A method and apparatus for the user-defining, configuring and starting of an application or software components to form an application by means of a token and in particular a chip card. Via the service identifiers stored in the chip card which represent applications or software components to form applications, the chip card user can install the desired application. The card agent accepts the request for an application, checks the register to see if the application is present and if it is not, makes a connection to communicate with the server in order to download the application to the user system.