A system and method are provided for the automatic updating or installation and invoking of a requested application on a client. The system and method form an application provision system which operates within a network containing at least one client and at least one server. The application provision system includes; a server resident process for controlling the provision of an application to a client, and client-server functionality that is deliverable to the client, the client-server functionality the provision of the application to the client by communicating with the server resident process.