According to a recent press release, Perfecto is the first cloud-based testing platform provider to support automated testing of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).

Typically, PWAs improve user experience by giving users the ability to use sites whilst offline; access platform features such as speakers, data storage, cameras and microphones; growing engagement; and increasing conversions.

So why are other cloud-based platforms yet to implement PWA capabilities?

Until now, PWAs are mostly used for mobile, not desktop usage. This is surprising, considering that PWAs have the ability to support all features on native apps, including automation updates, service workers, web push such as notifications, and home screen pinning.

‘Engaging digital experiences’

According to Perfecto’s report, this is why the adoption of PWAs is to increase, as brands reveal that they are striving to deliver more “engaging digital experiences”.

The report found that 41% of survey respondents are planning to add PWA capabilities to their sites throughout the year, with an additional 32% researching the shift.

Firms across all industries are recognising PWA benefits, according to the report. One major e-commerce site reported a 76% increase in mobile web conversions with 14% more active monthly users on iOS and 30% on Android.

“PWA is one of the latest web development market innovations being embraced today after responsive web design to enhance the user experience,” said Roi Carmel, Chief Strategy Officer at Perfecto.

“Our Automation Coverage Extension capabilities provide us with the architectural advantage to provide DevOps teams with what they need to automate PWA testing to deliver flawless user experiences.”

Benefits of PWA

The following PWA use cases can also help teams implement continuous testing and achieve velocity objectives:

• Launching PWAs: The ability to launch PWAs from device home screens benefits users and creates a new challenge for test automation.
• Test authoring and execution: As a hybrid technology, PWAs require the ability to interact with different types of user interface objects. This overcomes Selenium and Appium limitations of inspecting PWA document object model (DOM).
• Test audio, camera, and location-based scenarios: PWAs introduce the rich engagement capabilities of mobile devices to websites.
• User condition test scenarios: The PWA benefits of increased conversions are in part driven by websites now becoming accessible while users are offline leveraging service workers.
• One test, one report: PWA tests executed across Android, iOS, Windows and MAC OS generate one combined test report.

Written from press release by Leah Alger