Interfaces for connected software applications in automation environments

A method of executing apps on a production device in an automation environment, the method comprising:

• storing a plurality of apps in a runtime environment of the production device,
• for each respective app included in the plurality of apps, storing a metadata file comprising:
• an indication of a network interface used for communication with the respective app by other apps, and
• an indication of one or more interface dependencies to other network interfaces corresponding to other apps;
• and
• prior to executing a particular app on the production device, verifying that the plurality of apps can fulfill each interface dependency associated with the particular app;
• identifying a missing interface dependency associated with the particular app, wherein the missing interface dependency indicates an interface to missing functionality required by the particular app but not available by any of the plurality of apps stored on the production device;
• sending a request for a new app capable of fulfilling the missing interface dependency;
• receiving an identification of a remote production device in response to the request, wherein a new app on the remote production device provides the functionality via the interface;
• creating a new interface dependency for accessing the new app on the remote production device based on the identification;
• and
• during execution of the particular app on the production device routing requests for the missing functionality required by the particular app from the runtime environment of the production device to the remote production device.