App store

An app store, also called an app marketplace or app catalog, is a type of digital distribution platform for computer software called applications, often in a mobile context. Apps provide a specific set of functions which, by definition, do not include the running of the computer itself. Complex software developed for personal computers may have a corresponding mobile app optimized for the device’s constraints. Today apps are normally designed to run on a specific mobile operating system—such as the contemporary iOS, iPadOS, Windows Phone, or Android—but in the past mobile carriers had their own portals for apps and related media content. An app store can be thought as a restricted, commercial version of a package manager, although an app store provides additional services like app discovery, user reviews, security screening, licensing enforcement, and seamless integration of a payment system. Unlike traditional package managers, which prioritize dependency management and system integration, app stores focus on usability, monetization, and a curated user experience.