For a long time, my workflow looked like this:
find a tool, install it, create an account, use it once or twice and forget about it.
Multiply that over months (or years), and you end up with a machine full of rarely used apps and a mental list of tools you think you need.
Lately, I’ve been rethinking that approach.
For a surprising number of use cases, web apps are now more than enough:
formatting JSON or debugging small payloads
quick image or PDF edits
running lightweight AI prompts
one-off developer utilities
The experience is often instant. No installs, no updates, no worrying about which device you’re on.
It’s not just convenience either. It’s a different mindset: less ownership, more access.
Even though web apps are everywhere, finding them is still messy.
Search engines tend to surface the same listicles and SEO-heavy pages. Social platforms help, but only if something goes viral. Otherwise, a lot of genuinely useful tools stay under the radar.
That’s been the main friction for me.
Instead of relying purely on search, I started using simple directories as starting points when I need a tool.
One I’ve been going back to is unstore.io. It’s essentially a collection of browser-based tools organized for quick discovery. Nothing overly complex, but it reduces the time spent digging through search results.
It does make me wonder if we’re moving toward a more structured way of discovering web apps.
Not necessarily an app store in the traditional sense, but something closer to:
fast, searchable indexes
lightweight curation
maybe even personalized recommendations over time
Because the tools already exist. The missing layer is how we find and reuse them efficiently.
Are you still installing most of your tools locally, or shifting more of your workflow into the browser?
And more importantly: how are you discovering new tools today?
No responses yet.