Web Client

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What Does Web Client Mean?

The Web client is a client-side component within the Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE), a distributed multi-tiered application model used for building and developing enterprise applications. Client-side components are typically computer applications running on a user’s computer and connect to a server. These components perform client-side operations as they might need access to information available only on the client side, like user input, or because the server lacks the processing power necessary in such operations.

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J2EE is comprised of a client-tier, Web-tier, business-tier, and enterprise information system (EIS)-tier. Components that run on the client side of a machine are client-tier components.

Techopedia Explains Web Client

A client-tier component may be an application or Web client. A Web client contains two parts: dynamic Web pages and the Web browser. Dynamic Web pages are produced by components that run in the Web tier, and a Web browser delivers Web pages received from the server.

A Web client is also known as a thin client because it does not execute heavy-duty operations such as querying databases, performing complex business tasks, or connecting to legacy applications. Heavy-duty operations are performed by the J2EE server, which is secure, fast, and reliable.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.