Does “Install” make a website a PWA?

[Watney]

Thurrott.com reports today that Outlook.com and 365 OWA are converting to PWAs. If I “install” these sites will they be PWAs? Or do I need to wait until seeing the little arrow in the right hand end of the search bar like Twitter?

My hunch is that the arrow means it will install as a PWA. Simply “installing” a normal site wraps the webpage with magical JavaScript.

Can someone please confirm? Thanks so much!!

[#2]

Hi @Watney 

if you install any website as an app, Edge insider will treat them as a PWA, regardless of whether that website is actually a PWA (such as Spotify web, Google photos, outlook email etc) or just a normal web page like a Google search.

[#3]

When you say “treat” does that mean the same in all instances? In other words, will Edge Insider make a non-PWA website into a PWA? Thanks, if you know what I mean?

[#4]

As a follow on, what are the benefits to "Install" a site versus open the site in a new tab? Thanks so much!

[#5]

@Watney 

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@Watney wrote:
When you say “treat” does that mean the same in all instances? In other words, will Edge Insider make a non-PWA website into a PWA? Thanks, if you know what I mean?

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Well the thing is the line between a PWA and a website is very thin and blurry,

in Edge insider, all websites are treated the same way when they are added as an app (or PWA).

Edge doesn't make a non-PWA into a PWA.

PWA:

"A progressive web application is a type of application software delivered through the web, built using common web technologies including HTML, CSS and JavaScript. It is intended to work on any platform that uses a standards-compliant browser. "

this is why I say the line between a PWA and a normal web site is blurry because both of them use the same 3 programing languages.

but some of PWAs are obvious such as Spotify web player, Whatsapp web, Telegram web, Google Photos (maybe?), Gmail, Outlook etc

[#6]

@Watney 

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@Watney wrote:

As a follow on, what are the benefits to "Install" a site versus open the site in a new tab? Thanks so much!

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it integrates into your system in the same way as a native app. In the case of Windows 10, this results in the app showing up in the Start menu and within the Settings app. it will have its own window, its own icon, minimal UI, the notifications coming from that app is supposed to be more integrated into the OS, so for example Whatsapp app from Windows store and Whatsapp web PWA installed from Edge insider should produce the same type of native notifications in the Windows 10 action center.

some of these features are still in development:

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Discussions/Need-more-info-about-Web-Apps-Identity-Proxy/m-p/...

[#7]

@HotCakeX thanks so much! Appreciate you sharing your knowledge. And, thanks so much for your contributions to our community. You are everywhere! BTW, gota love your username. I'm not creative and would never come up with yours. Cheers

[#8]

Thanks :D appreciate the sweet words ^^
I try to learn and then share back what I learned with others

[#9]

@HotCakeX 

Say if we got WhatsApp notification in the action center and the app itself is open in the background, will we open the notification in the app or it will open new WhatsApp in the new tab?  because, at the moment, that's what I experience.  

I cannot just click the notification to back to the app, but need to click the app to see the new message, and clear the notification manually. 

[#10]

@isdarto 

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@isdarto wrote:

@HotCakeX 

Say if we got WhatsApp notification in the action center and the app itself is open in the background, will we open the notification in the app or it will open new WhatsApp in the new tab?  because, at the moment, that's what I experience.  

I cannot just click the notification to back to the app, but need to click the app to see the new message, and clear the notification manually. 

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Which Channel?