Does a PWA still require a Service Worker in 2026? Modern Chrome can install PWAs without one. This article compares the old PWA rule with current MDN guidance and real-device testing, and explains when Service Workers are actually needed.
Should a PWA try to look exactly like a native app? Explore standalone, fullscreen, home screen UX, links, URLs, and why keeping some of the web's natural behavior can produce a better PWA design.
What should a PWA start_url point to? Compare the site root, a fixed page, a dynamically resolved current page, a dedicated launch URL, and stateful URLs, including how start_url: "." fits page-level PWA design.
What determines the name and icon of a PWA on the home screen? Learn how the Web App Manifest fields name, short_name, and icons work, why Android maskable icons matter, and how to design clearer home screen entry points.
The value of adding a PWA to the home screen is not just offline support, push notifications, or an app-like UI. It creates a direct return path to a useful web page. Learn how home screen access changes repeat visits and what you can build after users return.
PWAs and externally distributed APKs can both bypass app stores, but they work very differently. Compare installation, updates, security, device access, and iPhone support.
You do not need Service Workers, push notifications, or complex caching to start with PWA. Learn how a minimal Web App Manifest—or one OJapp script—can add home screen support in minutes.
PWA UDA (User Defined App) is a design philosophy where users choose the page, feature, or URL state they want to keep as their own app. Learn how query parameters, 1P1A, and home screen entry points make it possible.
A PWA is not finished when users add it to their home screen. The real value begins when they return through that icon. Learn how to detect standalone launches, change the UI for home screen users, show contextual offers, and measure whether your PWA is actually being used as a return path.
When is the best time to suggest adding a PWA to the home screen? Instead of asking immediately on the first visit, consider moments when users have already experienced value: after reading an article, completing a web tool task, returning to the site, or finishing a booking.
OJapp Tips is a technical blog documenting real-world PWA behavior, iPhone Safari quirks, home screen installation, manifest.json, Service Worker, Web App Manifest, WebClip, icon cache issues, and practical web development tips based on actual testing with iPhone, Android, and PC.
The articles are based on hands-on experiments from PWA LAB and real development experience with OJapp, Petal, and OJ-Pass. Instead of only repeating official documentation, OJapp Tips focuses on the details developers actually get stuck on.