What Is a Progressive Web App (PWA) – Features, Use Cases, and the Situation in China

What Is PWA

PWA (Progressive Web Apps) uses modern Web APIs and progressive‑enhancement strategies to create cross‑platform Web applications that feel like native apps. Essence: a cross‑platform Web App. Note that PWA is not a single technology but a combination of many, essentially a Web App . Core technologies include App Manifest , Service Worker , Web Push , etc.

PWA Features

Cross‑Device Adaptation

Responsive layout enables the app to run on any screen—desktop, tablet, phone, or any device with a display.

Fast Loading

By avoiding unnecessary resource checks and using on‑demand loading, PWAs load much faster than typical apps.

Offline Operation

Using Service Worker as a virtual proxy between the browser and the network, PWAs can cache resources and work offline.

High Security

PWAs are served over HTTPS, protecting data in transit.

Push Notifications

Push messages increase user engagement and deliver fresh content.

No Need for Manual Updates

Content is fetched from the server in real time, eliminating the need for periodic store updates.

Installable

PWAs can be installed on any OS that supports them; all major desktop and mobile browsers support installation.

Easy Sharing

Users can share a simple URL; no download is required.

Key principles that define a PWA include discoverability, installability, linkability, network independence, progressive enhancement, re‑engageability, responsiveness, and safety.

PWA Applications in Internet Products

Examples

Travel: Uber, Lyft

Food & Delivery: Starbucks, Ele.me

News & Reading: 少数派, Flipboard

Shopping: Alibaba, Walmart

Social: TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Weibo

Where to Find PWAs

AppScope – https://appsco.pe/

PWA Stats – https://www.pwastats.com/

pwapp – https://pwapp.net/

Current Situation of PWAs in China

PWAs have largely faded in China. Since 2016 Google introduced the concept, but the rise of WeChat Mini‑Programs, fast‑apps, and other native‑like solutions captured the market.

Reasons include limited iOS support, Android devices without Chrome, lack of push‑service integration, complex webview environments, and Google’s reduced focus on the Chinese market.

Although PWA is a great technical solution, it conflicts with the interests of major platform owners, making widespread adoption difficult.

PWA Games

Data shows that in the first half of 2022, mobile games still dominate the Chinese market, while web‑game revenue continued to decline.

Recommended PWA Games

Tower Game – https://www.towergame.app/

The Cube – https://appsco.pe/app/thecube

2048 – https://appsco.pe/app/2048

More PWA games can be explored at https://appsco.pe/category/games .

Is PWA Gaming Viable?

Even if web games were rebuilt as PWAs, revenue is unlikely to increase because earnings depend on game content rather than delivery method; PWAs mainly reduce development cost by sharing code across platforms.

Emerging Web technologies (WebGPU, WebRTC, WebGL) could improve PWA game quality, but market adoption is driven by profit motives and ecosystem constraints.

References

[1] Service Worker – https://developer.mozilla.org/zh-CN/docs/Web/Progressive_web_apps/Offline_Service_workers#service_worker_%E8%A7%A3%E9%87%8A

[2] PWA Stats – https://www.pwastats.com/

[3] Ele.me case – https://web.dev/eleme/