With globalization leading to mobile devices becoming an integral part of our daily lives, the entire world is able to experience the convenience of having the world wide web at their fingertips. According to Statists, the rate of mobile internet usage has witnessed rapid growth in the last half decade which, as of 2020, is at a 63% share of the total internet usage.
Such widespread use has quickly raised the bar for user experiences and what they expect from websites, which now have to ensure speedy loading and frictionless browsing on not only stationery, but also mobile devices – be it handsets, tablets, or wearable’s. With the increase in the number of devices (and their various form factors) that can now leverage quicker internet speeds, developers have their task cut out when it comes to building applications that not only appeal to the users, but also keep them engaged in order to retain their interest.
Progressive web applications, a recent trend that has emerged within the field of web app development, are ideal for developing a responsive native experience without having to install apps, especially relevant for website owners who wish to gain visitors without spending a fortune.
Progressive web applications add a layer of complexity to web app development by adding specific features that provide a native experience, and also make it possible to install websites as apps to a device’s home screen or app drawer. Some of the major benefits of progressive web applications are shorter loading times, easy accessibility, quicker push notifications, seamless updates that can run in the background, access to the device parameters such as the microphone, storage, and camera.
Here we look at 5 of the best progressive web app development frameworks and tools:
1. Angular
Developed and introduced by Google in 2009, Angular is the most popular JavaScript framework used to build strong and secure apps. Angular’s increasing popularity is due to the regular updates that keep abreast of market requirements.
Benefits:
- Large community and extensive support from Google
- Clearly defined approach
- MVC framework that helps build stable apps
- IntelliSense and Typescript features
- Regular updates and bug fixes
2. React
Launched by Facebook in 2013, React is also counted amongst the popular app development tools, used for both multi page applications and single-page applications (SPA), it is suitable to develop highly flexible and scalable apps.
Benefits:
- Apps built with React are more flexible and scalable as compared to other app development tools
- Large, active community with extensive libraries
- Supports quick rendering with virtual DOM
- Developers can use the same code base for local and web applications
- Easy learning curve as compared to Angular
3. Vue
When it comes to customised app development, Vue is considered amongst the three most popular frameworks used, the others being Angular and React. Vue is an open-source framework created by a stand-alone developer (which is impressive given that the other web app development frameworks are backed by tech giants like Google and Facebook) and driven mostly by its community.
Benefits:
- Supported by Laravel and Alibaba, its simplicity helps reduce the learning curve
- Quick rendering with virtual DOM
- Easy and flexible setup with TypeScript and JSX
4. Ionic
Ionic is a framework for hybrid mobile apps as well as web applications created with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, with a flexible tech stack and allows for utilizing competing frameworks to build applications, and also offers a library of over 250 pre-built plugins for native device functionality.
Benefits:
- Reduces development costs
- Easy to maintain with built-in browser and debugging tools
- Large API and plugin library that reduces development time
- Easy to develop hybrid apps
- Large community of web and mobile app developers
5. Polymer
Another framework developed by Google, it provides a wide variety of tools, instruments, web components, and formats, with simplified implementation.
Benefits:
- Provides extensive support for routing, data, and responsive layouts
- Easy API integrations as compared to other frameworks
- Embedded development tools need no debugging
- Deep documentation and wide components across browsers
If you are looking for customised app development services that leverage the simplicity and effectiveness of progressive web apps, contact Smart Sight Innovations for a free quote.
