark an order placed with an online store as placed if connectivity is lost. It will then send it once connectivity has been restored.

1. Shell architecture

This architecture must be created with static content separated from dynamic content. The core elements of an app’s user interface, also known as the app shell or the base of its UI, are the design elements. These elements are necessary for offline operation of the app.

You want to learn the fundamentals of creating successful websites?
The article eCommerce website design: essentials, examples, and cost is available. This infographic will show you the best practices for eCom design and why your company should invest in it. It also shows the timeline and costs of eCommerce web design.

1. Transport Layer Security

TLS is used for data security and privacy on websites. It is used to encrypt data exchanges between web applications and servers. Magento 2 PWA should have an SSL certificate and data should be transmitted via HTTPS protocol.

PWA vs Native app vs Responsive Website

Magento PWA is largely challenged by responsive websites and native apps.

Native apps are applications that have been specifically designed for an operating system such as Android or iOS. Responsive websites can be viewed on any mobile device.

What’s the difference between a PWA, a responsive website and a native app?

Let’s see!

Progressive web apps incorporate key features from both native and web applications. They are able to work on any device and can be used even without internet connectivity. Magento 2 PWA is easy to install, share with others, offer automatic updates and allow access to content offline. Learn more about the differences in the technologies by reading our article on PWA and Native.

Top 10 PWA Examples: Key Benefits and Real Numbers

Many eCommerce companies have implemented PWAs already and are enjoying the benefits. You will find names like AliExpress and Lancome among the list.

Here are some examples of PWA implementations that have been successful by well-known brands. This table shows the greatest benefits that these companies received by moving to PWA.

These examples show the real benefits of PWA adoption. A progressive web app is a great option if you don’t have the time or budget to develop native apps, want to increase web mobile conversion rates, and want to improve customer service.

Top-10 PWA Examples: Key Benefits and Real Numbers

Progressive web applications can be used to enhance your website experience. It is important to know the best PWA providers to help your Magento business. There are many PWA development companies, but we will only focus on two.

• Magento PWA Studio

Magento PWA Studio, a platform for developers that allows Magento Commerce solution partners to create next-generation mobile experience. This tool is used to create online shops that offer app-like shopping experiences.

The core features of Magento Commerce PWA Studio are:

• Tools to personalize content, and add local preferences
• Intuitive UX and integrated Page Builder content management capabilities
• Venia’s reference storefront speeds up time to market by providing pre-built UI components and design elements from the homepage to checkout.

It is the most advanced PWA solution.

• GoMage PWA Shopfront

GoMage PWA Storefront allows merchants to convert their Magento 2 sites into a PWA. It is easy to set up, customize, maintain, and update.

The PWA Storefront is built on Magento PWA Studio. It expands the functionality of the standard Magento PWA Studio with unique integrations and features.

• A page builder that allows you to create a completely custom design and layout
• Store loading times reduced up to half
• Theme style customization
• Pre-Configured Widgets
• Advanced Product Configurations and Filtering Options
• Multistore Support
• Social Authorization and Google Firebase Authentication
• Search solutions that are best-in-class
• Portfolio of ready-to-go integrations

This is just one of the many integrations that are available in the GoMage PWA Shopfront.
You want to know more? You can see the complete list of features.

What are the benefits of Magento PWA?

You will reap the many benefits of developing a progressive web application.

Benefit 1 – Development cost reduction

Benefit 2 – Faster development time

3 – An increase in web mobile conversion rates

Benefit 4– Improved page load times

Benefit 5– Spike in shopper session duration

Benefit 6 — Bounce rate reduction

Benefit 7 Increased Page Views Per Session

Benefit 8 Push Notifications

Benefit 9 Improved conversion of carts that were abandoned previously

Benefit 10 Increased number of users across all browsers

Let’s talk about how Magento PWA can enhance your eCommerce business.

Drop us a note.