# Ecosystem

> PWA ecosystem intelligence — distribution, monetization, ad-network and payment support, store-acceptance policy, and tooling. Decision-grade commercial analysis, with no app catalog.

import { CardGrid, LinkCard } from '@astrojs/starlight/components';

Ecosystem is the **commercial-intelligence** layer: the distribution, monetization, and
policy facts that decide whether a PWA succeeds as a product. This is editorial
reference — distribution channels, ad-network and payment support, store-acceptance
policy, and tooling — **not an app catalog, store, or showcase.**

<CardGrid>
	<LinkCard title="Distribution" href="/ecosystem/distribution/" description="TWA, app stores, and desktop distribution channels." />
	<LinkCard title="Monetization" href="/ecosystem/monetization/" description="An overview of revenue paths for PWAs." />
	<LinkCard title="Ad networks" href="/ecosystem/ad-networks/" description="Which ad networks support PWAs, and on what terms." />
	<LinkCard title="Payments" href="/ecosystem/payments/" description="Availability of payment SDKs inside PWAs." />
	<LinkCard title="Store policy" href="/ecosystem/stores/" description="Each store's stance on accepting PWAs." />
	<LinkCard title="Tools" href="/ecosystem/tools/" description="Build, package, and test tooling — an editorial reference list." />
</CardGrid>

## How ecosystem differs from compatibility

The [Compatibility](/compatibility/) explorer answers *can the platform do this?* — API
support, browser by browser. Ecosystem answers *will the market let you ship it as a
product?* — whether an ad network pays out on a PWA, whether a payment SDK loads, whether
a store will list it. These are policy and commercial facts, not capability facts.

Where the two overlap, the structured truth lives in one place: the
[policy dimension](/compatibility/policy/) of the compatibility data. Every ad-network,
payment, and store-acceptance row — with its `Sponsored` flag and editorial status — is
maintained there. Ecosystem pages **link to that data rather than restate it**, so the
facts never drift between two surfaces.

## Not a marketplace

OpenPWA's ecosystem section carries no app catalog, no "submit your app" flow, no
"install app" cards, and no commerce UI. The [Tools](/ecosystem/tools/) page is a curated
editorial reference list, not a directory or store. The value here is decision-grade
analysis, not distribution of third-party apps.