✓ Reviewed August 2026
Reference
Glossary & Appendix
Plain-English definitions for every technical term used across this guide.
API
A way for different software applications to communicate with each other.
API Key
A secret code that authenticates your app to use Google's AI services.
PWA
Progressive Web App — a web app that installs and behaves like a native mobile app.
manifest.json
A JSON file describing your PWA's properties — name, icons, colors, display mode.
Vite
A fast build tool and development server for modern web projects.
React
A JavaScript library for building user interfaces through components.
TypeScript
JavaScript with added type safety — catches bugs before they reach production.
Vercel
A cloud platform for deploying and hosting web apps with zero configuration, built by the creators of Next.js.
GitHub
Platform for hosting code and collaborating using the Git version control system.
Environment Variable
Secure config settings stored separately from code — used for API keys and secrets.
Standalone Mode
When a PWA opens without browser UI — looks and feels exactly like a native app.
Commit
A saved snapshot of your code changes with a descriptive message in Git.
Build Mode
Google AI Studio's agentic app-building interface — describe an app in plain language and Gemini generates, previews, and revises the working code.
Trusted Web Activity (TWA)
A way to wrap a PWA in a thin native Android shell so it can be published on the Google Play Store while still running as a web app.