The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates use of a printer. During operation, the system obtains, on an electronic device, a set of supported capabilities from the printer. Next, the system provides, to a user of the electronic device, the set of supported capabilities within a workflow for using the printer without installing printer-specific software for the printer. Upon detecting a selection of a supported capability from the provided set of supported capabilities by the user, the system determines if the supported capability requires the printer-specific software. If the supported capability does not require the printer-specific software, the system enables use of the supported capability by the user without using the printer-specific software to provide the supported capability to the user. If the supported capability requires the printer-specific software, the system uses the printer-specific software to provide the supported capability to the user.