Progressive Web App (PWA)

Introduction

It aims to enhance the web application just like native mobile app, containing push notification, offline usage,...

Service Worker is written by javascript, which can run the application on background

Manifest.json

The Web App Manifest is a JSON file that tells the browser how your PWA should behave when installed on a device. It's like a configuration file for your app's identity and appearance.

manifest.json

{
  "name": "Location Tracker",           // Full app name (shown in app stores, install dialogs)
  "short_name": "LocTracker",           // Short name (shown under app icon on home screen)
  "description": "Track and display...", // App description
  "start_url": "/",                     // URL that opens when app launches
  "scope": "/",                         // Which URLs the PWA controls
  "display": "standalone",              // How the app looks when opened (see below)
  "orientation": "portrait-primary",    // Lock screen orientation
  "background_color": "#0f172a",        // Splash screen background color
  "theme_color": "#0ea5e9",             // Status bar / title bar color
  "orientation": "portrait-primary",
  "icons": [                            // App icons for different sizes
    {
      "src": "/icons/icon-192x192.svg",
      "sizes": "192x192",
      "type": "image/svg+xml",
      "purpose": "any"
    },
    {
      "src": "/icons/icon-512x512.svg",
      "sizes": "512x512",
      "type": "image/svg+xml",
      "purpose": "any"
    },
    {
      "src": "/icons/icon-maskable-512x512.svg",
      "sizes": "512x512",
      "type": "image/svg+xml",
      "purpose": "maskable"
    }
  ],
  "categories": ["navigation", "utilities"],
  "lang": "en",
  "dir": "ltr"
}

app/layout.tsx

import type { Metadata, Viewport } from "next";
import { Geist, Geist_Mono } from "next/font/google";
import "./globals.css";
import { ServiceWorkerRegistration } from "./components/ServiceWorkerRegistration";

const geistSans = Geist({
  variable: "--font-geist-sans",
  subsets: ["latin"],
});

const geistMono = Geist_Mono({
  variable: "--font-geist-mono",
  subsets: ["latin"],
});

export const metadata: Metadata = {
  title: "Location Tracker",
  description: "Track and display your real-time location on an interactive map",
  manifest: "/manifest.json",
  appleWebApp: {
    capable: true,
    statusBarStyle: "black-translucent",
    title: "Location Tracker",
  },
  formatDetection: {
    telephone: false,
  },
  openGraph: {
    type: "website",
    title: "Location Tracker",
    description: "Track and display your real-time location on an interactive map",
  },
};

export const viewport: Viewport = {
  themeColor: "#0ea5e9",
  width: "device-width",
  initialScale: 1,
  maximumScale: 1,
  userScalable: false,
  viewportFit: "cover",
};

export default function RootLayout({
  children,
}: Readonly<{
  children: React.ReactNode;
}>) {
  return (
    <html lang="en">
      <head>
        <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/icons/icon-192x192.svg" />
        <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes" />
        <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="black-translucent" />
        <meta name="mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes" />
      </head>
      <body
        className={`${geistSans.variable} ${geistMono.variable} antialiased`}
      >
        {children}
        <ServiceWorkerRegistration />
      </body>
    </html>
  );
}

Service Worker

A Service Worker is a JavaScript file that runs separately from your web page in the background. It acts as a proxy between your web app, the browser, and the network.
Regular websites require an internet connection - no network = blank page. Service workers intercept network requests and can serve cached content when offline to bring a "app-like" features

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                         BROWSER                                  │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                  │
│   ┌──────────────┐      ┌──────────────┐      ┌──────────────┐  │
│   │              │      │              │      │              │  │
│   │   Your Web   │ ───► │   Service    │ ───► │   Network    │  │
│   │     App      │      │   Worker     │      │  (Internet)  │  │
│   │              │ ◄─── │   (Proxy)    │ ◄─── │              │  │
│   │              │      │              │      │              │  │
│   └──────────────┘      └──────┬───────┘      └──────────────┘  │
│                                │                                 │
│                                ▼                                 │
│                         ┌──────────────┐                        │
│                         │    Cache     │                        │
│                         │   Storage    │                        │
│                         └──────────────┘                        │
│                                                                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

sw.js

const CACHE_NAME = 'location-tracker-v1';
const STATIC_ASSETS = [
  '/',
  '/manifest.json',
  '/icons/icon-192x192.svg',
  '/icons/icon-512x512.svg',
];

// Install event - cache static assets
// When SW is first installed
self.addEventListener('install', (event) => {
  event.waitUntil(
    caches.open(CACHE_NAME).then((cache) => {
      return cache.addAll(STATIC_ASSETS);
    })
  );
  self.skipWaiting();
});

// Activate event - clean up old caches
// When SW takes control
self.addEventListener('activate', (event) => {
  event.waitUntil(
    caches.keys().then((cacheNames) => {
      return Promise.all(
        cacheNames
          .filter((name) => name !== CACHE_NAME)
          .map((name) => caches.delete(name))
      );
    })
  );
  self.clients.claim();
});

// Fetch event - network first, falling back to cache
 // When app makes ANY request
self.addEventListener('fetch', (event) => {
  // Skip non-GET requests
  if (event.request.method !== 'GET') return;

  // Skip cross-origin requests (like map tiles)
  if (!event.request.url.startsWith(self.location.origin)) {
    return;
  }

  event.respondWith(
    fetch(event.request)
      .then((response) => {
        // Clone the response before caching
        const responseClone = response.clone();
        caches.open(CACHE_NAME).then((cache) => {
          cache.put(event.request, responseClone);
        });
        return response;
      })
      .catch(() => {
        // Fallback to cache if network fails
        return caches.match(event.request).then((cachedResponse) => {
          if (cachedResponse) {
            return cachedResponse;
          }
          // Return offline fallback for navigation requests
          if (event.request.mode === 'navigate') {
            return caches.match('/');
          }
          return new Response('Offline', { status: 503 });
        });
      })
  );
});

'use client';

import { useEffect } from 'react';

export function ServiceWorkerRegistration() {
  useEffect(() => {
    if ('serviceWorker' in navigator) {
      navigator.serviceWorker
        .register('/sw.js')
        .then((registration) => {
          console.log('Service Worker registered successfully:', registration.scope);
        })
        .catch((error) => {
          console.log('Service Worker registration failed:', error);
        });
    }
  }, []);

  return null;
}

PreviousFrontend NextSingle Page & Multiple Page Application

Last updated 20 days ago

Was this helpful?

hashtagIntroduction

hashtagManifest.json

hashtagService Worker

Introduction

Manifest.json

Service Worker