New Feature: We has an app! Sort of.

[Mendalla]

As of version 2.2, Xenforo now enables what is called a Progressive Web App (or PWA for those like me who have repetitive strain injuries from too much typing ). A PWA looks and works kind of like a "real" app, but is actually just using your browser in a special mode so it looks like you're running an app rather than opening a page in a browser.

A PWA can pop up notifications like a real app (you have to enable push notifications, though) and also have a badge on it when you have new conversations or alerts waiting, just like a real app.

Now comes the "gotcha": Apple does not support the technologies needed to run a PWA (or push notifications, for that matter). So, to use the PWA, you need to be on an Android or Windows device. You also need a modern browser such as Chrome or Edge. No IE allowed.

So, assuming you meet those conditions, how do you get the PWA:

On a phone (Android, remember), tap the "hamburger menu" in the top left corner and scroll down. Near the bottom, you should see an option to "Install the app". Just tap that option and everything is automatic after that.

On a desktop (Windows, remember), it depends on your browser. For Edge and Chrome, click the browser menu (vertical three dots in the upper right corner of the browser) and there should an option to "Install Wondercafe2" Click it and you're off.

I am having issues installing it on my Android tablet but it should work similar to one of the above depending on the size and screen resolution of the tablet. My problem may be age (of my tablet, not me). I use my wife's old tablet and it is stuck on an older version of Android.

Footnote: Yes, my wife gets the shiny new tab and I get the old clunker. Call me nice or maybe call me a sucker for a pretty face. Take your pick.

 

[Mendalla]

Notes on using the PWA in Windows:

In Windows 10 with Chrome as your browser, the icon will be created on the start menu in a folder called "Chrome Apps"

You can pin the PWA to Start or taskbar, just like any other app. You can also put it on your desktop.

If you run it in a window (as in my snip below), it behaves like it does on mobile, meaning you use the hamburger menu in the top left to access what is normally on tabs at the top. In full screen, though, it will behave like it does in a desktop browser, with the tabs across the top.

It looks rather like this on Windows:



Note the lack of tabs, an address bar, etc. To all appearances, it is like you are running an app called "WC2" even though it is actually a page in a web browser.

 

[Mendalla]

And now, a final note:

I am probably NOT going to use this much myself. It is nice if all you do is read and post in Wondercafe2. However, when you regularly switch sites, have multiple sites open at once, or maybe like to pop up another tab to quickly research something, the app is a bit lame compared to a browser. I have had two other Xenforo boards installed as PWAs on my 'droid for a while now and mostly still use the browser to access them for this reason. Having the notifications is nice, though.

 

[Mendalla]

Is anyone else using this?

It is worth a try, especially you access Wondercafe2 on a phone or tab a lot. I am now using it on my phone and tablet. Still prefer browser on my PC so I can have other tabs open, though.

I note that the installer tends to move around depending on your device, so a few notes:

On small screens, primarily phones, the installer should be on the menu that comes down when you tap the the three horizontal lines in the top left, (we IT geeks call this the "hamburger" menu). Scroll to the very end of that menu and there should see "Install app" with an orange Install button beside it. Tap that button and the rest is automatic.

On midsize screens, like my Asus 9" tablet, and desktop screens, migrates to the actual browser menu ( in the top right corner). Look for the option to "Install Wondercafe2" on the menu. Again, tap or click the menu option and the rest is automatic.

Once you install it on a phone or tablet, you'll have an icon of the coffee cup part of our logo on your desktop that you can tap to open the app. If you turn on Push notifications (it should prompt you to do so), then a badge will appear on the icon when there are alerts or conversations waiting and your phone should give notifications for them as well.

For PCs, see my post above about where to find it in WIndows.

Finally, a reminder that this does NOT work on Apple devices due to Apple not supporting some of the standards involved. It does work on Android and Windows using either Chrome or Edge as your browser (or related browsers like Brave). Might work on Linux running Chromium, too, but I don't think anyone here is running Linux and I have not tested it.

 

[Pinga]

Running on my phone now. Seems to work well

 

[KayTheCurler]

Non techie alert. So - I turn on my phone and Google WC2 and then follow your instructions?

 

[Mendalla]

Yep. That should work.

 

[Mendalla]

UPDATE:

I have noticed that in Microsoft Edge, there is now an icon at the right-hand end of the address bar you can click to install sites with a PWA. It looks like this: .

Need to check Chrome since I'm not sure if this is specific to Edge or something in the open source code that underlies both Chrome and Edge.

 

[Redbaron]

On Google Chrome (at least on mine) in the address bar is an icon, looks like a computer screen with a down arrow. I believe that serves the same function.

 

[Mendalla]

On Google Chrome (at least on mine) in the address bar is an icon, looks like a computer screen with a down arrow. I believe that serves the same function.

Per this post of Red's, the icon to download the PWA in Chrome is

 

[Mendalla]

FYI, the PWA and push notifications are now finally available on Apple devices with the upgrade I did last Saturday, provided you have version 16.4 or higher of the iOS operating system. I can't test since I don't use Apple (indeed, I am not much of a fan of them) but if anyone is interested, I can scoop details from Xenforo Community.