Bring back PWA (progressive web apps)

[brochard]

Progressive Web apps are an important feature of a browser that Firefox is the only one missing.
For some, it can be the reason to switch to another browser.
In other cases like for the Steamdeck, it's what imposed the choice to only include Chrome in the SteamOS interface.
Other problem even for avid Firefox users, since I wanted Social apps on my pc I had to get them on the Microsoft Store which is an Edge PWA that opens every link in an Edge window, making me use this... other browser.

[Jon]

@danilaros there's a discussion thread hosted by a Firefox Product Manager that may interest you - it's about gathering feedback for how we can best support web apps moving forward:

How can Firefox create the best support for web apps on the desktop? 

Feel free to check it out and join the discussion. 

(This invitation is of course extended to everyone 😀)

[Ekol]

Thanks Jon, this looks promising.

[navindubadde]

I hate that on my Windows machine, I have to keep using  Microsoft Edge to use PWAs like iCloud web etc. Really wish I could use my default browser Firefox exclusively for every task.

[cane1]

Adding PWAs would help me stay in Firefox longer and not have to switch between other browsers.

[mortal_engin3]

@navindubaddeUse 'Brave' instead of Microsoft Edge. Brave is based on chromium just like Microsoft Edge but it's robust in terms of Privacy. I personally use Brave (for PWA) as an alternative for any Chromium based browser.

[Lexxy_Fox_2]

I agree with commenters that say "forget about FireFox, they're never adding PWA, they only care about AI now".

Floorp has all the features - JPEG, PWA, etc... and they don't develop s itty fake-AI. There are also other browsers that have JPEG and PWA that also don't have AI.

[mans]

Please just add it back. Make firefox great again!

[MattBCool]

I want to see as much PWA support as possible in Firefox so developers can avoid app stores and publish with more agency through the web. To me, this would be directly supporting Mozilla's mission of helping to create a more equitable and healthy internet. 

For developers without funding, this is the most accessible way to create an offline, app-like experience that meets user expectations. However, I faced discovery challenges with my 15k users who relied on my simple client-side PWA because they expect to find it in the app store anyway and sadly many didn't even know what a browser is (80% ios, with majority of 35 years of age). While it's not a perfect solution, it offers a solid path for distribution without the need to maintain apps in app stores or pay Apple’s annual fee—plus, there's no need for specific hardware to deploy.

I wrote more about "escaping the app store with PWAs" on my personal blog:

https://mattcool.tech/posts/escaping-the-app-store-with-progressive-web-apps