Microsoft introduces new features of Edge 105browser: can make PWA applications more like native applications

CTOnews.com, September 28 (Xinhua)-- in a new blog post today, Microsoft details a new feature in Edge 105browser that makes desktop Web applications feel more like native applications.

Comparison between native applications and Web applications

Microsoft first mentioned a new progressive web application (PWA) feature called window Control layout (Window Controls Overlay) in January 2020, which allows developers to create their own title bars instead of forcing them to use the default title bars. The company then started early implementation with the Chromium project in March 2021, which was adopted by the Chrome browser in version 102 released in May 2022. Now, with the release of the formal specification, this feature has become the default experience for Edge 105.

Comparison before and after using Window Controls Overlay

CTOnews.com learned that Amanda Baker of Microsoft's Edge team once said in the technical document: "this feature allows developers to build Web applications that make better use of screen space and allows them to design Web applications more like native applications. As devices become smaller and more portable, the title bar takes up a very large part of the screen space, leaving less space for users to interact with Web applications."

Developers can control the approximate height of the 30px in the title bar of the PWA application. Although the 30px sounds small, it will give the PWA application the autonomy to display custom titles, menu bars, navigation tags, and so on.

Microsoft stressed that this is suitable for different operating systems, including Windows, Mac and Linux. The following is a picture showing the high utilization of this 30px by different operating systems, and the yellow area in the following image will be controlled by PWA:

"We believe that PWA is the best choice for making desktop Web applications," Microsoft said. "turning your site into an app that really feels like a desktop has never been easier, and using Window Controls Overlay will help you create desktop apps that look more modern and more attractive to your users."

It is worth mentioning that Window Controls Overlay is already enabled by default in Edge 105, but this is not emphasized in the update logs for major or minor versions of this version.