Part 2 · What gets built
Product Requirements Document
Curated marketplace MVP: submit → verify → remediate → approve → discover → inspect trust → install → activate → monitor. A directory alone is not done.
Canonical spec v1.2 · Phase 1 curated MVP
Product definition
Aether is a cross-platform marketplace and trust infrastructure for installable web applications and AI agents. Publishers submit an origin. Aether verifies identity, installability, security posture, data practices, compatibility, and agent behavior. Consumers install through guided device-specific flows. The platform monitors continuously and can warn, quarantine, or delist.
Users and jobs
| User | Job | Success |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer | Find a credible app, understand access, install correctly | No surprise permissions; successful install |
| Indie / vibe-code developer | Turn a live web app into a trusted listing | Actionable preflight; predictable review |
| Professional software company | Distribute without giving up the origin | API/CI later; analytics; enterprise trust |
| Agent builder | Declare tools, autonomy, data, limits | Machine-readable Trust Manifest |
| Reviewer | Decide from evidence | Reason codes and audit trail |
Principles
- Evidence over assertion.
- Origin ownership. Hosting on Aether is optional.
- Least privilege. No silent privilege expansion.
- Fast paths for low risk; friction for high risk.
- Reversible distribution.
- No dark patterns. WCAG 2.2 AA target on public flows.
MVP epics (P0)
- E1 Developer identity and onboarding.
- E2 URL submission and preflight.
- E3 Automated verification pipeline.
- E4 Risk-tiered review.
- E5 Marketplace and search of eligible listings only.
- E6 Guided iOS / Android / desktop install.
- E7 Release monitoring and containment.
- E8 Agent Trust Manifest and A0–A2 controls.
Install orchestration
- Detect OS, browser, install state, and whether a valid manifest/service worker exists.
- Show identity, permissions, privacy label, compatibility, and last verification before the install CTA.
- Invoke beforeinstallprompt where supported; otherwise browser-specific Add to Home Screen steps.
- Record completion only from an independent signal — never a click.
- On iPhone, request Web Push only after the app is on the Home Screen, and only after a user gesture.
Scope freeze
Invite-only publishers. Curated catalog. Live-origin verification. Trust labels. Guided install. Reports. Link-out payments allowed. No Aether Checkout until the funds-flow memo exists.
- Not a code generator or hosting platform.
- Not a guarantee the app is free of vulnerabilities.
- Not an executor of arbitrary third-party agent code inside the marketplace.
- Not child-directed. Not A4 public agents. Not merchant of record in every country.