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.

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.