How to Build a PWA With Vue CLI

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) have gained immense popularity in recent years due to their ability to provide a native-like experience on the web. They combine the best of both web and mobile apps, enabling users to access applications directly from their browser while allowing for offline capabilities and push notifications. If you're looking to build a PWA using Vue CLI, you're in the right place. This guide will walk you through the essential steps.

What You Need to Get Started

Before we dive into building a PWA with Vue CLI, ensure you have the following prerequisites:

A basic understanding of JavaScript and Vue.js
Node.js and npm installed on your machine
The Vue CLI installed globally

Step 1: Create a New Vue Project

Begin by creating a new Vue project using the Vue CLI. Open your terminal and run:

vue create my-pwa

You will be prompted to select features. Make sure to pick "PWA Support" when prompted to add features to your project.

Step 2: Configure the PWA Options

Once your project is created, navigate into your project directory:

cd my-pwa

Open the `vue.config.js` file in your project directory. Here, you can customize your PWA settings such as the name, theme color, and description. For example:


module.exports = {
    pwa: {
        name: 'My PWA',
        themeColor: '#4DBA87',
        msTileColor: '#000000',
        appleMobileWebAppCapable: 'yes',
        appleMobileWebAppStatusBarStyle: 'black-translucent',
    }
}

Step 3: Build Your Application

Now it's time to start building your application. You can create components and set up routing using Vue Router. Make sure to follow Vue's best practices for structuring your application for scalability and maintainability.

Step 4: Register the Service Worker

The service worker is what makes your application a PWA by allowing it to cache assets and run offline. Vue CLI automatically generates a service worker for you when you enabled PWA support. To ensure that the service worker is registered correctly, check the `src/registerServiceWorker.js` file:


import { register } from 'register-service-worker'
if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production') {
    register(`${process.env.BASE_URL}service-worker.js`, {
        ready () {
            console.log('App is being served from cache by a service worker.')
        },
        registered () {
            console.log('Service worker has been registered.')
        },
        cached () {
            console.log('Content cached for offline use.')
        },
        updated () {
            console.log('New content is available; please refresh.')
        },
        offline () {
            console.log('No internet connection found. App is running in offline mode.')
        },
        error (error) {
            console.error('Error during service worker registration:', error)
        }
    })
}

Step 5: Test Your PWA

After building your application, it’s crucial to test whether it functions as a proper PWA. You can build your project for production with the following command:

npm run build

Once the build is complete, you can serve the application locally using tools like `http-server`:

npm install -g http-server
http-server dist

Navigate to the address provided by `http-server`, typically `http://localhost:8080`, and check whether your app works offline or shows PWA-related prompts.

Step 6: Optimize and Deploy Your PWA

Optimization is key for performance and a smooth user experience. Make sure your assets are minified, use lazy loading for images and components, and leverage caching strategies effectively. Once you are satisfied with the performance, deploy your PWA to your preferred hosting service.

Conclusion

Building a PWA with Vue CLI is an efficient way to create high-performance web applications that provide a seamless user experience across devices. By following the steps outlined above, you can leverage the power of Vue.js to create a Progressive Web App that is fast, reliable, and engaging.

For further reading, consider

How to Build a PWA With Vue CLI