What makes a PWA installable?

A browser shows an install prompt when the page is served over HTTPS, has a registered service worker, and links a manifest with at least name or short_name, a start_url, a display mode of standalone or fullscreen, and a 192px and a 512px icon.

What is the difference between name and short_name?

name is the full application name shown in the install dialog and splash screen, while short_name is the shorter label used under the home-screen icon where space is limited, typically twelve characters or fewer.

What does a maskable icon do?

A maskable icon has its important content inside a safe zone so the operating system can crop it into any shape, such as a circle, without clipping the logo. Mark such icons with purpose maskable so adaptive launchers use them.

Which display mode should I pick?

standalone hides the browser UI and feels like a native app, which most installable apps use. fullscreen also hides the status bar, minimal-ui keeps minimal navigation, and browser opens in a normal tab.

Is my data sent anywhere?

No. The manifest JSON is generated in your browser from the values you type. Nothing is uploaded, so you can build manifests for private or internal apps freely.

PWA manifest.json Builder

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A Web App Manifest is the JSON file that turns a website into an installable progressive web app, defining its name, icons, colours, and how it launches. This builder produces a valid manifest.json plus the exact HTML <link> tag and the icon sizes browsers require for installability.

How it works

The manifest is a flat JSON object the browser reads when you link it from your page’s <head>:

Identity fields — name, short_name, description — appear in the install dialog and on the splash screen.
Appearance fields — theme_color, background_color, display, orientation — control the launched window and splash.
Launch fields — start_url, scope — define where the app opens and which URLs it controls.
The icons array lists images with src, sizes, type, and optional purpose: "maskable"; a 192px and a 512px icon are the minimum for an install prompt.

Tips and notes

Always include both a 192×192 and a 512×512 PNG icon — they are the installability minimum.
Provide at least one maskable icon so adaptive Android launchers crop it cleanly.
Set start_url to a path like /?source=pwa to attribute launches in analytics.
The manifest alone does not make an app installable; you also need HTTPS and a registered service worker.