PWA vs Native: Who's the Best?

Pengetahuan Posted on Jul 04, 2021

PWA vs Native: Who's the Best?

To meet customer demands in this modern era, business owners must be supported by technology that is appropriate, easy to use, and can increase competitiveness. [...]

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To meet customer demands in this modern era, business owners must be supported by technology that is appropriate, easy to use, and can increase competitiveness.

To meet customer demands in this modern era, business owners must be supported by technology that is appropriate, easy to use, and can increase competitiveness. Since the business world has understood the importance of smartphones technology, the mobile industry has built and developed native apps.

Then separate from native apps, progressive web apps is another technology that was developed and received a lot of attention among businesses. Moreover, many leading companies in the world have embraced PWA and built progressive web apps.

Then a question arises as to what should a company choose Progressive Web Apps (PWA) or Mobile Apps? To make the decision, the company must understand the difference between the two.

Before discussing the differences between the two applications the company must know the basis of the two applications.

Progresive Web App

Progressive Web applications are a type of application that uses web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Progressive web applications are actually websites that contain functions commonly found in native apps such as working offline, push notifications, and responsive pages. Progressive web applications can be accessed quickly even though users have a slow internet connection.

There are 4 main technologies that distinguish PWA from web applications, namely:

Fast loading time
Data integrity and privacy
Offline support
Home screen access

Native App

Native apps are software applications developed using a specific programming language for a specific platform (Android or iOS). These applications provide a wider range of features and can provide improved performance compared to PWAs. In general, applications downloaded from the Google Play Market or Apple App Store are native applications.

PWA vs Native : Comparison Details

Here are some factors that can be used as a comparison between PWAs and Native Apps.

Ease of Installation

With PWA, users do not need to install a web application, they can access it directly from the web browser on their smartphone or computer. Moreover, users can add a PWA shortcut on their home screen and access it whenever they want.

Whereas native apps have a long installation process. Not only that, users need to search for specific apps in their respective stores (according to the device used) and then install them.

Performance Speed

Performance is an important factor that can differentiate native and PWA applications. In terms of performance, PWAs and native apps have efficient performance.

However, the performance of native apps is better than PWAs because they are developed for specific platforms and compiled using the platform's core programming languages and APIs.

In PWAs, there is a delay and more battery/power consumption compared to native apps. The reason why this happens is because it requires a constant internet connection and the app runs in the browser which makes it consume more power/battery.

So in conclusion, it is clear that native apps perform better than PWAs.

Security

Security is of utmost importance to protect user data and their privacy in today's technology-driven world.

When it comes to security, native apps have better security than PWAs. This is because native apps are built with built-in security measures in mind. Then, native apps can be integrated with various functions to enhance their security aspects, such as multi-factor authentication where users have to enter two or more verifications to access the app.

To publish a native app, it is necessary to compile the security practices used in a particular app store.

On the other hand, PWAs operate under the HTTPS protocol; hence, disclosure and alteration of information will be blocked by the PWA. In addition, PWAs operate in the browser where most of the security is handled by the browser being used. Because of this, the security of the PWA is aligned with the security of the website being used.

PWAs are also vulnerable to various attacks such as XSS, dormany service workers, etc.

Because of this, it can be said that the security of native applications is superior to PWAs.

Distribution Process

Native apps have to be developed for a specific app store then send them to the relevant app store. Google play store and Apple's app store are the most suitable options.

However, to ensure that the developed app gets published, developers need to follow each store's specific guidelines.

With PWA, developers only need to ensure that the developed app site is active on the internet. To access the app, users only need a browser. Due to the simplicity and speed of distribution, PWAs can reach a wider audience and do not require a lengthy process to launch.

Although the Google Play Store now supports PWAs, the publishing process is not as simple as publishing a normal PWA.

Development Costs

When comparing development costs between PWAs and native apps, PWAs win the race.

The reason for this is because PWAs only require one codebase that can work across multiple devices.

On the other hand, for the development of a native app, the company that is going to implement it has to invest more time and money to build it. Moreover, the company has to invest more for the maintenance of the app. Companies that will implement this app are advised to choose to develop the app only for Android or iOS platforms to save money, or they can also build a hybrid app that can run on two platforms (Android & iOS) at once.

When to Choose PWA or Native Apps?

Both PWA and Native Apps have their own advantages and disadvantages. Companies/Agencies/Organizations should consider all aspects of advantages as options when choosing between them.

Considering PWA If :