<p dir="ltr">This is why people get frustrated with the Web. App cache works fine for what it's intended to do. Why take it out of the spec because you can't solve ask of the world's problems with it? </p>
<p dir="ltr">Unfortunately it seems like Cordova or a native app are the better approach now, thanks to the perfectionists at the working groups. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Or use app cache and start a public campaign to keep it supported. <br>
Because service workers are way too complicated. </p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Apr 5, 2016 6:49 AM, "Smylers" <<a href="mailto:Smylers@stripey.com">Smylers@stripey.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi. We want to create a web app that can collect data on a tablet<br>
without a network connection, then upload to the server later. Which<br>
technology should we use for the ‘works offline’ part?<br>
<br>
I see app cache is now being dropped, and using it is “highly<br>
discouraged” by MDN:<br>
<a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Using_the_application_cache" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Using_the_application_cache</a><br>
<br>
MDN recommends service workers instead, but I see they aren't<br>
implemented in WebKit yet, meaning our web app wouldn't work on IPads:<br>
<a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Service_Worker_API/Using_Service_Workers#Browser_compatibility" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Service_Worker_API/Using_Service_Workers#Browser_compatibility</a><br>
<br>
Looking back at app cache, it appears to be supported in all browsers<br>
(though now warns in Firefox).<br>
<br>
For an app we're writing right now, technology that's already widely<br>
implemented in browsers sounds superior (whatever its inherent limits<br>
and flaws) to one that may be technical better but doesn't work on one<br>
of the most common brands of tablets. But obviously that MDN advice is<br>
there for a reason, and I don't want to arrogantly dismiss it without<br>
understanding the situation better.<br>
<br>
Any wisdom on what we should choose gratefully received.<br>
<br>
Thanks.<br>
<br>
Smylers<br>
--<br>
<a href="http://twitter.com/Smylers2" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/Smylers2</a><br>
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