Checklists

Mobile Web / PWA implementation checklist

This checklist provides a technical roadmap for moving a web application to a production-ready Progressive Web App (PWA). It focuses on service worker reliability, cross-platform installation, and mobile-specific performance constraints.

Progress0 / 26 complete (0%)

Service Worker and Offline Reliability

0/6

  • Register Service Worker on Load

    critical

    Ensure the service worker is registered after the window 'load' event to avoid competing with main thread resources during initial paint.

  • Implement Offline Fallback Page

    critical

    Configure a specific offline.html file in the cache that displays when the user is offline and the requested page is not in the cache.

  • Versioned Cache Keys

    critical

    Prefix cache names with a version string (e.g., v1, v2) to facilitate cache purging and prevent stale assets from persisting after updates.

  • Cache-First Strategy for Static Assets

    recommended

    Apply a Cache-First (Cache Falling Back to Network) strategy for images, fonts, and CSS using Workbox or native Fetch API.

  • Stale-While-Revalidate for API Routes

    recommended

    Implement Stale-While-Revalidate for dynamic content to show immediate data while updating the cache in the background.

  • Handle Service Worker Updates

    recommended

    Implement a UI notification or automatic reload logic when a new service worker is waiting to ensure users don't run old code.

Web App Manifest and Installation

0/5

  • Validate Manifest.json Fields

    critical

    Verify the presence of 'short_name', 'name', 'start_url', 'display' (standalone or minimal-ui), and 'background_color'.

  • Provide 512x512 and 192x192 Icons

    critical

    Include PNG icons in both sizes to satisfy Android and Chrome installation requirements.

  • Define Maskable Icons

    recommended

    Add the 'purpose': 'maskable' attribute to at least one icon to ensure proper rendering on Android adaptive icon systems.

  • Set Theme Color Meta Tag

    recommended

    Match the 'theme_color' in the manifest with the HTML meta name='theme-color' tag for browser UI consistency.

  • Custom Install Prompt Logic

    optional

    Intercept the 'beforeinstallprompt' event to provide a custom UI button rather than relying on browser defaults.

Mobile Performance Optimization

0/5

  • Eliminate Render-Blocking CSS

    critical

    Inline critical CSS in the <head> and defer non-critical styles using media='print' or rel='preload'.

  • Implement Image Lazy Loading

    critical

    Use the loading='lazy' attribute on all non-hero images to reduce initial payload and CPU usage.

  • Preconnect to Critical Origins

    recommended

    Add <link rel='preconnect'> for third-party domains like fonts or API endpoints to reduce DNS/TCP handshake latency.

  • Enforce Font-Display: Swap

    recommended

    Ensure all @font-face declarations include font-display: swap to prevent invisible text during font loading.

  • Limit JavaScript Bundle Size

    recommended

    Keep the main thread execution time under 2 seconds on a mid-tier mobile device (e.g., Moto G4) via code splitting.

Touch UI and Platform Integration

0/5

  • Set Viewport Meta Tag

    critical

    Ensure <meta name='viewport' content='width=device-width, initial-scale=1, viewport-fit=cover'> is present for iOS notched devices.

  • Apply Safe Area Insets

    critical

    Use CSS environment variables (env(safe-area-inset-bottom)) to prevent UI elements from overlapping system bars.

  • Disable Double-Tap Zoom

    recommended

    Set touch-action: manipulation on interactive elements to remove the 300ms tap delay in mobile browsers.

  • Implement Skeleton Screens

    recommended

    Replace generic loading spinners with CSS skeleton screens that mirror the layout structure to improve perceived performance.

  • Provide Visual Touch Feedback

    recommended

    Use CSS :active states or ripple effects to confirm user input on buttons and navigation links.

Push Notifications and Engagement

0/5

  • VAPID Key Configuration

    critical

    Generate and secure Voluntarily Identified Public Key (VAPID) pairs for authenticating push subscriptions.

  • Deferred Permission Request

    recommended

    Trigger the notification permission request after a user action (e.g., clicking a 'Notify Me' button) rather than on page load.

  • Handle Notification Clicks

    recommended

    Add a 'notificationclick' event listener in the service worker to focus the existing window or open a specific deep-link URL.

  • iOS Push Support Validation

    recommended

    Verify the app supports the Web Push API for iOS 16.4+ when the app is added to the home screen.

  • Payload Size Verification

    optional

    Ensure push notification payloads remain under 4KB to comply with browser vendor limitations.