Offline-First Mobile App

An Offline-First Mobile App is a mobile app that is designed to work without an active network connection.

• Context:
  • It can rely on Cached Data.
  • It can range from being a Offline-Reading Mobile App to being an Offline-Writing Mobile App.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Video Game Mobile App.
  • News Mobile App.
  • Cloud-Document Editor Mobile App.
  • Offline-First Mobile Health Research App (a mobile health research app).
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Online-Only App.
• See: Server-Driven UI App.

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References

2023

• chat
  • Q: Some mobile apps support offline mode (offline-first) and others assume a live network connection to operate. Describe these two types, and some in-between types of apps?
  • A: "Offline-first" apps are designed to work without an active network connection and rely on stored data or cached information. They often have functionalities like offline data entry, local storage, and data synchronization when an internet connection becomes available. ...

    ... For example, a hybrid app can display cached data when offline and retrieve updated data from the server when online.

2023

• chat
  • Q: Describe the architecture of apps that allow offline writes.
  • A: Apps that allow offline writes typically have an architecture that involves a combination of local storage and cloud synchronization. The basic components of this architecture include:
    • Local database: The app stores data locally on the user's device, usually in a database like SQLite or Realm. This database is used to store data when the device is offline.
    • Sync adapter: This component is responsible for managing the synchronization between the local database and the remote server. The sync adapter listens for changes to the local database and sends those changes to the server when a network connection is available.
    • Remote server: The remote server stores the master copy of the data and is used to synchronize data between multiple devices. The server may be a cloud-based service such as Amazon Web Services or Google Firebase, or it may be a custom server set up by the app's developer.
    • Network layer: The network layer is responsible for sending and receiving data between the device and the remote server. This layer implements the necessary protocols and encryption to ensure that data is transmitted securely and efficiently.
  • When the app is used in offline mode, changes made to the local database are recorded and held in a queue until a network connection is re-established. The sync adapter then processes the queue, sending the changes to the remote server and updating the local database with any changes from the server. This architecture ensures that data remains consistent across multiple devices and is protected against data loss in the event of a device failure.

2022

• Android Developers. (2022). “Create Offline-first Apps (video)." In: YouTube
  • QUOTE: No network? No problem! Learn how to build an offline-first app. This talk will cover modeling, data access semantics, synchronization, and conflict resolution. It will also highlight the utilities and data structures that are indispensable when building offline first apps.

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