October 2021 update: Unfortunately the rollApp platform no longer offers JASP free of charge. We are working on an alternative solution.
When we designed JASP we faced a difficult choice: should we implement a standalone application or a web application? After due deliberation we chose the standalone option. We have revisited this decision several times but always ended up sticking to our initial choice. However, web applications do have some advantages over standalone versions. For instance, web applications are easy to run on Chromebooks (which are increasingly popular in education); more generally, web applications do not require the user to go through the installation process (and then reinstallation processes for new versions — the web version will automatically offer the latest functionality). One reason that kept us from developing a web version of JASP is the effort involved, which we judged to be substantial.
This is why we were surprised (frankly, in awe) when we discovered that rollApp recently “webified” JASP 0.8.5.1. What this means is that you can go to https://www.rollapp.com/app/jasp and run JASP from your browser — on a Chromebook, on a tablet, or even on your cell phone (!).
Preliminary checks suggests that rollApp did a fantastic job. Using the webified version of JASP, you can even log into the OSF and upload/download files. Saving files in JASP directly is an issue, but that is likely a built-in limitation that can be circumvented by buying the premium rollApp package (we will check). Over the next few weeks we will look more closely at the rollApp version of JASP and keep you posted on any new developments. If you try it out yourself and encounter any bugs, please let us know on our GitHub page.