💡Overview
Technical and strategic overview of the FLECS Marketplace – the modular platform for industrial software distribution, licensing, and monetization.
What is the FLECS Marketplace?
The FLECS Marketplace is the software distribution and operation layer within the FLECS platform.
It enables industrial companies to discover, deliver, license, and operate software across devices, machines, and customers – in a structured, scalable, and role-respecting way.
The Marketplace is not a standalone sales portal and does not replace existing OEM platforms or customer relationships. It provides the infrastructure required to distribute and manage industrial software consistently across heterogeneous environments.
As part of the FLECS ecosystem, the Marketplace connects software vendors, machine builders, and operators – while ownership, branding, and responsibility remain with the respective role.
💡 Why the FLECS Marketplace?
Software distribution is the missing layer in automation
Industrial automation has largely standardized at the hardware and operating system level. Modern PLCs, IPCs, and edge controllers increasingly rely on Linux-based platforms running on standard Intel or ARM architectures.
While hardware has become flexible and scalable, software distribution and operation remain fragmented:
vendor-specific tools
project-based deployments
manual updates
unclear responsibilities
The FLECS Marketplace addresses this structural gap by providing a neutral, role-respecting software distribution layer for industrial automation.
It enables modular, updateable, and monetizable software capabilities – without introducing platform lock-in or shifting existing value chains.
🔍 Core concepts
The Marketplace serves two complementary perspectives:
💼 For software vendors and developers A standardized way to publish, license, update, and operate industrial software without running their own infrastructure.
🏭 For OEMs, system integrators, and device owners A controlled mechanism to install, manage, and update software across machines and fleets.
In all cases, FLECS does not position itself between companies and their customers. The Marketplace provides infrastructure – not ownership.
How this applies in practice differs by role see the role-specific Marketplace perspectives below.
🧱 Marketplace Architecture
The FLECS Marketplace is composed of several tightly integrated components:
Backend Services Vendor onboarding, app registration, licensing engine, compatibility checks, CI/CD integration, and entitlement management.
Marketplace Frontend App browsing, metadata filtering, version history, and changelogs. Accessible via browser or directly through the FLECS WebApp.
White-Labeled Marketplaces Custom storefronts under your brand, with isolated catalogs, access rules, and themes.
FLECS Core Integration Direct deployment onto devices, OTA updates, and license enforcement at runtime level.
This architecture ensures that distribution and operation are handled consistently – from vendor upload to on-device execution.
🧰 Features for Software Vendors
✅ Vendor Dashboard
Each vendor receives access to a dedicated dashboard to:
Upload and update applications
Define app metadata, tags, categories, and requirements
Configure licensing and monetization models
Maintain changelogs and support information
Control product visibility (public, private, customer-specific)
💸 Monetization & Licensing
Apps can be distributed:
Free and open (no license required)
One-time purchase (per installation)
Subscription-based (monthly/yearly)
Usage-based (API-driven license checks)
The license manager handles activation keys, expiration, usage limits, and pricing tiers. All licensing logic is enforced on the device through FLECS Core. This ensures that licensing remains technically enforceable without relying on permanent cloud connectivity.
🎨 White-Labeled Marketplaces (Branch Marketplaces)
FLECS enables OEMs, system integrators, and software companies to operate their own branded marketplaces.
These branch marketplaces allow you to:
Apply your own branding (logo, colors, domain)
Curate app catalogs for specific machines or customers
Define access rules (public, private, partner-only)
Integrate CI/CD pipelines into your own toolchains
Control pricing, updates, and support responsibilities
💡 You operate the marketplace under your name. FLECS provides the infrastructure in the background.
🔍 App Discovery & Installation
End users can install software through a consistent workflow:
Browse apps via browser or directly in the FLECS WebApp
Filter by category, protocol, supported hardware, or runtime
Review metadata, licensing terms, changelogs, and compatibility
Install apps onto devices with controlled permissions
Receive updates and roll back versions when required
Apps can declare:
Supported CPU architectures
System and runtime requirements
Exposed interfaces and permissions
Tags for machine and use-case compatibility
🚀 Device Onboarding Service (D-O-S)
For larger deployments, the Device Onboarding Service automates initial setup.
It enables:
Assignment of apps and licenses during provisioning
Application of configuration bundles on first startup
Registration of devices to customer or fleet groups
Token- or QR-based onboarding workflows
This results in:
Consistent device configuration
Reduced commissioning effort
Fewer manual errors during rollout
🧑💼 My Account – Personal Access & Control
Each user gets access to a personal account dashboard:
Manage login and access rights
Track orders and app usage
Request quotes and licenses
Manage billing and subscription settings
Maintain contact and organizational data
User roles can be configured to distinguish between engineering, purchasing, or support staff.
🔐 Security & Access Management
The Marketplace is designed for enterprise-grade security:
TLS-encrypted connections
OAuth2 authentication
Role-based access (Admin, Editor, Read-only)
License integrity enforcement via Core
Secure app validation pipeline
Activity logs and access auditing
Security is treated as a platform property, not an optional add-on.
🔄 CI/CD Integration & Automation
For software vendors and internal development teams, the Marketplace supports automation through:
REST APIs for publishing apps and metadata management
CLI tools for scripted workflows incl. upload and automation
CI integration with GitHub and GitLab
Embedding into existing developer portals or build pipelines
You can fully automate app testing, publishing, licensing, and validation flows.
This allows software publishing, validation, and updates to become part of standard DevOps processes.
🔧 Built on FLECS Core
The FLECS Marketplace relies on FLECS Core on the device to:
Execute apps in isolated runtimes
Apply updates and rollback safely
Enforce licensing policies locally
Communicate with backend services
🧭 The FLECS Marketplace by role
The FLECS Marketplace supports different roles in the industrial automation ecosystem. While the underlying infrastructure is the same, how it is used depends on your responsibility and context.
Machine Builders & OEMs Use the Marketplace to operate a branded software platform for your machines, curate approved apps, manage updates, and deliver digital services under your own name. → Marketplace for Machine Builders & OEMs
Component Manufacturers Publish and maintain component-related software, deliver updates across multiple OEMs, and operate your software as a managed product without taking system ownership. → Marketplace for Component Manufacturers
Plant Operators Use the Marketplace to install, update, and manage software consistently across heterogeneous machines, reduce platform sprawl, and improve operational security. → Marketplace for Plant Operators
App Vendors & Developers Distribute industrial apps at scale, integrate into OEM and operator ecosystems, and manage licensing and updates without running your own infrastructure. → Marketplace for App Vendors & Developers
🌍 A role-respecting ecosystem
FLECS is designed to work across the industrial automation ecosystem:
Machine builders delivering software-defined machines
OEMs bundling digital services with hardware
Plant operators standardizing software operation
App vendors entering industrial markets
System integrators managing heterogeneous environments
At no point does FLECS take ownership of customer relationships. You stay in control – technically, commercially, and operationally.
✅ Summary
With the FLECS Marketplace, you can:
Distribute and operate industrial software at scale
License and monetize digital services
Build branded, role-specific marketplaces
Deliver updates consistently across devices
Integrate software distribution into existing processes
Maintain ownership of customers, branding, and responsibility
For a role-specific perspective, continue with the corresponding “By Role” section.
🎯 The FLECS Marketplace provides a scalable, role-respecting foundation for distributing and operating industrial software.
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