Search and Discovery
Learn how users find apps through search, categories, tags, rankings, trending pages, and alternative pages.
OpenLib is designed around discovery. Users may arrive knowing an app name, a proprietary product they want to replace, or only a workflow such as note-taking, media editing, or password management.
Search behavior #
Search should help users find apps by:
- App name.
- Category.
- Tag.
- Alternative product name.
- Description.
- Platform.
- License or project metadata.
Good metadata improves search quality. A short description with real keywords is more useful than a slogan.
Categories #
Categories are broad groups such as Productivity, Security, Media, Utility, Communication, Finance, and Other. Every app should have one primary category.
Use the closest category. If the project spans multiple areas, use tags to capture the extra context.
Tags #
Tags are smaller labels that describe features, formats, workflows, platforms, protocols, and common search terms.
Examples:
markdownpassword-managerself-hostednotesencryptionlinuxsync
Alternative pages #
Alternative pages help users replace closed or proprietary software. If an app is an alternative to Notion, Slack, Photoshop, or Google Drive, that relationship should be explicit.
Good alternative metadata answers:
- What closed tool can this replace?
- Is the replacement complete or partial?
- Which workflow is similar?
- Which users would benefit from switching?
Rankings and trending #
Rankings and trending pages are discovery surfaces. They should help users identify active, useful, or popular projects without hiding smaller tools.
Signals can include views, ratings, downloads, reviews, and recent activity.
How contributors improve discovery #
Contributors can improve discovery by adding:
- Clear descriptions.
- Accurate categories.
- Useful tags.
- Alternative relationships.
- Platform data.
- Source and documentation links.
Related docs #
Contributors
- OpenLib Team