If you’ve built a workflow in 3B that presents as an app, you can make it feel much more like a native application using a Progressive Web App (PWA).
Most of us are familiar with the apps we install on our phones and computers. PWAs let you bring that same experience to the web apps you build in 3B, without needing to publish them through an app store.
What is a Progressive Web App?
A Progressive Web App (PWA) is a web application that can be installed on a supported device and behave much more like a native app.
Once installed, you can:
- Add your app to your Home Screen or Desktop
- Give it its own app icon
- Launch it directly, just like any other application
- Open it in its own window rather than a browser tab (where supported)
- Enjoy a cleaner, more app-like experience
Before You Begin
There are two parts to setting up a PWA:
- Configure your app in 3B so that it can be installed as a PWA.
- Install the app on your device using your browser’s Add to Home Screen or Install App option.
Configuring your app in 3B
The first step is simply letting 3B know that you’d like your app to be configured as a Progressive Web App.
3B will take care of generating the required PWA configuration and, if any additional information is needed, will prompt you with follow-up questions, such as the app’s name, icon, or other optional settings.
Once that’s complete, your app is ready to be installed on supported devices.
Installing your PWA
Follow the instructions below for your device.
macOS (Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge)
- Open your 3B app in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
- Click the Install icon in the address bar.
- If you don’t see it, open the browser menu (⋮) and select Install app.
- Click Install.
- Your app will now appear in your Applications folder and can be launched like any other application.
Windows (Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge)
- Open your 3B app in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
- Click the Install icon in the address bar.
- If you don’t see it, open the browser menu (⋮) and select Install app.
- Click Install.
- Your app will be added to your Start Menu and can optionally be pinned to your taskbar.
iPhone (Safari)
- Open your 3B app in Safari.
- Tap the Share button.
- Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
- Optionally edit the app name, then tap Add.
- Your app will now appear on your Home Screen like any other app.
Android (Google Chrome)
- Open your 3B app in Google Chrome.
- If prompted, tap Install.
- If you don’t see a prompt, tap the ⋮ menu and select Install app or Add to Home screen.
- Tap Install (or Add) to confirm.
- Your app will now appear on your Home Screen and in your app drawer.
Note: Installing a PWA does not create a separate, fully local version of your app. Your app remains hosted by 3B. While PWAs can support offline functionality, any actions that require communicating with 3B will still require an internet connection. Depending on how your app is designed, some functionality may continue to work offline, but features that rely on 3B services will require connectivity.