Chrome has recently (well at least in 2017)
implemented window.onappinstalled
event.
It is triggered when a user installs a progressive web app either via the Add to
Homescreen API (the prompt() function on the event delivered via the
onbeforeinstallprompt event) or now more importantly via the manual method
of Add to Homescreen.
This is a very useful addition because it allows you to see engagement on the prompt vs people who use the system banners or menu buttons to install a progressive web app.
I've added it to Airhorner so you can see it in action
if DevTools is attached. The code is below that manages onbeforeinstallprompt
and onappinstalled - in this case I use onbeforeinstallprompt to defer the
install prompt to a custom button, and onappinstalled to clean up the UI and
do some basic analytics.
const Installer = function(root) {
let promptEvent;
const install = function(e) {
if(promptEvent) {
promptEvent.prompt();
promptEvent.userChoice
.then(function(choiceResult) {
// The user actioned the prompt (good or bad).
// good is handled in
promptEvent = null;
ga('send', 'event', 'install', choiceResult);
root.classList.remove('available');
})
.catch(function(installError) {
// Boo. update the UI.
promptEvent = null;
ga('send', 'event', 'install', 'errored');
root.classList.remove('available');
});
}
};
const installed = function(e) {
promptEvent = null;
// This fires after onbeforinstallprompt OR after manual add to homescreen.
ga('send', 'event', 'install', 'installed');
root.classList.remove('available');
};
const beforeinstallprompt = function(e) {
promptEvent = e;
promptEvent.preventDefault();
ga('send', 'event', 'install', 'available');
root.classList.add('available');
return false;
};
window.addEventListener('beforeinstallprompt', beforeinstallprompt);
window.addEventListener('appinstalled', installed);
root.addEventListener('click', install.bind(this));
root.addEventListener('touchend', install.bind(this));
};
I lead the Chrome Developer Relations team at Google.
We want people to have the best experience possible on the web without having to install a native app or produce content in a walled garden.
Our team tries to make it easier for developers to build on the web by supporting every Chrome release, creating great content to support developers on web.dev, contributing to MDN, helping to improve browser compatibility, and some of the best developer tools like Lighthouse, Workbox, Squoosh to name just a few.
I love to learn about what you are building, and how I can help with Chrome or Web development in general, so if you want to chat with me directly, please feel free to book a consultation.
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