Why Micro Apps Could Reshape How We Use Software

[etfs]

Tools like Replit, Lovable, and Claude Code are enabling a new category of software: apps that exist between spreadsheets and full products. Computer science professor Legand L. Burge III describes them as “hyper-personalized situational experiences” that appear when needed and disappear when they’re not—much like viral trends on social media.

While these apps can be buggy, time-consuming, or costly to maintain, their potential is significant. Investors like Christina Melas-Kyriazi compare this moment to the rise of social media and Shopify, when creation suddenly became accessible to everyone. As AI tools improve, many believe people will stop paying monthly subscriptions—and instead build exactly what they need, just for themselves.

[cryptohog]

buggy but personal still beats polished but generic sometimes