Push notification
A push notification is a message an app sends outside itself, shown as a banner or on the lock screen. It is brief, and Apple warns it should not be the only way to deliver critical information.
Why it matters
A notification interrupts. It earns that only when it carries something timely that the person cares about, and it can be seen by others, so what it shows matters.
Short looks appear only briefly, so the meaning has to be clear at a glance.
Push notification on iOS and Android
Also called Notification, Alert banner, Remote notification. The same idea in each system, with the values Appetite UI gives it.
| Value | iOS | Android | Appetite UI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Notifications: short look and long look | Notifications | Not drawn |
| Critical information | Deliver it in other ways too, not by a short look alone | Notifications documented in the Android guide (page not read for figures) | See below |
| Privacy | No sensitive information in the title | Same principle | See below |
In Appetite UI
The kit does not draw notifications. Screens show a notification button and a Notifications row in settings, and the system draws the banner.
Example
A delivery app sends Your order is 5 minutes away at the moment it matters, and the order screen holds the same status if the banner is missed.
Common mistakes
- Critical information only in a notification.
- Sensitive details in the title, visible on the lock screen.
- Notifications for marketing the person did not ask for.
- Asking for notification permission on first launch.
Questions
What is a short look?
The brief banner that tells people what the notification is about and which app sent it. It appears only briefly, so it must not be the only route for critical information.
When should an app ask to send notifications?
In context, when the person shows interest in the feature, like any permission request.
Sources
The pages the facts above rest on, each read October 30, 2026.