Web Design Resources
Web Applications
What is a Web Application?
A web application is
any software program application that uses a web browser as a 'client'.
Applications can range from something as simple as a message board or a
guest sign-in book to as complex as a spreadsheet or a word processor.
What is a Client?
The
word 'client' refers to the program a person uses to run an
application. In a 'client-server' environment there are multiple
computers that share information. Entering information into a database
is a part of sharing information. Now, the'client' is the application
which is used to enter the information and the 'server' is the
application that stores the information.
What are the Benefits of a Web Application?
Web
applications help developers negate the need for specifics. For
example, as the client runs in a web browser, the user is free to use a
Mac or an IBM, also, the type of O.S being used doesn't matter. Web
applications commonly use a combination of server-side script (ASP, PHP,
etc) and client-side script (HTML, JavaScript, etc.) to develop the
application. The client-side script presents the information while the
server-side script executes complex matter like storing and retrieving
the information.
Increased Usage of Web Applications
The
emergence of new age technology has resulted in mass usage of web.
Millions of businesses use the web as an affordable means of
communication. There are over a million internet users today. Marketers
use the web to communicate with the visitors who access the websites.
Marketers use tactics such as persuading web visitors to subscribe to
newsletters and fill out application forms when requesting information
on products. A number of companies also use the web as a sales channel.
According to sources, U.S e-commerce spending exceeded 100 billion
dollars in 2006.
Importance of Web Applications Today
All
the data that is entered in the form of newsletters, application forms
needs to be collected, processed in anticipation of its usage for the
future. Web applications, in the form of submit fields, enquiry and
login forms, shopping carts, and content management systems, are those
website widgets that allow this to happen. Thus, web applications
facilitate businesses in influencing their online presence. This in turn
creates good relations with the customers. Web applications have
therefore taken the world by storm and its phenomenon is ever growing in
nature.