Offline App Architecture

The advantages of building offline mobile apps are numerous. Caching, writing to local data source first, and avoiding network failures are among them. These features result in better user experience. However, building offline-first apps should not be your sole focus. It is important to make sure that your app works well even if you’re not connected to the internet.

Caching

Caching in offline apps is the process of making data available for the app even when the user is not connected to the internet. This helps the app to run faster and saves space on the phone. However, it can also consume battery power, so it’s important to make sure that you choose the right strategy for your application.

Service Workers can also be used to cache content. A Service Worker can pre-fetch resources from the Web and store them in a named cache for offline use. To do this, you must call the install event method of a Service Worker. This event method expects a Promise. When the event is completed, the Promise resolves to a named cache accessor object, which stores resources for offline use. After that, you can serve the cached response.

One of the main advantages of caching is that it improves the user experience. A custom offline page can reflect your app’s brand and keep users engaged. Caching can also improve performance and native-like behaviors.

Writing to local data source first

Writing to local data source first in offline apps improves performance and battery life. Unlike online only apps, which display a loading indicator on the screen, offline first apps queue network requests and wait for a server response before presenting data to consumers. This reduces the total time it takes to complete the transaction. In addition, a local data source allows apps to query the same data almost instantly.

Writing to local data source first in offline apps avoids the need to use a global state for every user. You can create different databases for different users. This helps avoid conflicts caused by multiple users updating the same item. However, you should ensure that the same local state is replicated for each user.

Writing to local data source first in offline apps can reduce the overall size of the app. This approach is especially useful if data is relational. Offline apps require a minimal data amount. Moreover, they should be able to offer read and write access even if the network connection is not available.

Avoiding network failures

In developing mobile apps, it is important to avoid network failures. Users are impatient, and it is frustrating for them when the application doesn’t start right away. If the app crashes, users may lose interest and even uninstall the app. Using offline-first development methods can avoid these problems.

Offline-first apps have unique features and technical challenges. Because the user is offline, a smaller version of the data will be downloaded to the device. This can make the app more usable and ensure that the user will always have access to the information they need. It is also crucial to design offline-first apps with a database that is optimized for offline use.

Offline-first apps also need to be able to handle changes to data without interruption. To achieve this, they should be able to synchronize data automatically. This allows them to handle multiple users and save changes to data while offline.

Improved user experience

Improving the user experience with offline apps requires a number of design considerations. First, it’s essential to make sure that users don’t get confused about the offline status. Rather than giving out cryptic error messages, the application should guide the user to a suitable setting. The language and flow of the application should also be carefully thought out. The user flow should be clear and the language should not include technical jargon. For instance, it’s best to avoid using the term “app offline” when communicating about the status of an offline app.

Another important consideration is to make sure that the user experience with an offline app is consistent across different devices. The user should be assured that his or her work will remain safe even if the app is not connected to the internet. This means that an offline app should be able to sync its data with its online version in a timely manner.