PWA vs the others: A comparative study on the UI energy-efficiency of progressive web apps

Repository content

• apks: Compiled and signed apks for testing on device
• apps: Source code of the apps under test and instrumentation
  • instrumentation: UIAutomator Android app
  • contactapp-native: Android native implementation of app
  • contactapp-react-native: React native implementation of app
  • contactapp-stencil: Stencil/Ionic/Capacitor implementation of app
  • contactapp-flutter: Flutter implementation of app
• data: raw data measured with batterystats
• figures: generated figures for paper
• helper: python helper functions, e.g. for using adb or batterystats
• Analysis.ipynb: Notebook with statistical analysis and generation of figures
• prepare.py: Setup script for preparing a connected device
• start_battery_test.py: Script to start the complete battery test on a connected device
• start_single_battery_test.py Script to start a single app battery test on a connected device

Setup

• The project is using Python 3
• Inside the project folder python -m venv venv or virtualenv venv creates a virtual environment
• ./venv/Scripts/activate activates the virtual environment (Windows 10)
• Install all project dependencies with pip install -r requirements.txt within an active virtual environment

Battery tests

Connect adb via Wi-Fi

• connect mobile device via USB cable to computer
• get IP-address form mobile device: adb shell ip address and search for wlan0
• enable port 7777 for tcp/ip connection mode adb tcpip 7777 on mobile device
• connect to mobile device via Wi-Fi: adb connect "IP-ADDRESS":7777
• unplug USB cable from mobile device

Prepare device for testing

Apps

The latest release of the apps under test and the instrumentations are compiled and signed in the folder apk. To install all apps inside the apk folder run the prepare.py script. This requires an adb connected device.

> python prepare.py

In order to test the apps, test entries must be created inside the app.

PWA

The PWA is deployed here and must be installed with Chrome and Firefox on the respective device.

Start battery test

Run all tests

This requires that the device is connected via Wi-Fi and the IP-ADDRESS is known. See Connect adb via Wi-Fi above for connecting to device.

> python start_battery_test.py -i IP-ADDRESS

Results

Inside an active virtual environment the notebook can be run with jupyter notebook. Inside Jupyter open the Analysis.ipynb notebook.

Energy consumption (Joules) results of different UI interaction scenarios

Heatmap of the calculated Cliff’s delta effect sizes