1. Native offline screen
Default. When the device has no connection, WebViewGold shows a branded offline screen with a "Try again" button and reconnects automatically when the network returns. Zero work in your web app.
The three options
2. Smart cache
WebViewGold caches your web app's assets so repeat launches are fast and previously visited pages can show while the connection recovers. PWA caching via your service worker works alongside it within the limits of the system WebView.
3. Local HTML fallback
Ship a static build of your app (or a lightweight offline version) inside the app. WebViewGold loads the remote URL when online and the local folder when offline. Ideal for content apps, manuals, catalogs.
Which one for your builder
Lovable, Bolt, v0, Replit, Base44 apps with a backend: option 1 plus 2. Your app needs the server for data anyway; the offline screen handles the no-network case gracefully and the cache makes relaunches fast. Add friendly error states in the web app for requests that fail mid-session (the readiness prompt in each tool guide does this).
Static sites and content apps (Webflow, Framer, documentation, catalogs): option 3. Export the static build, drop it into the WebViewGold local folder, and the app works fully offline with the remote version as the always-fresh primary source.
In-app error states that reviewers like
- A retry button on failed data loads instead of an empty list.
- Cached last state (for example the last dashboard numbers) with a "last updated" note.
- Forms that keep their input when a request fails.
- No infinite spinners: time out after a few seconds and show the retry state.
Frequently asked questions
Will my app work fully offline?
Only with a local HTML folder (option 3) or a PWA designed for offline data. Apps that depend on a backend show the offline screen until the connection is back, which is what reviewers expect.
Do service workers work inside the app?
The system WebView supports standard caching mechanisms; WebViewGold's own cache and offline screen do not depend on them. For guaranteed offline behavior, use the local HTML fallback.
Is the offline screen customizable?
Yes: text, colors and the retry behavior are settings in the WebViewGold project.