Disrupting the Application
Eco-System with
Progressive Web
Applications
LOVE2DEV.COM
My Bio
Microsoft MVP
ASP Insider
Edge User Agent
Web Developer 25 years
Author & Speaker
@ChrisLove
Love2Dev.com
Slide Decks & Source Code
Source Code
http://GitHub.com/
docluv
Slide Deck
http://slideshare.net/docluv/
presentations
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The Web Has an
Image Problem
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Mark Zuckerberg
2012
http://tcrn.ch/2hwN6HF
“Not only was this a big mistake with
mobile, but Zuckerberg says that its
biggest mistake period was the focus
on HTML5.”
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What is a Progressive Web
Application?
Defining the Front-End
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“Progressive Web Applications:
A New Level of Thinking About the Quality of
Your User Experience”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EErueQdEXMA Chris Wilson,
Google
“Native Apps are a bridging
technology (like Flash)”
http://bit.ly/2e5Cgry Bruce Lawson,
Opera (former)
“These apps aren’t packaged &
deployed through stores,
they’re just websites that took
the right vitamins.
They progressively become
apps…”
Alex Russell
Google
Work In
Customers
Context
Modern Web Apps
Modern Web Apps
A Single Code Base,
Friendly to All Platforms
Modern Web Apps
Operate Fast
Engage Customers
Built Very Different
From the Past
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PWA Features
•Reliable - Load instantly and never show the
downasaur, even in uncertain network
conditions.
•Fast - Respond quickly to user interactions
with silky smooth animations and no janky
scrolling.
•Engaging - Feel like a natural app on the
device, with an immersive user experience.
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PWA Features
•“install” to the home screen
•have their own icon (defined by the web
developer)
•can launch full-screen, portrait or
landscape
•but “live” on the Web
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PWA Features
•live on the server so no update distribution
lag
•require no app store or gatekeeper
•can work offline
•are a normal website on browsers such as
Opera Mini, Safari, Windows phones
•searchable, indexable, linkable
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PWA Features
•“Feels” like a normal app
•Push Notifications (optional)
•Background Sync (optional)
•More Coming (soon)
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Why Build A PWA?
•Worthy of Being on the Home screen
•Work Reliably, No Matter the Network
Conditions
•Increased Engagement
•Improved Conversions
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PWA Updates
•AppCache -> Service Worker
•localStorage -> IndexDB
•Touch Icons -> Manifest
•Save to Homescreen -> Install Banner
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PWA Requirements
• HTTPS
• Manifest
• Service Worker
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{
name: “your
application”, …
}
Application Loading Process
The 1st Time a User Visits
They ‘Install’ the
Application
•The Initial Request
•Contains Critical Path Assets
• Master Layout HTML + CSS Inline
• Initial Possible Views
• Initial View’s CSS
• Core Application JavaScript + Initial View’s
Controllers
Application Loading Process
•Deferred Request(s)
•Contains Additional View HTML, CSS and
JavaScript
Application Loading Process
PWA Application Shell
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Basic CSS
Basic JavaScript
Core HTML
Application Shell
•The app "shell" is the minimal HTML, CSS
and JavaScript required to power the user
interface and when cached offline can
ensure instant, reliably good performance
to users on repeat visits
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Application Shell
•The Approach For Single Page Applications
•Aggressively Cache Content via Service
Worker
•Get Initial HTML on the Screen without a
Network
•Content Rendered via Using JavaScript
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Benefits
•Reliable performance that is consistently
fast
•Native-like interactions
•Economical use of data
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Manifest File
• Creating a manifest and linking it to your page are
straightforward processes.
• Control what the user sees when launching from the
home screen.
• This includes things like a splash screen, theme colors,
and even the URL that's opened.
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Manifest File
<head>
…
<link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">
</head>
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Manifest File
{
"name": "Fast Furniture",
"short_name": "Fast Furniture",
"icons": [
{
"src": "Fast-Furniture-64x64.gif",
"sizes": "64x64",
"type": "image/gif"
},
... ],
"start_url": "/",
"display": "standalone",
"background_color": "#F99D36",
"theme_color": "#55B4F6"
}
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Include
•A short_name for use as the text on the
users home screen.
•A name for use in the Web App Install
banner.
