I'm considering building a web application that operates offline first, without going the native app route. My plan is to use Golang along with Fyne and compile it to WebAssembly (Wasm). However, I'm a bit lost on how to handle asynchronous data synchronization when the app is offline. What would be the best approach to implement an offline-first web app with that functionality?
4 Answers
Absolutely, it's doable! You can utilize IndexedDB for offline storage and maintain a local queue for any changes. When the app reconnects to the internet, you can sync those changes with your backend asynchronously. Don't forget to set up a conflict resolution strategy to manage any issues that might arise.
Data consistency can be tricky. At Fyne Labs, we developed a CRDT-based solution that integrates seamlessly with the Fyne storage system. Just a heads up though, you'll need to think about how users will access the web app when they're offline.
Good question! If they're offline, how would they even download a native app? It's a tricky situation for web apps too.
You should definitely consider using a service worker along with the Cache API. In my project, we set the app to instruct the service worker to download and cache the necessary dependencies. Once that's done, the service worker sends a message to the UI letting it know that the app is now available offline. While you might not need a service worker for everything, it's worth exploring for a solid foundation.
I've previously worked with CouchDB and PouchDB, which are great for this kind of task. They sync automatically and offer various conflict resolution options, making it easier to manage your offline-first application.
Awesome! I'll check that out, thanks!