For decades, installing software was a ritual of patience. It began with stacks of floppy disks, transitioned to high-capacity CDs and DVDs, and eventually moved to massive "standalone" executable files downloaded over the internet. However, as software has become more complex and internet speeds have increased, the (also known as a "stub" or "net installer") has emerged as the modern standard for deploying applications. By decoupling the initial download from the actual software payload, web installers have redefined efficiency, security, and the user experience. Efficiency through Minimalism
If you have a fast internet connection, clicking "Download" and getting a 1MB file is much faster than waiting for a 5GB ISO. It reduces the friction of starting the process. It’s snappy and feels modern.