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start_url
•Allows you to control what page is loaded
when application is launched
•Without start_url the current page (route)
is assumed to be the start page
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display
•Control display type and page orientation
• standalone | browser
• portrait | landscape
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Manage Manifest in F12
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Manifest File Tools
• Manifest Generator
http://brucelawson.github.io/manifest/
•Manifest validator manifest-
validator.appspot.com
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Manifest File Tools
• Manifestation Node Module
•https://github.com/patrickkettner/manifes
tation
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HTTPS
•Because PWAs Require a Service Worker
They Must Be Secure
•HTTPS Protects Against Man in the Middle
Atacks
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HTTPS
•Certificates Are Cheap Today
•LetsEncrypt.org
• Free, but very technical process
•AWS Certificate Manager (free!!!)
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Service Workers
•Allow Offline Capabilities
•Native Resource Caching
•Allow Push Notifications
•Data Synch*
* Near Future
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Fetch
The New AJAX
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Fetch
• Replaces XMLHttpRequest
• Uses Promises
• Polyfil Available for Legacy Browsers
• Full Support for Modern Browsers
• IE 11 & Old Android Need Polyfil
• Headers, Request, Response Objects
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The Fetch API provides a JavaScript
interface for accessing and manipulating
parts of the HTTP pipeline, such as requests
and responses. It also provides a global
fetch() method that provides an easy, logical
way to fetch resources asynchronously across
the network.
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if (typeof fetch === "undefined" ||
fetch.toString().indexOf("[native code]") === -1) {
scripts.unshift("js/libs/fetch.js");
}
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var myImage = document.querySelector('img');
fetch('flowers.jpg')
.then(function(response) {
return response.blob();
})
.then(function(myBlob) {
var objectURL = URL.createObjectURL(myBlob);
myImage.src = objectURL;
});
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Supply Request Options
• method
• headers
• body
• mode
• credentials
• cache
• redirect
• referrer
• referrerPolicy
• integrity
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var myHeaders = new Headers();
var myInit = { method: 'GET',
headers: myHeaders,
mode: 'cors',
cache: 'default' };
fetch('flowers.jpg',myInit)
.then(function(response) {
return response.blob();
})
.then(function(myBlob) {
var objectURL = URL.createObjectURL(myBlob);
myImage.src = objectURL;
});
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Verify Succesful Response
• Will Reject With a TypeError For Network Error
• 404 is Not an Error
• Check Response.OK
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fetch('flowers.jpg').then(function(response) {
if(response.ok) {
response.blob().then(function(myBlob) {
var objectURL = URL.createObjectURL(myBlob);
myImage.src = objectURL;
});
} else {
console.log('Network response was not ok.');
}
})
.catch(function(error) {
console.log('There has been a problem with your fetch operation:
' + error.message);
});
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Create Custom Request Object
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var myHeaders = new Headers();
var myInit = { method: 'GET',
headers: myHeaders,
mode: 'cors',
cache: 'default' };
var myRequest = new Request('flowers.jpg', myInit);
fetch(myRequest)
.then(function(response) {
return response.blob();
})
.then(function(myBlob) {
var objectURL = URL.createObjectURL(myBlob);
myImage.src = objectURL;
});
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Body Object
• ArrayBuffer
• ArrayBufferView (Uint8Array and friends)
• Blob/File
• string
• URLSearchParams
• FormData
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Body Object Extraction Methods
• arrayBuffer()
• blob()
• json()
• text()
• formData()
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var form = new
FormData(document.getElementById('login-form'));
fetch("/login", {
method: "POST",
body: form
});
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RespondWith()
• Resolves
• Respond
• Network Error
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self.addEventListener('fetch', function(event) {
console.log('Handling fetch event for', event.request.url);
event.respondWith(
caches.match(event.request).then(function(response) {
if (response) {
console.log('Found response in cache:', response);
return response;
}
console.log('No response found in cache. About to fetch from network...');
return fetch(event.request).then(function(response) {
console.log('Response from network is:', response);
return response;
}).catch(function(error) {
console.error('Fetching failed:', error);
throw error;
});
})
);
});
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Service Workers
More Than an AppCache Replacement
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Service Workers
• allows developers to cache assets when connected,
and intercept failed calls to network when offline, so
user experience can be maintained
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Service Workers
• Faster loading of assets, even
when online
• Fastest HTTP Request is the One
Never Made
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Service Workers
•Push Notifications
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Even When Browser Is Closed
if ('serviceWorker' in navigator) {
navigator.serviceWorker.register('/sw.js')
.then(function(registration) {
// Registration was successful
})
.catch(function(err) {
// registration failed :(
});
}
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self.addEventListener('install', function (e) {
//do something
});
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self.addEventListener('activate', function (event) {
console.log('Service Worker activating.');
});
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Web
ServerWeb Page
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Web
ServerWeb Page
Service Worker
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Web
ServerWeb Page
Service Worker
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Web
ServerWeb Page
Service Worker
Cache
Service Worker Cache
• Persist Files with Response Headers
• Limited by Device Resources
• Available Online & Offline
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self.addEventListener('install', function (e) {
e.waitUntil(
caches.open(cacheName).then(function (cache) {
return cache.addAll(filesToCache)
.catch(function (error) {
console.log(error);
});
})
);
});
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self.addEventListener('fetch', function (event) {
//intercept fetch request (any request from the UI thread for a file or
API) and return from cache or get from server & cache it
event.respondWith(
caches.match(event.request).then(function (resp) {
return resp || fetchAsset(event);
})
);
});
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Service Worker Cache
• Persist Files with Response Headers
• Limited by Device Resources
• Available Online & Offline
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Web
ServerWeb Page
Service Worker
CacheIndexDB
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5 Bars!
