Push-technology

Push technology is a way of disseminating information (content) on the Internet when data comes from the supplier to the user based on the set parameters. The user, in turn, either rejects or accepts data.

A normal user can subscribe to various topics, information from the service provider, and each time a new update is generated on the server, this fresh data is delivered to the user's device. The opposite of push-technology is the Pull technology, where the request initiates the client software.

Push-technologies have gained popularity with the product PointCast, well known since the 1990s. PointCast network was engaged in delivery of news and data on the stock market, contained an aggregator with its own format, remotely resembling television, with text and pictures, instead of video.

The operating principle for modern OS

There are four components for push notifications:

• Server push-notifications (each modern OS has its own server, iOS has APNS, Android has FCM (Firebase Cloud Messaging), Windows 10 / Windows 10 Mobile has WNS).
• Application authorization server that sends notifications to the push notification server.
• A constantly running service in the operating system of the device communicating with the push notification server.
• An application that supports push notifications.

An app developer registers the server on the OS notification server in advance.

After the user allows the app to receive notifications, the application sends a unique ID and device number to the notification server and registers on this server. These two numbers form a unique identifier. This identifier is then sent from the notification server to the app owner server.

When the server of the app author has to send notifications to clients, it generates the message itself and a list (can consist of one) of unique identifiers and sends this data via a special API to the notification server. The notification server forwards these messages to clients. Customers have the right to both reject and accept the data.

• Notifications can contain various fields, such as: answer buttons, image, numeric value for app badge, sound and others.

Push notification is a part of tools for user-friendly environment. It’s widely used now in the mobile app development. If you are looking for some other terms to be added, please, contact our marketing team and we’ll set a new word explanation shortly.