At ConnectyCube, we’re always working to enhance real-time communication capabilities and provide developers with tools to create seamless user experiences. Today, we’re excited to announce a significant new feature: Web Push Notifications!
With this update, users will now receive notifications even when they are not actively on the website, as long as their browser is open. This means no more missed messages, calls, or important updates – your users stay informed in real time, enhancing engagement and responsiveness.
What are Push Notifications and why do they matter?
Push Notifications allow you to deliver important updates to users even when they are not actively using your Web app.
With Web Push Notifications, your app can:
✅ Keep users engaged – instantly notify them about new messages, missed calls, or other important updates.
✅ Improve retention – reduce churn by keeping your audience connected, even after they leave your site.
✅ Enhance user experience – deliver timely, relevant alerts without requiring users to check the app manually.
✅ Support multiple platforms – works on both desktop and mobile web browsers that support push notifications.
✅ Improve communication – perfect for chat apps, video calls, customer support, and more.
How it works
Web Push Notifications enable websites to send real-time notifications to users through their web browser – even if they have switched tabs or closed the site, as long as their browser is running.
Here’s the process:
1️⃣ When users visit the site for the first time, they’ll be prompted to enable notifications.
2️⃣ Once enabled, notifications will be sent directly through the browser, even if the user is on a different tab or app.
3️⃣ Clicking on a notification will instantly bring the user back to the site, allowing them to respond quickly.
Under the hood: the technical breakdown
- If the tab loses focus but the user is still online, we utilize chat and detect the inactive tab state. We then trigger a notification via the Notifications API.
- If all tabs are closed or the user goes offline, the chat server handles the push notification. Since the user is subscribed, the service worker processes the notification and displays it using the same Notifications API.
- Another user can trigger an event using ConnectyCube.pushnotifications.events.create(params) to send a push notification – for example, to notify about an incoming call.
Key steps to working with Web Push Notifications
1️⃣ Configuration
To start working with push notifications, you need to configure them:
- Generate VAPID keys using an npm package.
- Set the generated keys in the ConnectyCube dashboard.
2️⃣ Subscribe to Push Notifications
3️⃣ Send Push Notifications
You can manually trigger a push notification for users based on any event in your application. To do this:
- Form the push notification parameters (payload).
- Set the push recipients.
4️⃣ Receive Push Notifications
Notifications are received in the service worker and displayed using the Notification API.
5️⃣ Unsubscribe
To stop receiving push notifications:
- List your current subscriptions.
- Select and remove the ones you no longer need.
🔗 Our documentation provides a step-by-step guide to implementing push notifications easily.
🚀 Try it out today!
Web Push Notifications are now ready to enhance your app’s engagement, keeping users informed even when they’re not actively on your site.
🔗 Explore the Web Push Notification guide, implement it in your app, and see the difference!
If you’re not yet registered on ConnectyCube, you can sign up quickly and unlock the full potential of our platform.
We’d love to hear your feedback – let us know how this feature improves your user experience!