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No Bars 
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1 Bar 
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Lie-Fi :/
Handling Offline
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Web Page
Service Worker
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Web Page
Service Worker
Cache
Offline API
if (!navigator.onLine) {
console.log("you are offline");
}
window.addEventListener('online', function () {
console.log("you have gone offline");
});
window.addEventListener('offline', function () {
console.log("you are back online");
});
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Debugging Service Workers
• Use Developer Tools
• Sources
• Application
• Manifest
• Service Workers
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Web
Server
Web
Page
Service
Worker
Cache
2
1
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Web
Server
Web
Page
Service
Worker
Cache
2
self.addEventListener('install', function (e) {
e.waitUntil(
…
})
);
self.skipWaiting();
});
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Service Worker Tools
• sw_precache
• A node module to generate service worker code that will precache
specific resources so they work offline.
• https://github.com/googlechrome/sw-precache
• sw_toolbox
• A collection of service worker tools for offlining runtime requests
• https://github.com/GoogleChrome/sw-toolbox
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Service Worker Resources
• Is Service Worker Ready?
• https://jakearchibald.github.io/isserviceworkerready/
• Service Worker Cookbook
• https://serviceworke.rs/
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Immersion
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Add Application to Home Screen
• Has a web app manifest file with:
• a short_name (used on the home screen)
• a name (used in the banner)
• a 144x144 png icon
• a start_url that loads
• Has a service worker registered on your site.
• Is served over HTTPS (.
• Is visited at least twice, with at least five minutes
between visits.
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Push Notifications
• Require Service Worker so they operate in the
background
• Work even when the browser is closed
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• 72% increase in time spent for users visiting via a push
notification
• 26% increase in average spend per visit by members
arriving via a push notification
• +50% repeat visits within 3 month
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Two Technologies
• push is invoked when a server supplies information to
a service worker;
• a notification is the action of a showing information to
a user
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serviceWorkerRegistration
.showNotification(title, options);
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{
"body": "Did you make a $1,000,000 purchase at Dr. Evil...",
"icon": "images/ccard.png",
"vibrate": [200, 100, 200, 100, 200, 100, 400],
"tag": "request",
"actions": [
{ "action": "yes", "title": "Yes", "icon": "images/yes.png" },
{ "action": "no", "title": "No", "icon": "images/no.png" }
]
}
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Request User Permission
function initialiseState() {
if (Notification.permission !== 'granted') {
console.log('The user has not granted the notification
permission.');
return;
} else if (Notification.permission === “blocked”) {
/* the user has previously denied push. Can't reprompt. */
} else {
/* show a prompt to the user */
}
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Request User Permission
// Use serviceWorker.ready so this is only invoked
// when the service worker is available.
navigator.serviceWorker.ready.then(function(serviceWorkerRegistration) {
serviceWorkerRegistration.pushManager.getSubscription()
.then(function(subscription) {
if (!subscription) {
// Set appropriate app states.
return;
}
})
.catch(function(err) {
console.log('Error during getSubscription()', err);
});
});
}
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Disrupting the application eco system with progressive web applications