Progressive Web App (PWA) Issues

Progressive Web Apps combine the best of web and native apps, offering installability, offline support, and enhanced performance. However, PWA implementations require careful attention to service workers, manifests, and caching strategies.

Why PWA Issues Matter

PWAs can significantly improve user engagement:

• Installable - Add to home screen without app stores
• Offline support - Continue working without network
• Push notifications - Re-engage users
• Fast loading - Cached assets for instant loads

When misconfigured, PWAs can cause:

• Failed installation prompts
• Stale content due to aggressive caching
• Analytics tracking gaps
• Broken offline experiences

Issues in This Category

• Web App Manifest Issues - Install prompts and app metadata
• Service Worker Issues - Registration, updates, and caching
• Offline Functionality - Offline page and asset caching
• Install Prompt Issues - Add to Home Screen failures
• Push Notification Issues - Notification permissions and delivery

Quick Diagnostic Checklist

PWA Requirements

For a PWA to be installable (Chrome's criteria):

1. HTTPS - Site served over secure connection
2. Valid manifest - Web app manifest with required fields
3. Service worker - Registered with fetch handler
4. Icons - At least 192x192 and 512x512 icons
5. Start URL - Defined in manifest

DevTools PWA Audit

Chrome DevTools > Application tab:

• Manifest - Check for errors and warnings
• Service Workers - Verify registration status
• Storage - Review cached assets

Lighthouse PWA audit:

1. Open DevTools > Lighthouse
2. Check "Progressive Web App"
3. Run audit
4. Review PWA-specific recommendations

Common PWA Configurations

Minimal Web App Manifest

{
  "name": "BlueFrog Analytics",
  "short_name": "BlueFrog",
  "start_url": "/",
  "display": "standalone",
  "background_color": "#ffffff",
  "theme_color": "#1f75fe",
  "icons": [
    {
      "src": "/icons/icon-192.png",
      "sizes": "192x192",
      "type": "image/png"
    },
    {
      "src": "/icons/icon-512.png",
      "sizes": "512x512",
      "type": "image/png"
    }
  ]
}

Basic Service Worker Registration

// In your main JavaScript file
if ('serviceWorker' in navigator) {
  window.addEventListener('load', () => {
    navigator.serviceWorker.register('/sw.js')
      .then(registration => {
        console.log('SW registered:', registration.scope);
      })
      .catch(error => {
        console.log('SW registration failed:', error);
      });
  });
}

Link Manifest in HTML

<link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">
<meta name="theme-color" content="#1f75fe">
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="default">

PWA and Analytics Considerations

Service workers can interfere with analytics:

• Cached pages may not trigger pageviews
• Offline events need queueing and replay
• Service worker scope affects tracking script loading
• Install events should be tracked

See Offline Tracking for analytics in PWAs.

Diagnostic Tools

Platform-Specific Considerations

Related Resources

• Performance - Caching
• Tracking - Offline Tracking
• Infrastructure - CDN Configuration