Feature request: PWA generator/GUI form

cdjgreen

My web app includes a PWA manifest that browsers can read and then offers the ability to install the web app to the home screen like a native "app."

While it's recommended and preferred that PWAs are able to function offline, it is not at all a hard requirement. My Xojo web app is able to utilize this perfectly fine despite their architecture also requiring a connection to the host server.

I know this can also be achieved in Objo, but it would be extra awesome if this was just a toggle with some fields to fill out or even autogenerated with existing info and icons. That way, it's just one less step to have mobile-friendly web apps.

Garry

I agree, this is the sort of repetitive setup Studio should handle for you. You’re also right that requiring a server connection doesn’t prevent a web app from being installable.

I’ve logged Make Web apps installable on the home screen or desktop.

The plan is a simple Allow installation switch in the Web project settings. Studio would use the project’s existing name, icon and colours to generate the manifest and required icon sizes automatically. A small preview and a few optional overrides would let you customise it without having to edit JSON or JavaScript.

I’ll keep the scope focused on installation and presentation. The application would continue to run on the server and need a connection, with offline operation and background features left for separate work.

cdjgreen

Thanks @Garry! I'm looking forward to this getting added! It will really help make web apps all that much easier to deploy.

I did just want to mention the display member as this would be something I could see needing to adjust. For me, I set this as standalone in my manifest, but that may not always be the case.

There are currently 4 values it can be set to that change the way the installed app is presented and displayed.

Garry

Good news: the next release adds this, as a simple project setting rather than a separate generator form.

In Project Settings > Web there is now an Installation card with a single Allow installation switch. When you enable it, Studio derives everything from what the project already owns:

The installed name comes from your Display Name, with an optional shorter Home Screen Name for the icon label.
The icon comes from your existing app icon. Studio generates the sizes browsers ask for (192, 512 and the Apple touch size) automatically, so there are no hand-authored icon files.
The theme colour defaults to your Web accent colour and the background to a colour derived from your Web theme, with optional overrides if you want to fine-tune the install screen.

You do not write any JSON or JavaScript and you do not add server endpoints. Run, Debug, Build and Publish all advertise installation automatically: the server generates the manifest and serves it and the icons from reserved routes, and browsers that support it offer their usual install command (Safari: File > Add to Dock, Chrome and Edge: the install icon in the address bar, iOS: Share > Add to Home Screen). An installed app opens in its own window with your name and icon.

Two honest limits, matching the scope of your request: the app still runs on your server and needs a connection to it, so this is browser installation and presentation rather than offline support, and there is deliberately no service worker, push notification or app-store packaging. Installation also needs HTTPS once you deploy, as browsers require, though localhost works directly while testing.

Enabling requires a default WebPage and an app icon; if either is missing, publishing tells you. Let me know how you get on with it once the release is out.