Future trends: CLS in progressive web apps and evolving web standards

Future trends in Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) within Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and evolving web standards focus on improving user experience by minimizing unexpected layout shifts, which are a key metric in web performance and Core Web Vitals.

CLS in PWAs is becoming increasingly important as PWAs aim to deliver native-app-like smoothness and responsiveness. Since PWAs dynamically load content and adapt to various devices and network conditions, managing CLS involves:

• Optimizing resource loading to reserve space for images, ads, and dynamic content to prevent layout shifts.
• Using modern CSS techniques like aspect-ratio properties and container queries to stabilize layouts before content loads.
• Leveraging browser APIs and frameworks that detect and mitigate layout shifts during runtime.

As web standards evolve, there is a stronger emphasis on performance metrics like CLS to ensure seamless user experiences across all devices. This includes:

• Enhanced browser support for layout stability features, enabling developers to better control rendering behavior.
• Integration of CLS monitoring tools directly into development workflows and performance dashboards.
• Adoption of new web platform APIs that allow finer control over layout and rendering, such as Intersection Observer and Resize Observer.

In the context of PWAs, these improvements align with their core advantages: fast loading, offline capabilities, and smooth interactions without the need for app store installations.

Additionally, broader web development trends in 2025 that impact CLS and PWAs include:

• AI and machine learning integration to predict and pre-load content, reducing layout shifts caused by late-loading elements.
• 5G and improved network speeds enabling faster content delivery, which helps reduce CLS by minimizing delays in resource loading.
• User-centric and accessibility-focused design encouraging developers to prioritize stable layouts for better usability and inclusivity.

Overall, the future of CLS in PWAs is tied to ongoing advancements in web standards, performance optimization techniques, and the growing adoption of PWAs as a mainstream app development approach. These trends collectively aim to deliver smoother, more reliable web experiences that rival native apps in responsiveness and visual stability.