Push notifications are the single most powerful tool an app has for bringing customers back, and the single fastest way to get an app deleted. The same channel that can drive a weekly return visit can, misused, drive an uninstall. The difference is entirely in how it is used.
Notifications start with opt-in, and that permission is precious. Apps that ask for notification permission too early, before the user sees any value, often get denied and never get another chance. The better pattern is to earn the moment: ask when the user is doing something where notifications obviously help, so the yes is informed and willing.
Welcome notifications share traits. They are relevant to what the user actually cares about, timed to be useful rather than intrusive, and personalized where possible, an appointment reminder, an order update, a reward they earned, not a generic blast. Every notification should pass a simple test: would the user be glad to receive this? If not, it erodes trust and moves them toward the delete button.
The most common mistake is volume: too many notifications, sent because the business wants attention rather than because the user wants information. Restraint is the discipline that keeps the channel alive. Well-used, push turns an app into a habit; overused, it turns the app into a nuisance the user removes. We design notifications to be earned and welcome, because that is what keeps them working.
Ask when it helps, send only what they want.
This is general educational information about building software, not specific technical or business advice.