Universal web store

[KaKi87]

Project description

A web store that supports installing extensions, userscripts and userstyles on Chromium-based and Firefox-based browsers.

Although the main purpose would be providing a much needed alternative to the Chrome Web Store because of Google's move against Manifest V2, I believe that creating a multiplatform & multipurpose app would be far more interesting.

Relevant Technology

Pretty much anything usable as back-end and front-end, plus whatever browsers use for store-specific features, e.g. detecting whether an extension is compatible or not, already installed or not, opening the install dialog, etc.

I'm thinking about using git platforms (GitHub, GitLab, Gitea, Forgejo) as sources for publishers, which would involve communicating with their APIs as well.

Complexity and required time

Complexity

• [ ] Beginner - This project requires no or little prior knowledge of the technolog(y|ies) specified to contribute to the project
• [ ] Intermediate - The user should have some prior knowledge of the technolog(y|ies) to the point where they know how to use it, but not necessarily all the nooks and crannies of the technology
• [x] Advanced - The project requires the user to have a good understanding of all components of the project to contribute

Required time (ETA)

• [ ] Little work - A couple of days
• [ ] Medium work - A week or two
• [x] Much work - The project will take more than a couple of weeks and serious planning is required

Categories

• [ ] Mobile app
• [ ] IoT
• [x] Web app
• [x] Frontend/UI
• [ ] AI/ML
• [x] APIs/Backend
• [ ] Voice Assistant
• [ ] Developer Tooling
• [ ] Extension/Plugin/Add-On
• [x] Design/UX
• [ ] AR/VR
• [ ] Bots
• [ ] Security
• [ ] Blockchain
• [ ] Futuristic Tech/Something Unique

[alexkreidler]

It looks like we could do this pretty easily for Firefox by self-distributing the WebExtensions, which would make it automatically install once someone clicks the link. But the dev would have to sign the extension first, or we could do that for them automatically via the Addons API.

It doesn't look like there's a frictionless way to install in Chrome except the Web Store, but if users are comfortable loading them manually this could work. Perhaps there's a workaround.

[Himasnhu-AT]

I have an improvement. How about amazon type digital store. Instead of getting product through delivery person, you download it. In their we can have extensions, mobile apps, ios apps, even computer apps. Etsy does something similar, but it can be nice.