Why don’t mini programs work in the West, but Warpcast is the ideal choice for mini programs?

By Chris Carella

Compiled by: Xiaobai Navigation coderworld

This morning, I saw in the Warpcast feed A post from Paragraph by Eric RhodesInstead of jumping directly into Safari, I could read directly within the app — that’s where Paragraph’s mini-app comes into play. I was impressed by how seamless the experience was, and it shows the potential of mini-apps on the Warpcast platform. Compared to the usual method of switching between different apps, mini-apps allow me to interact with content directly within the platform without leaving the dynamic page.

What is a mini program?

Mini programs are lightweight applications that run within larger "super apps," a concept popularized by Asian platforms such as WeChat and Alipay. These mini programs allow users to complete tasks such as shopping, ordering food, paying, and accessing services without leaving the main app. Super apps integrate these mini programs to provide users with an integrated ecosystem of multiple services.

There are several reasons why mini apps are booming in Asia:

1. User convenience:By providing multiple services in one app, mini programs reduce the hassle of users installing multiple apps. This seamless integration improves user experience and user retention.

2. Developer convenience:Developers can create mini programs without having to develop and promote independent applications. Super apps come with a huge user base, greatly lowering the barrier to entry.

3. Data and Profit：Super apps can obtain more detailed user data by integrating multiple services. This makes personalized marketing, targeted advertising and more profit opportunities possible.

WeChat’s mini-program ecosystem is particularly powerful, with tens of thousands of mini-programs covering everything from e-commerce to gaming.

Why have mini programs failed to become popular in the West?

Although companies such as Facebook's Messenger, Snapchat's Snap Minis and Instagram's shopping features have tried to build similar ecosystemsXiaobai NavigationAlthough mini programs have been around for a long time, they have not been as successful in the West as they have been in Asia. For example, Facebook’s Messenger bot, launched in 2016, was intended to allow businesses to provide services directly within Messenger, but failed to attract users due to limited functionality and poor user experience. Similarly, Snapchat’s Snap Minis, launched in 2020, allow users to experience mini games or tools within the app, but its engagement and ecosystem scale are still not comparable to WeChat or Alipay. Instagram’s in-app shopping function, while more complete, is still primarily an integrated service rather than an open platform for developers to create mini programs.

This difference in success may be due to a variety of factors, including cultural preferences, platform fragmentation, privacy concerns, and different market dynamics. Western users are accustomed to switching between multiple apps, so the concept of relying on a single app to provide multiple services is not widely accepted. In addition, in Western markets, Apple, Google, and Facebook each control different ecosystems, making it difficult for any platform to create a super app like WeChat.

Why Warpcast is suitable for mini programs

I think Warpcast is an ideal platform for mini-programs because it combines the flexibility of encryption protocols,Farcaster's building blocksand decentralized social networks. The composability of cryptography means that smartcontract——Based onBlockchainAutomated functions - can be called from anywhere, making the protocol more scalable and interoperable. This flexibility enables applets on Warpcast to interact directly with on-chain functions, such as minting NFTs, collecting tokens, transferring assets, exchangingcryptocurrencyand executive intelligencecontract— all within the social environment of Farcaster. Warpcast’s applets could be the alternative front end we’ve been waiting for.

Warpcast can also obtain the user's social network and connectionswalletThis means that mini programs can easily connect users’ social circles andwallet, enabling personalized actions such as gaming, social DeFi, or NFT minting directly in the feed. Imagine being able to follow a creator and instantly mint NFTs or participate in token swaps directly from their posts. Similarly, social finance applets allow users to stake tokens, track transactions, or purchase fan tokens, while governance applets allow members to ideate, collaborate, initiate and participate in votes, all without leaving Warpcast. Prediction markets can also take place on the same platform where users discuss news.

Future Prospects of Warpcast Mini Program

I’m excited to see what apps people come up with. I suspect we’ll start with many of our favorite Frames returning as mini-apps. CommunityThere will be endless small programs, such as playing in Warpcast Scout Game Games like this are going to be really fun. Initially, any project built around Farcaster is a great candidate for an app. Over time, we may see entirely new types of apps emerge as Warpcast applets - apps that weren't possible in the past.

in conclusion

I can definitely say that Paragraph is a much better experience as a mini-app. It’s much more fluid than the contextual transitions of reading in Frame or switching to other apps. I love being able to click, read an article, close it, and then have a discussion directly in the feed, all without leaving the app. This seamless experience highlights the huge potential of mini-apps in the future, and decentralized interactions — whether it’s gaming or governance — could become a core element of the Warpcast social experience.

The article comes from the Internet:Why don’t mini programs work in the West, but Warpcast is the ideal choice for mini programs?

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