---
title: Web App Manifest
slug: Web/Manifest
tags:
  - App
  - Manifest
  - NeedsTranslation
  - Reference
  - TopicStub
  - Web
translation_of: Web/Manifest
---
<div>{{QuickLinksWithSubpages("/en-US/docs/Web/Manifest")}}</div>
<p>Web app manifests are part of a collection of web technologies called <a href="/en-US/docs/Web/Apps/Progressive">progressive web apps</a> (PWAs), which are websites that can be installed to a device’s homescreen without an app store. Unlike regular web apps with simple homescreen links or bookmarks, PWAs can be downloaded in advance and can work offline, as well as use regular web apps APIs to, for example receiving push notifications.</p>

<p>The web app manifest provides information about a web application in a <a href="/en-US/docs/Glossary/JSON">JSON</a> text file, necessary for the web app to be downloaded and be presented to the user similarly to a native app (e.g., be installed on the homescreen of a device, providing users with quicker access and a richer experience). PWA manifests include its name, author, icon(s), version, description, and list of all the necessary resources (among other things).</p>

<div class="hidden">
<p>Can PWA manifest contain comments?<br>
 It is a <a href="/en-US/docs/Glossary/JSON">JSON</a>-formatted file, with one exception: it is allowed to contain "<code>//</code>"-style comments.</p>
</div>

<h2 id="Members">Members</h2>

<p>Web manifests can contain the following keys. Click on each one to link through to more information about it:</p>

<p>{{ListSubpages("/en-US/docs/Web/Manifest")}}</p>

<h2 id="Example_manifest">Example manifest</h2>

<pre class="brush: json">{
  "name": "HackerWeb",
  "short_name": "HackerWeb",
  "start_url": ".",
  "display": "standalone",
<span class="pl-s"><span class="pl-pds">  "</span>background_color<span class="pl-pds">"</span></span>: <span class="pl-s"><span class="pl-pds">"</span>#fff<span class="pl-pds">"</span></span>,
  "description": "A simply readable Hacker News app.",
  "icons": [{
    "src": "images/touch/homescreen48.png",
    "sizes": "48x48",
    "type": "image/png"
  }, {
    "src": "images/touch/homescreen72.png",
    "sizes": "72x72",
    "type": "image/png"
  }, {
    "src": "images/touch/homescreen96.png",
    "sizes": "96x96",
    "type": "image/png"
  }, {
    "src": "images/touch/homescreen144.png",
    "sizes": "144x144",
    "type": "image/png"
  }, {
    "src": "images/touch/homescreen168.png",
    "sizes": "168x168",
    "type": "image/png"
  }, {
    "src": "images/touch/homescreen192.png",
    "sizes": "192x192",
    "type": "image/png"
  }],
  "related_applications": [{
    "platform": "play",
    "url": "https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cheeaun.hackerweb"
  }]
}</pre>

<h2 id="Deploying_a_manifest_with_the_link_tag" name="Deploying_a_manifest_with_the_link_tag">Deploying a manifest</h2>

<p>Web app manifests are deployed in your HTML pages using a {{HTMLElement("link")}} element in the {{HTMLElement("head")}} of a document:</p>

<pre class="brush: html">&lt;link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.webmanifest"&gt;</pre>

<div class="note">
<p><strong>Note</strong>: The <code>.webmanifest</code> extension is specified in the <a href="https://w3c.github.io/manifest/#media-type-registration">Media type registration</a> section of the specification (the response of the manifest file should return <code>Content-Type: application/manifest+json</code>). Browsers generally support manifests with other appropriate extensions like <code>.json</code> (<code>Content-Type: application/json</code>).</p>
</div>

<div class="note">
<p><strong>Note</strong>: If the manifest requires credentials to fetch - the <code><a href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/CORS_settings_attributes">crossorigin</a></code> attribute must be set to <code>"use-credentials"</code>, even if the manifest file is in the same orgin of the current page.</p>
</div>

<ul>
</ul>

<h2 id="Splash_screens">Splash screens</h2>

<p>In Chrome 47 and later, a splash screen is displayed for sites launched from a homescreen. This splashscreen is auto-generated from properties in the web app manifest, specifically:</p>

<ul>
 <li><code><a href="/docs/Web/Manifest/name">name</a></code></li>
 <li><code><a href="/docs/Web/Manifest/background_color">background_color</a></code></li>
 <li>The icon in the <code><a href="/docs/Web/Manifest/icons">icons</a></code> array that is closest to 128dpi for the device.</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="Mime_type">Mime type</h2>

<p>Manifests should be served using the <code>application/manifest+json</code> MIME type. However, it is optional to do so.  </p>

<h2 id="Specifications">Specifications</h2>

<table class="standard-table">
 <tbody>
  <tr>
   <th scope="col">Specification</th>
   <th scope="col">Status</th>
   <th scope="col">Comment</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td>{{SpecName('Manifest')}}</td>
   <td>{{Spec2('Manifest')}}</td>
   <td>Initial definition.</td>
  </tr>
 </tbody>
</table>

<h2 id="Browser_compatibility">Browser compatibility</h2>

<p>{{Compat("html.manifest")}}</p>