Web application
An application in which all or some parts of the software are downloaded from the Web every time it runs. Following are explanations of each type.Browser Based
Most Web applications are browser based. The user simply goes to a website, and JavaScript and PHP instructions are contained within the Web pages that are retrieved. Combined with the HTML and CSS style sheet, which provide the visual layout, the browser executes the code and renders the page. In addition, processing at the server side is typically performed to access databases and other support functions. The data for a Web application may be stored locally or on the Web, or in both locations.
Client Based
Web applications may also run without the browser. Known as a "rich client," the program, which is either installed in the user's computer or mobile device or is downloaded each session, interacts with a server on the Web using standard Web protocols. This is similar to the "client/server" architecture that prevailed in companies before the Internet exploded, except that today the server is on the Internet rather than the local network. Just like browser-based applications, the data may be stored remotely or locally. See rich client, cloud computing, ASP and SaaS.
Native Mobile Apps
Countless iOS and Android apps use the Web for additional information. Weather and stock market apps obviously have to download the lastest data; however, many mobile apps retrieve data in the background that users are not aware of. See HTTP, HTTPS, native mobile app and native application.
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| The Browser Advantage |
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| Instead of maintaining several locally installed programs, the support staff only has to keep the browser current. See cloud computing, JavaScript and Web application. |
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