What is a Progressive Web App?
A Progressive Web App (PWA) is a website that behaves like a native app. It can be installed on a user's home screen, work offline, send push notifications, and load instantly — all without going near the App Store or Google Play. Under the hood it's still your Rails web application, enhanced with modern browser APIs that close the gap between web and native. For many products, a PWA delivers everything users actually need from an app, at a fraction of the cost and complexity.
Why a PWA might be right for you
Installable
Users can add your app to their home screen on iOS and Android, just like a native app. No app store listing, no review process, no 30% cut.
Offline Capable
Service workers cache key assets and data so that parts of your app still function without a connection — essential for field tools and mobile workforces.
Push Notifications
Re-engage users with push notifications on desktop and Android. Keep your audience informed without relying on email or social media.
One Codebase
One Rails app serves your website, your PWA and your API. No separate iOS and Android codebases to maintain in parallel. Faster to build, cheaper to run.
Pros
No app store approval. Instant updates deployed like any web release. Discoverable via search engines. Works on every device with a modern browser. Significantly cheaper to build than native.
Cons
Limited access to some device hardware compared to native apps. iOS support for PWA features lags behind Android. Not listed in app stores, so no organic discovery there.
Best For
Internal tools, field apps, customer portals, startups validating an idea before investing in native, and any product where you're primarily delivering content or forms.
Our Stack
We build PWAs with Ruby on Rails and Hotwire — giving you real-time UI updates, fast page transitions and a responsive, app-like feel without a heavy JavaScript framework.
Rails & Hotwire: the smart PWA stack
Hotwire gives you the responsiveness and interactivity users expect from an app, without the complexity of a separate JavaScript frontend. Combined with Rails, it's a mature, well-tested stack that lets us build fast and maintain cleanly — so your PWA stays solid long after launch.
Ready to build your Progressive Web App?
Tell us what you need and we'll tell you honestly whether a PWA is the right fit — or whether you should be looking at native apps instead.
Get in touch