PWA
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Progressive web app |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Technology & Computing, Government & Politics |
PWA has two meanings. It stands for Progressive web app (Internet & web) or Public Works Administration (public program).
Meanings of PWA at a glance
| # | PWA stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Progressive web app | Technology & Computing › Internet & Web |
| 2 | Public Works Administration | Government & Politics › Public Program |
1. Progressive web app
Technology & Computing · Internet & Web Abbreviations
A website built with modern browser features so it can be installed on a phone or desktop, open in its own window, work offline and send push notifications, much like a native app. A web app manifest and a service worker are the key ingredients.
Example: Starbucks' PWA lets customers browse the menu and build an order even with a weak signal.
The term was coined in 2015 by Google engineer Alex Russell and designer Frances Berriman. PWAs install without an app store and update like websites. Support varies by platform: Chrome and Edge offer the fullest features, while Apple added web push notifications for home-screen web apps in iOS 16.4 in 2023.
2. Public Works Administration
Government & Politics · Public Program Abbreviations
New Deal agency, active from 1933 to the early 1940s, that funded large public construction projects such as dams, bridges, tunnels, schools and hospitals through contracts with private firms, aiming to revive industry and employment.
Example: The Triborough Bridge in New York was one of the best-known PWA projects.
Directed by Interior Secretary Harold Ickes, it funded tens of thousands of projects, including the Grand Coulee Dam and the Lincoln Tunnel. Unlike the WPA, which hired unemployed workers directly for smaller projects, the PWA financed major projects built by private contractors. Its similar initials caused confusion even at the time.
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