Push notifications
Also: mobile push, APNs and FCM
What is Push notifications?
Push notifications are messages a server sends to a user's device through Apple's APNs or Google's FCM, appearing outside the app, used for time-sensitive updates and re-engagement when permission is granted.
What Push notifications means
A push notification travels from your backend through a platform service (APNs for iOS, FCM for Android and web) to a device token registered by the app. The device shows it even when the app is closed. Notifications can be visible messages, silent data pushes that wake the app to sync, or both. Rich notifications carry images and actions; deep links take the user straight to the relevant screen rather than the home page.
The engineering that matters is token management (devices change, users log out, tokens expire), a notification service that handles templating, localisation, rate limits and quiet hours, and delivery tracking so you know what was sent, delivered and opened. On the product side, the discipline is permission timing and relevance: iOS asks the user once, and a notification that is not useful trains the user to disable everything.
Push is one channel among several. Transactional messages in India often go through WhatsApp or SMS as well, and in-app messages reach users who are already active. Push is not a substitute for a reliable data sync, and it is not a marketing channel to be used at will.
Who it really matters to
- Product manager: opt-in rate and opt-out rate are the constraints; ask for permission in context and send only what users value.
- CTO / Head of Engineering: token lifecycle, silent pushes and deep links are where notification systems break quietly.
- Operations head: order, delivery and appointment updates by push reduce inbound calls when they arrive on time.
- Compliance officer: notifications can surface personal or health information on a lock screen, so content and consent need rules.
Why it exists
Push notifications exist because users do not keep apps open, and some information matters immediately: a delivery is arriving, a payment failed, a shift changed. Push reaches them in seconds at almost no cost. The trade-off is attention: every irrelevant notification spends trust, and once a user turns them off the channel is gone for good. Systems therefore need preference controls, quiet hours and relevance rules, and product teams need the restraint to treat push as a service to the user rather than a growth lever.
Where it is applied
- A logistics app notifying customers that a driver is five minutes away with a deep link to live tracking.
- A FinTech app sending transaction alerts and payment failure notices with actions to retry.
- A hospital app reminding patients of appointments with an option to reschedule in one tap.
- A learning app nudging learners about a due assignment based on their own study schedule.
- A field service app using silent pushes to trigger background sync of new jobs.
Is Push notifications a skill?
Technique / practiceA capability built on platform services (APNs, FCM) and a notification backend, with product rules on top. Eazyware builds notification services, preference centres and deep-link handling under the React Native mobile service.
Eazyware service that covers it: React Native Mobile Application Development. Starting prices are on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
When should an app ask for notification permission?
After the user has done something that makes notifications obviously useful, such as placing an order or booking an appointment, and with a short explanation of what they will receive. Asking on first launch produces the lowest opt-in rates.
How do we stop users turning notifications off?
Send fewer, better ones. Give users a preference centre with categories, respect quiet hours, personalise timing, and measure opens and opt-outs per notification type so that low-value messages are cut before they cost you the channel.