Web App vs. Progressive WA vs. Native App

With the below image, you will get a subjective overview on the different capabilities that web apps, progressive apps, and native apps comparatively have. This, I hope, can quickly help you understand their differences without formalistic definitions.

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Web Applications (Web Apps):

A web application runs on a web server and is accessed through a web browser over the internet. Unlike traditional native applications, web apps don’t require installation on the user’s device. They facilitate user interaction by enabling data exchange between the client (browser) and the server. Any website you access through the browser is typically a web application.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs):

PWAs are advanced web applications that leverage modern web technologies to provide a user experience comparable to native apps. They can be accessed via web browsers but offer features such as offline functionality, push notifications, and the ability to be added on a device’s home screen. However, note that, while they may look like native apps after you add them to your home screen, PWAs still run on the web browser, i.e. they are mostly interpreted (by the browser’s JavaScript engine) as opposed to compiled. PWAs aim to combine the broad platform reach of web apps with the enhanced capabilities of native apps.

Check out how browsers work in my previous post.

Native Applications (Native Apps):

Native apps are developed specifically for a particular operating system (OS), such as iOS or Android. They are written in languages tailored to the respective platforms—Swift or Objective-C for iOS, and Java or Kotlin for Android. Native apps are compiled (ahead of time) and installed directly onto devices and can typically utilize more device features than PWAs. Unless sideloaded, they are typically distributed through app stores like Apple’s App Store or Google Play.

Web apps and PWAs are platform-independent and run in web browsers, while native apps are platform-specific and require separate development for each OS.

References

https://aws.amazon.com/what-is/web-application/
https://www.codecademy.com/article/what-is-a-web-app
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8694922/whats-the-difference-between-a-web-site-and-a-web-application
https://www.turing.com/blog/progressive-web-apps-vs-native-apps
https://www.sommo.io/blog/pwa-vs-native-app-which-is-better-in-2024

Disclaimer
Any views expressed in this post are solely those of the author and do not represent the opinions or policies of any affiliated organizations.