The rise of app stores over the past decade made the discovery and installation process more convenient than ever before, whether you were looking at mobile or desktop apps. Search, install, update: this seems pretty standard to us now. 

But this model is outdated, especially considering the nature of modern web applications. 

Mismatch between app stores and the Web 

Native app stores have been built with native applications in mind: 

• Installed on the device 

• Platform-specific (iOS, Android, Windows) 

• Available in controlled environments

 

However, web applications operate according to an entirely different principle: 

• They run within the browser 

• They can be accessed immediately by using a URL 

• They aren’t installed in the classical sense

 

Nevertheless, in most cases, we attempt to include web applications in the same discovery funnel as native applications, or even just stick to using Google search, blogs, and recommendations. 

Discovery is still broken 

Think about it for a moment. How inefficient is the current system for discovering helpful web apps? It seems like most people use: 

• Web searches (optimized for SEO and not quality) 

• Blog posts (usually out-of-date) 

• Threads on Reddit or other social sites (difficult to follow over time)

  

It all works fine, but the system just isn’t cohesive. Currently, there is no central location that effectively catalogs web-only applications in a searchable fashion. 

In essence, while the web is wide open, discovery remains disorganized. 

App stores solve one problem…but cause another 

The old-fashioned app stores help with discoverability, yet they have their own drawbacks in terms of costs, barriers, and algorithmic discrimination. 

This might have made sense for native apps that are hard to distribute, but for web apps, distribution is not an issue: you simply send a link. 

It does not make sense anymore. 

The rise of no-install software  

Now more applications that: 

• Launch immediately 

• Automatically update themselves 

• Are cross-platform

 

It’s what the web does best. However, while the technology has advanced, our ability to find such applications has not yet caught up. 

What else could work? 

A more organic approach to web applications might include: 

• No need to install 

• Open access publishing 

• Easy sharing through links 

• Usefulness-based discovery

 

Rather than creating clones of app stores, this leads to more straightforward, organic directory options. Some initial attempts have even been made towards this end, such as Unstore. 

Discovery needs to catch up  

There have been tremendous advancements in the development and delivery of software via the web. 

Software has become faster, more accessible, and nearly frictionless. 

However, discovering these tools has not kept pace. 

It may be time to think about discovery in an open manner, just like the web itself.