Push Notifications

What Are Push Notifications?

Push notifications are messages sent to a user's device or browser even when the app or website is not currently open.

Push notifications are messages delivered from a server to a user's device without the user actively requesting them.

Unlike traditional web requests where a client repeatedly asks the server for updates, push systems allow the server to “push” information instantly to the device.

Examples:

• A chat app showing “New message”
• An e-commerce app showing “Your order shipped”
• A news website sending news alerts

They work on:

• Mobile apps (Android/iPhone)
• Desktop apps
• Web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari)
• Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

Why Push Notifications Matter

Push notifications solve one of the biggest problems in software systems:

How do you instantly notify users about important events?

Without push systems:

• Applications would need constant polling
• Server would face unnecessary load
• Users would recieve delayed updates
• Battery consumption would increase

Push systems provide:

• Real-time delivery
• Low battery usage
• Efficient networking
• High engagement rates

Modern apps rely heavily on push notifications because they:

• Increase user retention
• Improve engagement
• Enable real-time communication
• Support transactional updates
• Drive conversions

Types of Push Notifications

1 Mobile Push Notifications

Sent to Android or iOS applications:

Examples:

• WhatsApp messages
• Uber ride updates
• Banking alerts

Infrastructure:

• Android: Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)
• iPhone: Apple Push Notification Service (APNs)

2 Web Push Notifications

Sent through web browsers using browser push services.

Supported browsers:

• Chrome
• Firefox
• Edge
• Safari

Works even when:

• Website tab is closed
• Browser is minimized
• User is inactive

Requires:

• HTTPS
• Service workers
• Push subscription

3 Desktop Push Notifications

Native desktop applications can also recieve notifications through OS-level notification systems.

Examples:

• Slack desktop alerts
• Discord notifications
• Email notifications