A system for aggregating app functionality in an automation environment, the system comprising: a) a plurality of production devices (110, 120, 125, 310, 315) such as programmable logic controllers and field devices operating in the automation environment, each respective production device corresponding to a respective automation component (220, 225, 230) in the automation environment, each respective production device comprising: b) at least one interface with the respective automation component, and c) a runtime environment (110B, 120B, 125B) configured to: execute one or more apps, store information associated with capabilities of one or more apps, and provide access to the stored information through one or more network interfaces; and d) a capability router device configured to: collect information on capabilities of each app available in the automation environment, receive a request for a requested capability; use the collected information to identify a particular app having the requested capability, and provide an indication of a particular production device executing the particular app in response to the request; and e) wherein the capability router is configured to execute a workflow app (205, 305A) that connects to a first app (210, 310A) and to a second app (215, 315A), wherein the first app (205, 305A) and the second app (215, 315A) are executed across a plurality of the automation components, and wherein the workflow app (205, 305A) uses the interfaces and is coordinating workflow across the plurality of production devices using the first app and the second app; and f1) an App Development Kit to enable each app to specify an extension interface for interacting with other apps, wherein the interface is specified in a machine-readable format and stored along with the app and interface interdependencies to an App Store; f2) the App Development Kit being configured to track usage and the interdependencies of the network interfaces;and f3) the App Store being extended with a component that stores interface descriptions for apps and allows the searching and downloading of these descriptions by the App Development Kit. a) a plurality of production devices (110, 120, 125, 310, 315) such as programmable logic controllers and field devices operating in the automation environment, each respective production device corresponding to a respective automation component (220, 225, 230) in the automation environment, each respective production device comprising: b) at least one interface with the respective automation component, and c) a runtime environment (110B, 120B, 125B) configured to: execute one or more apps, store information associated with capabilities of one or more apps, and provide access to the stored information through one or more network interfaces; and execute one or more apps, store information associated with capabilities of one or more apps, and provide access to the stored information through one or more network interfaces; and d) a capability router device configured to: collect information on capabilities of each app available in the automation environment, receive a request for a requested capability; use the collected information to identify a particular app having the requested capability, and provide an indication of a particular production device executing the particular app in response to the request; and collect information on capabilities of each app available in the automation environment, receive a request for a requested capability; use the collected information to identify a particular app having the requested capability, and provide an indication of a particular production device executing the particular app in response to the request; and e) wherein the capability router is configured to execute a workflow app (205, 305A) that connects to a first app (210, 310A) and to a second app (215, 315A), wherein the first app (205, 305A) and the second app (215, 315A) are executed across a plurality of the automation components, and wherein the workflow app (205, 305A) uses the interfaces and is coordinating workflow across the plurality of production devices using the first app and the second app; and f1) an App Development Kit to enable each app to specify an extension interface for interacting with other apps, wherein the interface is specified in a machine-readable format and stored along with the app and interface interdependencies to an App Store; f2) the App Development Kit being configured to track usage and the interdependencies of the network interfaces;and f3) the App Store being extended with a component that stores interface descriptions for apps and allows the searching and downloading of these descriptions by the App Development Kit. f1) an App Development Kit to enable each app to specify an extension interface for interacting with other apps, wherein the interface is specified in a machine-readable format and stored along with the app and interface interdependencies to an App Store; f2) the App Development Kit being configured to track usage and the interdependencies of the network interfaces;and f3) the App Store being extended with a component that stores interface descriptions for apps and allows the searching and downloading of these descriptions by the App Development Kit.