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A client/server development system is an application design in which one software component requests a service and another provides it. The client sends a request; the server processes it and returns data, results, or status. These are software roles, not necessarily separate computers: they can run on one machine or communicate across a network.
What “client/server” means
The term describes how application components relate and exchange work. A client uses a service, while a server makes that service available to one or more clients. The word “system” refers to those cooperating components and their communication arrangement—not to a particular hardware device. Oracle describes client/server computing as a way to distribute application processing across networked systems.
A web browser is a familiar client. It requests a page or other resource from an HTTP server, which handles the request and sends back a response. The same pattern appears in less visible services: for example, a DHCP client can request an IP address from a DHCP server.
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- The client initiates a request. It asks for a resource, information, or an operation, such as a list of books.
- The server handles the request. It applies the relevant logic, consults data or shared resources as needed, and determines what to return.
- The server sends a response. The client receives the result or status and presents it or uses it in another operation.
In an online bookstore example used by The Open University, a browser requests a book listing and the server returns catalogue information. Maintaining the catalogue centrally lets its owner update the shared information in one place.
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Components exchange messages through a protocol or another communication interface. In a distributed deployment, that usually means a network connection. The network enables components to run on different machines, but also means the design must account for delay, reliability, and how data is represented and exchanged.
How two-tier and three-tier designs differ
Client/server names the request-and-service relationship. Two-tier and three-tier describe how an application’s functions are arranged. A tier is a functional division; it does not have to correspond to a separate physical computer.
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| Design | Typical placement of functions | What the distinction means |
|---|---|---|
| Two-tier | Presentation and some or all application logic may run on the client; data services may run on a database server. Some business logic can instead be held in database procedures. | The client communicates with the server side without a distinct middle application tier. |
| Three-tier | Presentation is separated from business logic, which sits in a middle application tier, and from data services. | The functional areas can be managed and deployed separately. |
These are common arrangements, not rigid machine counts. A client and server role can coexist on one host, and a component can act as a client in one exchange and as a server in another.
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What thin and thick clients mean
“Thin” and “thick” describe how much work the client performs, not whether the system has two or three tiers. A thin client mainly presents information supplied by the server. A thick client performs more processing locally, such as calculations or transforming data. Either style can be used within a broader client/server design.
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Why use client/server development—and what it adds
Potential advantages
- Shared services: one server application can serve multiple clients.
- Central management: data and some business functions can be maintained centrally, which can simplify shared updates.
- Work can be allocated by role: designers can place functions on the client, application server, or data server according to the system’s needs.
- Existing client software can reduce effort: for example, using a browser as the interface can avoid building a separate client for some applications.
Design and operational costs
- Network dependence: when components communicate across a network, slow or unreliable connections can affect the exchange.
- Communication design: developers need suitable protocols or interfaces and must handle data representation across component boundaries.
- Coordination across components: changes to an interface can require compatible updates elsewhere. The degree of coupling depends on the implementation.
Some additional constraints—such as protocol-specific client code, explicit data-format conversion (marshaling), and coordinated changes when a transport changes—are described in Oracle’s documentation for its pre-CORBA approach. They are not inevitable properties of every modern client/server system.
How to assess a client/server design
When choosing where functions belong, consider the actual workload and operating conditions rather than assuming that one arrangement is best for every application:
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- Logic placement: identify which functions belong on the client, in the server or database, or in a separate application tier.
- Client workload: decide whether the client should mainly present information or do substantial local processing.
- Communication needs: account for the protocol or interface, expected latency and reliability, and any data-format conversions.
- Shared data and services: consider how many clients need access, how updates will be managed, and which resources should be shared.
Client/server compared with peer-to-peer
In a client/server exchange, one participant requests a service from another participant acting as the provider. In peer-to-peer communication, hosts communicate directly as peers rather than relying on a distinct provider role for each exchange. These patterns can coexist in a larger system, so it is more accurate to describe a particular connection or exchange than to label an entire product from one interaction.
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