How to Build a PWA With Vue Router and Service Workers

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) offer a way to provide a native-like experience on the web, combining the best of both web and mobile apps. By leveraging the power of Vue.js along with Vue Router and service workers, developers can build reliable and engaging PWAs. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to create a PWA using these technologies.

What is a PWA?

A Progressive Web App is a web application that uses modern web capabilities to deliver an app-like experience. These apps are designed to work on any device and offer features such as offline capabilities, push notifications, and fast loading times.

Prerequisites

Before you begin building your PWA with Vue.js, ensure you have:

Node.js and npm installed on your machine.
Basic understanding of Vue.js.
A code editor, such as Visual Studio Code.

Setting Up Your Vue Project

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

vue create my-pwa

During the setup, select features like Vue Router and Vuex if needed. Once your project is created, navigate into the project directory:

cd my-pwa

Adding Service Workers

To make your web app a PWA, you'll need to add service workers. Vue CLI provides a built-in plugin that simplifies this process.

Install the PWA plugin:

vue add pwa

This command configures your project to support PWA features. It adds a manifest file (`manifest.json`) in the `public` directory and registers the service worker in your project.

Configuring the Manifest File

The manifest file defines the appearance and behavior of your PWA when installed on a device. Open `manifest.json` and customize properties such as:

name: Your app's name.
short_name: Shorter version of the name.
start_url: The URL the app should open.
display: Set this to "standalone" for a full-screen app experience.
icons: Icons for different device sizes.

Implementing Vue Router

The Vue Router allows you to create a single-page application (SPA) experience. In `src/router/index.js`, you can define routes for your application:


import Vue from 'vue';
import Router from 'vue-router';
import Home from '@/views/Home.vue';
import About from '@/views/About.vue';
Vue.use(Router);
export default new Router({
  mode: 'history',
  routes: [
    {
      path: '/',
      name: 'Home',
      component: Home,
    },
    {
      path: '/about',
      name: 'About',
      component: About,
    }
  ],
});

This example includes two routes: Home and About. You can add more routes as needed for your application.

Registering the Service Worker

The service worker is registered in the `src/main.js` file. The default setup provided by the Vue PWA plugin handles this, but make sure it properly registers:


import Vue from 'vue';
import App from './App.vue';
import router from './router';
import './registerServiceWorker';
Vue.config.productionTip = false;
new Vue({
  router,
  render: (h) => h(App),
}).$mount('#app');

With the above setup, the service worker will automatically control your PWA and provide caching capabilities.

Testing Your PWA

After implementing all the configurations, it's time to test your PWA. Run your application using:

npm run serve

Open your browser and navigate to the address provided in the terminal. Use Chrome's Developer Tools (F12) and check the "Application" tab to see if your PWA is correctly configured with a service worker and manifest.

Adding Offline Support

To ensure your PWA functions offline, modify the service worker’s `src/registerServiceWorker.js` file to

How to Build a PWA With Vue Router and Service Workers