Introduction to the Client and Its Relationship with the Server;
The client in Persian literally means "customer"! By taking a brief look at its meaning in Persian and understanding the meaning of customer, we can understand what responsibility it bears. Of course, in the meantime, a reference to the concept of the server will make things easier. The server in Persian means the provider of services. Please pay a bit more attention to this example. When you want to buy a new pair of pants for yourself, you will visit clothing stores as a customer. In the meantime, the store seller will ask you questions. Things like; size, color, fabric of the preferred pants, and things like that! Then, based on these, they will make suggestions and finally sell you the desired pants. This example we have provided is a client-server relationship in the real world. Therefore, the client truly acts like a customer. The client has a comprehensive meaning and concept and cannot be limited to a specific part or framed. Therefore, its main and fundamental application is in the field of networking and computers. Now it is better to examine the client from a technical perspective! In technical definitions of the client, we should state that it is a computer or program that sends a request to another computer or software called the server. Of course, sometimes a computer can act as a server. Sometimes it acts as a client. This means that it can both make requests and send responses. It is better to discuss this topic a bit more together along this article.
Client-Server and How They Work;
In the upper part of the text, we stated that the client and server find meaning together and cannot be separated from each other. In the client-server model, one or more related programs will be installed on the server computer, which share the server's hardware resources with the clients. Therefore, the client does not share resources but only sends its request for the desired content or service to the server. Some of the most famous services that use client-server include; email, the internet, network printers, etc. To better examine what a client is, we need to elaborate a bit more on this topic.
If we take the client from a local network to a larger network, i.e., the internet, we will encounter a wide range of services. The simplest obvious example currently in use is web browsing, which you are using to read this article. To view this page, your browser sends a request to the web server, and the server displays the desired web page for you.
When you are sending an email, you are considered a client, and your request is processed by the mail server. Another example we can mention is messengers. Currently, messengers have become an inseparable part of our lives. Because they are faster than SMS and at the same time cheaper. Moreover, they have more features. When you chat with your friends, you are a client, and the one who responds to you is the server of that messenger. Also, in online or networked games, you act as a client, and your request is processed on the game server.
Comparison of Different Types of Clients;
Now that we have properly and thoroughly become familiar with the client and its concept and its relationship with the server, it is better to discuss the different types of clients. In a network, we perform various tasks as clients, and based on the type of activity, our role changes. In other words, these categories reveal the type of our interaction with the server. The client is divided into three basic and main categories;- Fat client, which is also called thick client or rich client.
- Thin client, or so-called slim clients.
- Hybrid client, or so-called combined clients.
A Look at the Fat Client;
The fat client, or so-called thick client, operates independently of the server. This means that it manages most of the processing itself and operates as independently as possible from the server. Fat clients use the RAM and CPU of the local computer. For this reason, there will not be much pressure on the server. They only go to the server for certain tasks such as making changes, saving files, or other similar factors. If you use a web-based software on your personal computer where the processing is distributed on your device, you are considered a fat client in the network. Since most of the processing takes place on the client side, the pressure on servers is low, and fewer resources will be consumed. Also, with these methods, there is no need for a more stable connection to the server, so the fat client can mostly operate offline in most cases. In interactions with heavy and multimedia applications such as computer games, this client can seem ideal. Because in this method, we will not have any increase in bandwidth. The fat client has a lot of flexibility, and since most people now have powerful and fast computers, the infrastructure will be ready for its use, and there is no need for extra costs. By reducing the pressure on the server, you can increase the number of your users and increase the service capacity. On the other hand, you can reduce the number of servers by freeing up resources.The most important advantages of using a fat client are;
- It is very flexible.
- It will increase server capacity.
- It will consume fewer resources.
- The required infrastructure will be available for it.
- In multimedia, it can bring more efficiency.
- You can use it offline.
A Look at the Thin Client;
The thin client is a type of client and, of course, the opposite of the fat client! Because it is entirely dependent on the server. The thin client is a web-based application that can be accessed with a browser on the internet. When using this type of client, no special software is installed on the local computer, and all processing will be done on the server. Therefore, in this type of client, the main pressure will be on the server. In this type of client, i.e., the thin client, only the existence of the internet is mandatory, and a wide range of devices can be used to connect to the server. This feature has made the thin client significantly portable. In this type of client, when the user's internet speed and bandwidth are favorable, we will achieve a secure and reliable connection.The most important advantages of using a thin client are;
- It is very light and of course optimal.
- It will be portable and movable.
- You do not need a powerful computer.
- It carries out operations with the server and will not occupy server-side resources.
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