Currently, I have some concerns regarding the update process of the service worker used in my project. Within this project, there are two key files associated with the service worker:
The first file, "sw.js", is located in the root of the website and is intentionally set to NOT be cached (neither by Cache API nor the Web Browser).
This service worker primarily manages the cache for all static files as well as dynamic URL pages.
Occasionally, updates to the service worker are necessary and it's important for clients to promptly detect these changes.
The second file, "sw_main.js", serves as the script responsible for installing the service worker. This specific file is cached by the Cache API to ensure that the application functions properly offline.
Within this file, you can find:
var SW_VERSION = '1.2';
navigator.serviceWorker.register("sw.js?v=" + SW_VERSION, { scope: "/" }).then(....
An issue arises when attempting to update the service worker version within sw_main.js. Since this file is cached, any changes made to SW_VERSION may not reflect in all client instances, hindering the update process.
What would be the most effective approach to handle the service worker update process?
From what I understand, there are three main methods to trigger a service worker update:
- Utilizing push and sync events (though currently not implemented)
- Considering .register() only if the service worker URL has been altered (however, due to the caching of sw_main.js, changing the SW URL directly isn't feasible)
- Navigating to an in-scope page (yet facing similar challenges related to caching as mentioned in point 2)
Additionally, I came across this information: "Your service worker will be recognized as updated if it differs in bytes from the browser's existing one".
Consequently, does modifying the content within sw.js automatically prompt the service worker to acknowledge the update?
Thank you in advance for your assistance.