YouTube is now a PWA, but don't get too excited yet

YouTube is now a progressive web app (PWA), making it easier to "install" on your computer. The change was first spotted by 9to5Google and is a minor improvement to the YouTube experience within a browser. At this time, the change to a PWA doesn't include whatever meaningful features, apart from the ability to "install" YouTube with the click of a button. While there aren't many meaningful features that come with the swap, there are other benefits of switching to a PWA.

While the swap to a PWA doesn't bring whatever new meaningful features at this time, that doesn't mean at that place won't be additions to YouTube in the future. PWAs back up features such every bit downloading content, which could come at a later appointment.

Chrome Unboxed highlights that Google wants developers to take offline support for PWAs. In fact, the company states that in the future PWAs without a "basic offline experience" won't show the install prompt within Chrome that nosotros at present see for the YouTube PWA:

We encourage web developers to make offline supported PWA.

We plan to raise the bar of the offline adequacy check. PWAs that don't provide at least a bones offline feel, will non show the install prompts.

It's unclear if these plans and the fact that YouTube shows an install prompt mean annihilation related to offline support. At this fourth dimension, there'southward no back up for downloading content through the PWA.

PWAs are also one of the key ways that the web is moving forward. They're first-course citizens on the upcoming Windows 10X and are increasingly popular amongst developers and companies due to their ability to work well across platforms and form factors.

If you're using Google Chrome, yous'll at present run into a plus icon within a circle in the browser'south Omnibox. Clicking that icon will "install" the app on your computer. If you're using the new Microsoft Edge, you'll run into a like experience within the address bar.

As a quick note, you tin "install" whatever website that you'd like onto a computer. For example, you can Install Disney+ equally a Windows 10 app if you'd like.

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Microsoft Edge

A worthy browser.

The new Microsoft Border runs on Chromium, supports popular extensions, and regularly gets new features from Microsoft. The Canary version of Edge gets new features to test and try out regularly every bit well.

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