---
title: "PWA"
description: "A PWA (Progressive Web App) is a web app that behaves like a native one: installable, offline-capable and push-enabled. See service workers and manifests."
url: "https://nodea.io/en/glossary/pwa-progressive-web-app"
lang: "en"
updated: "2026-07-13"
---

# PWA

> A PWA (Progressive Web App) is a web application that, thanks to modern browser technologies, behaves like a native app — installable, offline-capable and push-enabled.

A **PWA** (Progressive Web App) is a web application that, using modern browser technologies, delivers an experience close to a native app. It can be "installed" to a phone's home screen or the operating system, launched in a standalone window without an address bar, used offline and receive push notifications — all without downloading anything from an app store.

## How a PWA works

A PWA rests on three technical pillars:

- **Service worker** — a background [JavaScript](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/javascript) script running outside the page thread; it intercepts network requests, caches assets and enables offline use and push notifications.
- **Web app manifest** — a JSON file describing the name, icons, colors and display mode, which lets the browser offer installation.
- **HTTPS** — a service worker only runs over a secure connection, so [HTTPS](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/https) is mandatory.

The word "progressive" refers to progressive enhancement: the app works in every browser, and where newer capabilities exist it unlocks full install and offline features. A PWA is usually built as a [SPA](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/single-page-application), though that is not strictly required.

## PWAs in practice

The PWA model shines wherever reach and fast delivery matter:

1. **Online stores** — fast loading and offline behavior lift conversion on mobile devices.
2. **News sites and SaaS apps** — a single codebase serves web, Android and iOS, cutting development cost.
3. **Dashboards and internal tools** — installation without a store simplifies distribution inside an organization.

Deploying a PWA requires hosting with an SSL certificate and correct caching headers (see [Cache-Control](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/cache-control)) so the service worker serves assets quickly and consistently.

### How does a PWA differ from a native app?

A native app is written for a specific platform (iOS, Android) and downloaded from a store. A PWA is a website running in the browser that can be "installed" to the home screen. A PWA is cheaper to maintain (one codebase for every platform) but has limited access to some hardware features.

### Does a PWA work without internet?

Partly, yes. Thanks to the service worker and the cache, a PWA can display previously visited content and its core interface offline. Features that need fresh data from the server still require a connection.

## Related

- [SPA (Single Page Application)](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/single-page-application)
- [JavaScript](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/javascript)
- [HTTPS](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/https)
- [Responsive Design](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/responsive-design)
- [Cache-Control](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/cache-control)

---

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