“We’re using the Metanet to promote Metanet apps,” says Babbage CEO Ty Everett. The company’s Metanet App Catalog, which has been online since June, has something for developers and general users. It’s a great chance for devs to get extra exposure and attention. For users, it puts an eclectic selection of blockchain apps all in one place, ready to try.
The Metanet App Catalog helps solve the problem of “where do I start?” for anyone coming to blockchain for the first time. Though the apps are often simple in functionality, they’re backed by the full power of a scalable blockchain. Anyone can see for themselves the value of immutable, verifiable data with apps that all interact with each other, and run on micropayments—each upload, or transaction, costs just a tiny fraction of a cent.
The App Catalog can also be accessed via Babbage’s Metanet Desktop application. New account signups get their wallets pre-loaded with thousands of Bitcoin “sats” (satoshis, or 1/100,000,000 of a Bitcoin) to play around with. Babbage is also working on a mobile-native app called (appropriately) Metanet Mobile, which Everett said will work as a browser replacement—”it’s going to be huge.”
What’s on the Metanet App Catalog?
There’s already a decent selection of Metanet apps available on the Catalog. Several are payment-related as you’d expect, but there are also utility, social, gaming, and productivity apps, including on-chain polls, a to-do list, a marketplace, and proof-of-existence tools. And since it wouldn’t be BSV without a weather app, there’s even a micropayment-powered weather data tracker with a difference—it tracks weather on Mars.
Everett noted that many current apps listed are proof-of-concept, but they are all usable somehow. They all support the BRC100 standard for unified, vendor-neutral wallets that integrate with any standard-conforming app or service on BSV. Interoperability is key to building useful BSV-based apps and is integral to Babbage’s mission.
“Our role is to train developers and make sure the ecosystem gets easier to work with,” Everett said.
The BSV Association has devoted a lot of time and resources to developing a unified way to build interoperable apps, with standards that didn’t exist previously. Some BSV developers may have turned away from the ecosystem when it was more fragmented, but Everett said we’re starting to see results from those longer-term plays now, with apps that all work together cohesively gaining traction.
A decentralized app store that anyone can host
If you’re a developer, how can you get your project listed in the Metanet App Catalog? Actually, it’s quite easy.
“We thought we could build an app store better than the Web 2.0 model,” Everett said. “It’s a decentralized app store for decentralized applications, Metanet applications. The MetanetApps.com site is merely a window into the publicly available data on the blockchain itself.”
The website uses the Metanet Overlay Network to track all information associated with listings, Everett said. That means, whenever someone creates a new Metanet app that uses the BRC100 wallet stack, and publishes it using Babbage’s Metanet Desktop or the (coming soon!) Metanet Mobile creates an identifiable UTXO on the Metanet Overlay, and the website simply pulls data from this.
“We’re demonstrating how even something as simple as an app store can be built better using the Metanet.”
This makes for a nice break from the current commercial model for big-brand app hubs, where developers usually pay a fee, favor, or bribe to get listed.
Moreover, anyone can host their version of this Overlay and create their own app catalog. If Babbage’s site ever goes away, someone else could re-create it by pulling the same publicly available data. If someone would like to curate an app hub to suit their interests or a particular app type (e.g., gaming), they’re free to create a version that does this.
“So we’re not a gatekeeper, but still creating the best experience for our users,” Everett added. Babbage could, in theory, choose not to list an app it found objectionable for some reason, but if the UTXO is published on the Overlay, another site could still display it.
Standards and interoperability on-chain—Babbage invites other devs to join in
Babbage has worked closely with the BSV Association to ensure all its tools and services are interoperable and comply with the latest standards (such as BRC100). The company, as always, is keen to network with other developers in the blockchain space—it also has the Metanet Academy site where anyone can learn more about building blockchain apps, and is continuing its series of Hackathon events.
Following the success of its last Hackathon last March in Austin, Texas, Babbage will host another event from October 10-11, 2025, in Oregon. The venue for the in-person event will be Rockafairy at the Rogue Valley Mall in Medford. Any developers interested in attending should visit this link to sign up. Babbage is again offering to sponsor transport to Oregon for any out-of-state devs who can convince them of their talent and potential.
Watch: Bringing the Metanet to life with Teranode
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Source: https://coingeek.com/check-out-babbage-metanet-app-catalog-powered-by-the-metanet/
