Agent Guardrails

Use these rules when an AI agent builds or reviews a PWA.

Never Skip

• Read the current browser/platform docs for the target browsers.
• State the offline promise before writing cache code.
• Keep app data in IndexedDB or another real data store, not service worker memory.
• Feature-detect optional capabilities.
• Provide foreground fallbacks for background work.
• Test installed behavior on the actual target browser/device.
• Record the exact wrapper, signing, and store policy assumptions before packaging.

Stop And Ask

Ask before implementing if the app needs:

• iOS push, background sync, or Add to Home Screen behavior as a critical requirement.
• Play Store, App Store, Microsoft Store, Samsung, or Huawei submission.
• Native APIs beyond ordinary Web Platform support.
• Long-running background tasks, alarms, SMS/calls, location tracking, Bluetooth-heavy flows, or regulated workflows.

Default Implementation Bias

Start with:

• one normal web app
• one manifest
• one simple service worker
• one IndexedDB schema
• one explicit mutation queue
• one Playwright offline smoke test
• one real-device install smoke test

Add Workbox, TWA, PWABuilder, push, background sync, and store packages only when the product needs them.