Problem / Motivation
Bulwark currently supports foreground mail notifications while the app is open, using the existing JMAP/EventSource state updates. This works well on desktop and mobile browsers as long as the tab or installed PWA is active.
However, when Bulwark is installed as an Android PWA and the app is closed or in the background, new mail does not trigger Android system notifications.
For users who want to use Bulwark as their primary mobile mail client, this is a major limitation compared with native mail apps.
Example flow:
- Install Bulwark as an Android PWA.
- Enable email notifications in settings.
- Close the PWA.
- Receive new mail.
- No Android system notification appears.
Proposed Solution
Add optional Web Push support for installed PWAs.
A possible implementation could include:
- VAPID key configuration for self-hosted deployments.
- A notification permission / subscription control in Settings -> Notifications.
- PushSubscription storage per user/account/browser.
- A service worker
push handler to display system notifications.
- A service worker
notificationclick handler to open or focus Bulwark.
- Server-side new-mail detection using JMAP state changes or a lightweight polling worker.
For privacy, the default push payload could be minimal, for example:
You have new mail
Sender, subject, and preview text could be omitted by default, or exposed as an explicit user/admin setting.
Alternatives Considered
Relying on the current foreground JMAP/EventSource notification behavior works only while Bulwark is open. It does not solve mobile PWA background notifications.
Using a native mail client is possible, but it reduces the usefulness of Bulwark as a full mobile webmail/PWA experience.
Feature Area
Notifications / PWA
Mockups / Examples
No response
Additional Context
Current behavior was observed with Bulwark installed as an Android PWA. The app installs successfully and normal foreground notifications/sounds work while the app is open, but no system notification is shown after the PWA is closed.
Problem / Motivation
Bulwark currently supports foreground mail notifications while the app is open, using the existing JMAP/EventSource state updates. This works well on desktop and mobile browsers as long as the tab or installed PWA is active.
However, when Bulwark is installed as an Android PWA and the app is closed or in the background, new mail does not trigger Android system notifications.
For users who want to use Bulwark as their primary mobile mail client, this is a major limitation compared with native mail apps.
Example flow:
Proposed Solution
Add optional Web Push support for installed PWAs.
A possible implementation could include:
pushhandler to display system notifications.notificationclickhandler to open or focus Bulwark.For privacy, the default push payload could be minimal, for example:
Sender, subject, and preview text could be omitted by default, or exposed as an explicit user/admin setting.
Alternatives Considered
Relying on the current foreground JMAP/EventSource notification behavior works only while Bulwark is open. It does not solve mobile PWA background notifications.
Using a native mail client is possible, but it reduces the usefulness of Bulwark as a full mobile webmail/PWA experience.
Feature Area
Notifications / PWA
Mockups / Examples
No response
Additional Context
Current behavior was observed with Bulwark installed as an Android PWA. The app installs successfully and normal foreground notifications/sounds work while the app is open, but no system notification is shown after the PWA is closed.