For real-time notifications, we now have another alternative to websockets and third-party services like Amazon SNS and Urban Airship to name a few. By combining the Notification and Push APIs with Service Workers, you can send users OS-level notifications, or even send data to your web app. With browser support steadily improving, push notifications are becoming an effective way to re-engage users, even when the webpage is closed.
Bluecadet started using push notifications to support real-time updates to web apps while eliminating third party systems. On a recent project for the Mann Center, Bluecadet created a digital signage application for their venue and used Web Push to display alert messages sent from the Drupal CMS.
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