The Forgotten Art of Progressive Enhancement
As I reflect on my decade-long journey working with single-page applications (SPAs), I’m reminded of the importance of progressive enhancement. In today’s world of highly interactive user interfaces, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest JavaScript frameworks and libraries. However, in our quest for innovation, we’ve neglected a crucial aspect of web development: making the web accessible to everyone.
What is a Single-Page Application?
A single-page application is a web application that requires only a single page load in a web browser. In my definition, any application that relies solely on client-side rendering (CSR) falls under this category. The rise of JavaScript MV* frameworks like Backbone.js, EmberJS, AngularJS, and React has led to a proliferation of SPAs. While these frameworks bring order to chaotic codebases, they also introduce new challenges.
The Dark Side of SPAs
One of my main concerns with SPAs is that they often neglect progressive enhancement. This approach focuses on core web page content first, adding more nuanced layers of presentation and features as the end-user’s browser and internet connection allow. By ignoring progressive enhancement, we’re turning a blind eye to users in developing countries on slow networks or those relying on assistive technologies.
The Promise of Progressive Web Applications
Progressive web applications (PWAs) aim to deliver an app-like experience to users. To qualify as a PWA, an application must meet three criteria: served over HTTPS, a valid web manifest file with icons, and a registered service worker with offline support. The app shell model, promoted by Google, is a key component of PWAs. It involves caching the minimal HTML, CSS, and JavaScript required to power the user interface, ensuring rapid startup times and native-like interactions.
A Hybrid Approach to Rendering
The optimal approach lies in combining the benefits of server-side rendering (SSR) and client-side rendering (CSR). By using SSR, the server responds to navigation requests with a complete HTML document, while CSR takes over for subsequent interactions. This hybrid approach adds progressive enhancement to PWAs, making them more inclusive and accessible.
Breathing Life into Progressive Enhancement
The single-page application has led to a decline in progressive enhancement. It’s time to revive this movement and make the web work for everyone. By adopting a hybrid approach to rendering and embracing PWAs, we can create a more inclusive and accessible web. We may not be in Utopia yet, but we can take a step towards a more equitable digital landscape.