Engineers, surveyors and delivery teams don't always have a signal. Offline-first design keeps an app useful when the network isn't.
If your staff work in cellars, car parks, fields or the back of a van, an app that needs a perfect signal will be abandoned for pen and paper. Offline-first design assumes the connection is unreliable and builds around that.
The app keeps the data a person needs on the device and saves changes locally first. When a connection returns, it syncs in the background. The user shouldn't have to think about it beyond a small indicator saying what's saved and what's waiting.
Not everything needs to. Viewing today's jobs, filling in a form, taking photos and capturing a signature are typical must-haves. Searching the whole company database probably isn't. Be selective; every offline feature adds build and testing effort.
What if two people edit the same job while offline? Agree rules up front: last change wins, or flag it for review. Surprises here cause the most support headaches.
Both can work offline. A well-built progressive web app is often enough for forms and lists, while heavy device features or large offline data may point towards native. Test on the actual devices and real poor connections, not just office wifi.
We build apps that keep working when the signal doesn't.
Start a conversation →Usually yes, since it adds sync logic and more testing. It's worth it if your users really do lose signal.
It can be protected with device security and encryption. Decide what's stored locally based on how sensitive it is.
