A first look at the Web Install API

Chris Coyier Chris Coyier on

Bruce Lawson:

I was excited to see that the proposed new Web Install API has entered Origin Trial in Chromium. It kind of works in Chromium Canary, but is most complete in Microsoft Edge beta […] The reason I was excited is because I read the Web install API explainer when it was announced a few months ago:

The Web Install API provides a way to democratise and decentralise web application acquisition, by enabling “do-it-yourself” end users and developers to have control over the application discovery and distribution process. It provides the tools needed to allow a web site to install a web app.

Here’s a pretty straightforward explainer site. Basically still PWAs (Progressive Web Apps) except you can offer a button-click to install them. There just might be proper cross-browser interest, but it sounds like Safari will be the hardest to get on board. But to be fair, they have their own “Add to Dock” thing.

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