macOS-like application packages

[Boris]

Once my OS can handle it, I will opt for a Portage lookalike system

[iansjack]

Once my OS can handle it, I will opt for a Portage lookalike system

I think you mean a Ports lookalike system.

[dozniak]

Once my OS can handle it, I will opt for a Portage lookalike system

I think you mean a Ports lookalike system.

He means Ports-written-in-Python lookalike.

[osdever]

This is why they will be .tar's in my OS.

What about when there's a .tar that gets misinterpreted as an "application package"?

They will be tested for validity.

[trolly]

you can store the applications binaries and resources in a single directory.

and if you want to bundle it to send it over the network, instead of create an archive, create a ramdisk image to store the inside it (like the dmg files in classic macos), you can use a regular file system, or implement a new one specialy for it

the user could else: mount the ramdisk in a folder in /apps (by example)
or mount the ramdisk somewhere else, then copy the contents a folder in /apps