The app’s simplicity is intentional because user experience matters. In reality, you won’t need to know about the “open network” to use the ap

Benefits of an open network

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2024-11-25 09:30:05

The app’s simplicity is intentional because user experience matters. In reality, you won’t need to know about the “open network” to use the app, in the same way that people who browse the Internet don’t need to know that it’s a series of tubes.

Perhaps you're using Google Chrome. Maybe you have some extensions installed: AdBlock, a password manager, a to-do list. There's a whole marketplace of extensions that are built by independent developers who do not work at Google. This is a win-win across the board: users can customize their browsing experience, independent developers have a way to distribute their apps, and Chrome is more likely to retain users by providing a useful service.

I sometimes describe Bluesky as a browser with a whole marketplace of extensions, made possible by its open network. Perhaps you want a Tweetdeck-like experience of Bluesky? There’s deck.blue. A no-code way to create custom feeds? Try out SkyFeed or Bluesky Feed Creator. Maybe you want features like drafts or post scheduling that Bluesky doesn’t have yet. Well, the creators of apps like Skeets, Tokimeki, and Skywalker provide that for you.

Let’s zoom out a bit further. Bluesky is actually just one app built on this open network, which is called the AT Protocol (atproto). If Bluesky is “open Twitter,” then you could imagine an “open Reddit” or an “open Instagram” too. In fact, this is becoming a reality now, with apps like WhiteWind (for blogging), Frontpage (a web forum), Smoke Signal (an events app), and Bluecast (an audio app).