[APP][7.1+] Easy PWA: turn any website into app!

[sensboston]

What the app does: it revives a very convenient capability that was lost with recent changes — the ability to add a website to the Android Home screen as a PWA (Progressive Web App).
Every browser has an “Add to Home screen” option, and previously you could add a few lines to the page’s HTML and—like magic—the site behaved like an “app”: launching the shortcut opened a full-screen page without an address bar or menus, and pressing Back simply closed it, removing it from the app history. Super handy! I used it as configuration pages for my home ESP32/Arduino gadgets—no need to write control apps; everything just worked everywhere.


Sadly, the “smart folks” decided this was too easy and “extended” the PWA standard with mandatory manifests and lots of extras. The ironic (and painful) part: Chrome for Android would still open old shortcuts as before (backward compatibility), but creating new ones with the old method became impossible—it would just open a normal Chrome tab.

Easy PWA restores the classic behavior. On top of that, you can now add any site as a PWA! If it lacks the “old-style” PWA headers, you can pick an icon manually.
I also added a feature I personally missed a lot: you can back up and restore all your shortcuts to Google Drive (in the app’s settings).

App is free but has a "premium" feature, to provide an ability to add to Home more than one shortcut.
However, for Android Central forum members, I've created 50 free promo codes (under the spoiler). My only request is that you show your loyalty, rate the app 5 stars, and leave a good review! Although this is my first Android app, I've previously created many useful and free Windows Phone apps for the local community (you may check my profile). Also, don't forget to check out (and "star")

Play Store link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.senssoft.easypwa&hl=en_US

Spoiler: Promo codes for FREE "Premium" feature

9D8RE6YST2YFDPJRMV0EDYX

LDT7T8JK08Z4MUV01ES2T04

JU72HRYXR915JZW5Q7KYBBW

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[B. Diddy]

FYI, I added the Play Store link for your app.

Make sure to review the App Developer guidelines for this forum, thanks: App and Developer Forum Rules & Guidelines - Android Forums at AndroidCentral.com

 

[sensboston]

Thanks a lot! I believe (or at least I tried) I already followed guidelines. The only one thing I wanna add to my post, it's a link to my GitHub repos: they all are open source and under MIT license (i.e. anyone can use for any kind of purpose without any restriction). I still can't post a direct link, but a small tip: use my nickname, sensboston, to get free access to all my repos!

@B. Diddy , could you please change in my OP "xda-dev" to "androidcentral" please? And "yes", I've used copy&paste, it's should be understandable

P.S. It's kinda funny but I even can't reply you with the quote of your post! I think you guys have gone a little overboard with the spam protection

 

[Del1701]

Thanks op I've just downloaded it to try, I also used a promo code

 

[spARTacus]

Not sure I understand. When browsing to pretty much any site using Chrome for example, it seems to still have an ability to install a site as a PWA to the homescreen, and then the result being the abbreviated browser view to the site with no tabs and address bar and such. And, Chrome also seems to still have the ability to create shortcuts to sites on the homescreen, or for adding sites as bookmarks. So is this app a helper app per say, for the case when a site owner has not specifically included the newer PWA aspects in their html and the user doesn't want the plain ole shortcut on their homescreen/bookmarks?

 

[sensboston]

Not sure I understand. When browsing to pretty much any site using Chrome for example, it seems to still have an ability to install a site as a PWA to the homescreen, and then the result being the abbreviated browser view to the site with no tabs and address bar and such. And, Chrome also seems to still have the ability to create shortcuts to sites on the homescreen, or for adding sites as bookmarks. So is this app a helper app per say, for the case when a site owner has not specifically included the newer PWA aspects in their html and the user doesn't want the plain ole shortcut on their homescreen/bookmarks?

Not sure I understand you, sorry! Are you talking about very old Chrome? If "yes", this is correct: to get your site displayed as PWA (like an app), you just need to add a few lines to the HTML <head>, like

Spoiler

<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="black-translucent">
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="Fireplace">
<meta name="theme-color" content="#e74c3c">
<link rel="icon" href="<removed, this site doesn't allow me to post a links :( >">
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="<removed, this site doesn't allow me to post a links :( >" type="image/x-icon">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="<removed, this site doesn't allow me to post a links :( >">

Now Google changed requirements and if you wanna to get your site or settings/landing pages (like my ESP32-based gadgets) to looks as an "app", you need to comply with many mandatory requirements like https, manifest etc. & so on.

I created a few screenshots:
- two shortcuts, one created by "Easy PWA", another by Chrome
- Chrome shortcut doesn't looks like an app: address bar, menu etc, pressing "Back" button doesn't remove it from the list of recently opened app, and if you start Chrome by tapping icon, you'll see this page.
- "Easy PWA" restored "good old behavior"; also you can add as "PWA" any site/page even it's not prepared.

 

[spARTacus]

Not sure I understand you, sorry! Are you talking about very old Chrome? If "yes"...

No, I'm talking about current Chrome. And, yes I understand the difference between when a site opens/displays as a PWA in a browser vs just as a plain ole site from a shortcut or a bookmark.

I think I now better understand your scenario/suggestions, whereby folks could use your app as a workaround to having to modify their html code to conform with current PWA constructs, to get to use their sites in their own local scope context as PWAs (and perhaps also for other sites off the internet where a site owner doesn't want to modify their html code to conform with the PWA constructs).

 

[sensboston]

@spARTacus , sure, exactly! So, just grab and redeem your free promo code, even you don't need this app now - maybe one day you'll need it And if you don't mind, please leave a good review: I tried to make this app lightweight, simple and intuitive. Thank you!

 

[sensboston]

Pushing up this thread (sorry!). I also wanna post my pretty helpful mods for Wikipedia, and admin said I'm one post away from ability to post links here (otherwise forum software not allowed me to post a links). Will see how it goes...

 

[sensboston]

Pushing up, sorry! BTW it's really useful app, I'm using it every day (for the home gadgets)

 

[sensboston]

I wanna post another freebies, additional 100 FREE promo codes for premium feature:

Spoiler: 100 PREMIUM FREE codes:

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