Is it possible to make Progressive Web Apps from third party sites?

Question

Chrome has a feature that if you have a PWA you can actually bookmark it in your Windows Taskbar and are not cluttering your browser anymore with websites that you actually use like apps - like i.e. Whatsapp.

To create a PWA you only need a simple manifest file with a few JSON lines - really no effort. But a lot of sites haven't done this.

Is it possible to somehow "load" my own manifest.json for i.e. web.whatsapp.com so I can have the benefits of a PWA for sites that haven't implemented it?

Answer 1

You can install any site in chrome using Add a shortcut to a website as an app.

1. Open Chrome.
2. Navigate to the website you want to add as an app.
3. At the top right, click More.
4. Click More Tools.
5. Click Create shortcut.
6. Enter a name for the shortcut and click Create.

Answer 2

There are some changes in Chrome since the last answer. The new guide is next:

1. In Chrome click More in the top right

2. Navigate to Save and share

3. Click Install page as app...

4. You will get the shortcut in the desktop and will be able pin it to the taskbar

5. This app will be in the Installed apps list