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I don’t know much about these kinds of apps, but when I visit your game page, I don’t see any way to actually add it to the homepage on my iPhone. Is this somet

by jb1991 2y ago

I don’t know much about these kinds of apps, but when I visit your game page, I don’t see any way to actually add it to the homepage on my iPhone. Is this something that iOS doesn’t allow, or is there another way to do it? The game looks pretty cool though :)

nefarious_ends 2y ago
In Safari hit the share button then scroll down and hit Add to Home Screen.
- palsecam 2y ago
  This. Safari (and Firefox) does not have https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/BeforeInstallPromptEvent https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/BeforeInsta... So you can’t have a custom button/way to prompt players to install. However, they can install a PWA manually, by themselves; there is the option somewhere in their browser menu.
  - jb1991 2y ago
    That’s interesting, thanks. I just did it successfully, I don’t think I’ve ever installed an app like this before. So I guess when I click it it’s just opening a browser window with no actual browser controls and then loading the site?
    - palsecam 2y ago
      Exactly. “it’s just opening a browser window with no actual browser controls”: yes, due to the `display` setting in the app manifest: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Manifest/display https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Manifest/displa... It’s similar to a `WebView` component: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebView https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebView
      - jb1991 2y ago
        Why do they use the words progressive web app, seems like a fancy term for just saving a link to your home screen. Is there some additional benefit you get besides this shortcut? Does it do things a webpage does not once it’s been added to your home screen?
        palsecam 2y ago
        It basically is nothing more than a glorified shortcut. The installed app gets a custom load screen. It gets listed on the device installed apps list, and can be removed from there. But there is nothing a PWA can do that a website can’t do. It’s all about Web APIs. Take push notifications (https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Progressive_web_apps/Tutorials/js13kGames/Re-engageable_Notifications_Push https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Progressive_web...): they make more sense for an (PW)app, but a simple website can do them too (if given permission). See MDN intro on PWA: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Progressive_web_apps https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Progressive_web..., or https://web.dev/learn/pwa/ https://web.dev/learn/pwa/ for more info.
  - goosejuice 2y ago
    Installing the app on iOS is a pain point for users. If you have a significant iOS user presence it's a concern. If Apple supported this API it would be much easier to convince stakeholders that PWA is enough. You can do browser detection and show a dismissible pop up with instructions but it will still just confuse some users and others with scoff at the need to do that.

by jb1991 2y ago

nefarious_ends 2y ago

In Safari hit the share button then scroll down and hit Add to Home Screen.

palsecam 2y ago
This. Safari (and Firefox) does not have https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/BeforeInstallPromptEvent https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/BeforeInsta... So you can’t have a custom button/way to prompt players to install. However, they can install a PWA manually, by themselves; there is the option somewhere in their browser menu.
- jb1991 2y ago
  That’s interesting, thanks. I just did it successfully, I don’t think I’ve ever installed an app like this before. So I guess when I click it it’s just opening a browser window with no actual browser controls and then loading the site?
  - palsecam 2y ago
    Exactly. “it’s just opening a browser window with no actual browser controls”: yes, due to the `display` setting in the app manifest: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Manifest/display https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Manifest/displa... It’s similar to a `WebView` component: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebView https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebView
    - jb1991 2y ago
      Why do they use the words progressive web app, seems like a fancy term for just saving a link to your home screen. Is there some additional benefit you get besides this shortcut? Does it do things a webpage does not once it’s been added to your home screen?
      - palsecam 2y ago
        It basically is nothing more than a glorified shortcut. The installed app gets a custom load screen. It gets listed on the device installed apps list, and can be removed from there. But there is nothing a PWA can do that a website can’t do. It’s all about Web APIs. Take push notifications (https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Progressive_web_apps/Tutorials/js13kGames/Re-engageable_Notifications_Push https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Progressive_web...): they make more sense for an (PW)app, but a simple website can do them too (if given permission). See MDN intro on PWA: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Progressive_web_apps https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Progressive_web..., or https://web.dev/learn/pwa/ https://web.dev/learn/pwa/ for more info.
- goosejuice 2y ago
  Installing the app on iOS is a pain point for users. If you have a significant iOS user presence it's a concern. If Apple supported this API it would be much easier to convince stakeholders that PWA is enough. You can do browser detection and show a dismissible pop up with instructions but it will still just confuse some users and others with scoff at the need to do that.