Offline Access Among Major Web Development Trends

2021 promises us a real boom in demand for relevant web applications powered by advanced solutions, such as artificial intelligence, and virtual reality. There are over 1.5 billion websites online today. From 1 website in 1991 to 1 billion in 2014 - the development in this area is enormous and the competition is fierce. And only a professional web app development company can help you keep the head above the water and stay trendy. Here’s where it’s important to focus on the latest innovative technologies.

Offline Functionality in Web Development

The emerging web app trends bring new, more convenient solutions and approaches.

Four key PWA technologies right now:

• application shell architecture;
• transport layer security;
• service worker;
• web application manifest file.

The Top Benefits Of Offline Web App Development

A web app accessible offline is perfect for businesses that have to provide services in areas with poor network coverage or simply need to reach a wider scope of user audience. It is also a great solution for in-house use, allowing employees who travel frequently to keep up with their workflows.

Existing cases of applying offline functionality

There are the following vivid examples of the application of ofline technologies:

• Instagram for Android is working on expanding offline functionality to allow people to like content, follow users, and post stuff autonomously.
• Dropbox Paper supports an offline mode, which allows users to create, annotate, and edit documents offline.
• Google Maps uses caching to keep the most recent data intact.
• The m-Health app is especially useful in rural areas. The therapist measures the vital signs of the patient and must enter them into their profile. One case of connection loss can end up most dramatically. This application allows for autonomous work, which helps out greatly both doctors and patients.

Offline performance benefits

Banking, courier services, medicine, online shopping, and any business whatsoever will find offline availability useful and business-boosting. There are a number of advantages:

No need to spend on roaming while traveling.
When traveling abroad with an offline-available app installed, you don’t need to waste money on roaming charges. A user can efficiently work with the autonomous functionality of work applications and not interrupt work even on the road.

Fast loading.
By using advanced caching methods, apps performing offline are usually pretty fast at loading content. This is a real lifesaver in emergency situations.

Energy-efficiency.
It's unpleasant when the phone runs out of power and there is nowhere to charge it. But with a web app, one can easily switch to offline mode and save battery power while working or enjoying a book.

Why Develop an Offline App?

There are countries where there are serious problems with network connectivity. As of March 2017, Africa and Asia (excluding China) remained the countries with the lowest levels of Internet access. But over the period from 2000 to 2017, access to the network nevertheless increased by 7,557.2% and 1,539.4%. And even in the USA, where Internet connection measures are quite developed, 15% of users use applications offline.

A profitable solution

Why develop an offline application for your business?

• users accessing an application without the need for constant network connection are more satisfied overall;
• all-around brand availability boosts user loyalty;
• offline access comes in more than handy when it comes to in-house use for traveling employees;
• availability in emergency situations is a very valuable capability, especially relevant in medical niches.

How To Develop Offline Web Applications

Web browsers can easily cache static resources. They use metadata from HTTP response headers for that. These resources include HTML, CSS, JavaScript assets, and images. Most browser vendors prefer building offline web apps with HTML5. HTML5 introduced a completely different approach to maintaining caching and offline behavior.

How to develop offline web applications in a nutshell? Focus on the following functionality:

• Static assets’ caching;
• Dynamic assets’ caching;
• Lightweight user interface;
• Dynamic user request tracking for timely data synchronization.

Bottom Line

Autonomous operation of website pages and mobile applications is a major trend right. It is convenient for users and beneficial for service companies. A reliable progressive web app development company will help you effectively organize offline performance for any purpose. 

Axisbits specializes in custom software development, including web applications of any complexity. Contact us if you want a seasoned approach to the creation of ERP solutions, eCommerce websites, or startup apps.