Building Progressive Web Apps with Power Apps: A Step-by-step Guide

In today’s digital landscape, Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) have a powerful solution for delivering and engaging user experiences across various devices and platforms. Combining the best features of web and mobile applications, PWAs offer fast, reliable, and immersive interactions, regardless of network conditions.

This guide will walk you through the steps of building a Progressive Web App using Power Apps. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting, these step-by-step instructions will help you create a PWA that enhances user engagement and accessibility.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are web applications that use modern web capabilities to deliver an app-like experience to users. They are designed to work on any platform using a standards-compliant browser, including desktop and mobile devices. Key features of PWAs include:

• PWAs can work offline or on low-quality networks.

• They adapt to different screen sizes and orientations.

• PWAs provide a user experience similar to native apps, including smooth animations and interactions.

• They can send push notifications to engage users.

• Users can install PWAs on their home screen without needing an app store.

Power Apps and Progressive Web Pages

Power Apps is a suite of apps, services, connectors, and a data platform that provides a rapid application development environment to build custom apps for your business needs. It allows users to create applications with minimal coding, leveraging a drag-and-drop interface and pre-built templates. Power Apps can connect to various data sources, including Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, SQL Server, and others, making it a versatile tool for creating business solutions.

Using Power Apps to create PWAs offers several advantages:

• Ease of Use: Power Apps’ intuitive interface allows users to create and customize PWAs without extensive coding knowledge.

• Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem: Power Apps seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft services, such as Azure, SharePoint, and Teams, enhancing functionality and data connectivity.

• Cost-Effective Development: Building PWAs with Power Apps can be more cost-effective than developing separate native apps for different platforms.

• Rapid Deployment: Power Apps enable rapid development and deployment of PWAs, allowing businesses to quickly respond to changing needs and opportunities.

• Enhanced User Experience: Combining the app-like experience of PWAs with the powerful features of Power Apps results in highly engaging and functional applications.

• Scalability: Power Apps and PWAs can scale to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.

Steps for Creating Progressive Web Pages (PWA) in Power Apps

STEP 1: Enable PWA in Power Apps

Navigate to the Power Pages and choose the desired site. Click "Edit" to access the site's editing mode.

In the left panel, locate the "Set up" workspace. Select "Progressive web applications".

Toggle the "Enable PWA" to activate the PWA feature.

STEP 2: Customize the PWA

Now, enter the following information:

1. Display Name: PWA portal name that will appear on mobile and app store.

2. App Store Description: A brief description of PWA for app store listing.

3. Start page: The initial page is displayed when PWA is opened.

4. Splash screen background color: The background color for the loading screen.

5. App icon: An Image for your App

STEP 3: Define Offline behavior

PWAs allow users to continue navigating your site offline or without an internet connection. You can designate specific pages to remain accessible (in read-only mode) offline, while a custom message can be displayed for your site that isn't available offline.

Under the More settings section, click "Define offline pages".

Select the specific pages within your site that should be accessible when the device is offline (read-only). Click Save.

To customize the appearance of offline pages, navigate to the "Pages" workspace and select "Default offline pages."

STEP 4: Distribute the Progressive Web App

Once your app is ready, you can distribute the app

1. Using a browser

2. Using an app store.

Using a browser

Once the PWA is enabled, users can pin the Power Pages site to their device's home screen for easy access. This method is supported across all platforms (Android, iOS, Chromebook, Windows) and devices (mobile, desktop, tablet).

Using an app store

Create an app package to distribute your PWA through app stores. We partner with PWABuilder, a platform that generates app packages compatible with different app stores.

Here are the steps to create an app package:

Under More Settings, click "Create app package".

A dialog box will appear. Click "Open PWA builder".

You'll be redirected to the PWABuilder website to create an app package suitable for various app stores. The generated package includes the necessary files for app store submission and a step-by-step guide to complete the process.

STEP 5: Update Android Certificate

If necessary, update the Android certificate by accessing the "Update the Android certificate" option under More Settings.

Enter the following information:

1. Package title

2. SHA-256 cert fingerprint

Click Update to complete the process.

Use Cases and Examples

Here are some real-world examples of PWA's created with Power Apps:

Employee Self-Service Portal:

• Company: A large retail chain

• Solution: Created a PWA using Power Apps to provide employees access to schedules, payroll information, and company announcements. The app works offline, allowing employees to check their schedules without internet access.

• Benefits: Improved employee engagement and reduced administrative workload.

Field Service Management:

• Company: A utility services provider

• Solution: Developed a PWA for field technicians to access job details, report issues, and update job statuses in real time. The app includes offline capabilities to ensure technicians can work in areas with poor connectivity.

• Benefits: Increased efficiency and accuracy in field operations.

Customer Feedback App:

• Company: A hospitality business

• Solution: Implemented a PWA to collect customer feedback through surveys and forms. The app can be installed on customers’ devices and works offline, ensuring feedback can be collected anytime.

• Benefits: Enhanced customer satisfaction and valuable insights for business improvement.

Conclusion

The combination of Power Apps and PWAs presents a powerful opportunity for businesses to enhance their digital presence and improve operational efficiency. By leveraging the strengths of both platforms, you can create robust, user-friendly applications that meet the demands of today’s digital landscape.