Our preference for portable apps is nothing new. The simplicity of installation and the ability to reduce bloatware on any system are very positive points, but the manual aspect of their management often drives many users away. The PortableApps site has long been sharing portable editions of popular programs, but it also offers its PortableApps Platform, a tool that lets us download, install, and manage portable applications quickly.
If we have to talk about a disadvantage among portable applications, it is their administration. Generally, very few programs can update themselves within a temporary folder, and the most common thing is that the user is forced to download/overwrite their new versions manually, one by one. If it's one or two programs, the task isn't so frustrating, but once we move to managing dozens of apps, it's better to use a special tool like PortableApps Platform.
How to install and update portable apps automatically with PortableApps Platform
The first thing PortableApps Platform asks us is the destination of the applications. The available options are five: A portable drive (USB stick, external disk, etc.), a cloud-synced folder (Dropbox and Google Drive are good examples), a local folder for the current user (a personal favorite), another folder for all profiles in Windows, and a custom path.
The second step is to select the programs that will be installed from its repository. There are hundreds of options divided into multiple categories, ranging from Education to Security, including Office, Games, and Internet. Except for some exceptions, the size of these packages is very reasonable, and their download should only take a few minutes. A detail to highlight is that they are not always on the latest version: PortableApps Platform prioritizes the portability and stability of applications, not bleeding edge access.
Finally, PortableApps Platform activates a secondary menu on the right (we can change its position), which reminds us a lot of the classic Windows Start. The configuration section includes several themes (I definitely recommend some of the dark skins), and secondary parameters such as the automatic expansion of all categories, or the blocking of welcome screens (in those cases where it is supported).
The use of this menu is optional, and nothing prevents us from going to the folders to load the executables there (or creating new shortcuts on the desktop and taskbar), but PortableApps Platform presents an excellent alternative, it is free, and receives updates frequently. Download below!
Official site and download: Click here
