Client (computing)

<h2 id="types">Types</h2>
Client types and their features<table><tbody><tr><td></td><th>Relies on local storage</th><th>Relies on local <a href="/facts/CPU/Jxp1bqMV">CPU</a></th></tr><tr><th>Fat client</th><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><th>Diskless node</th><td>No</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><th>Thin client</th><td>No</td><td>No</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>In one classification, client computers and devices are either <a href="/facts/Thick_client/rwp4s2Aj">thick clients</a>, <a href="/facts/Thin_client/GtBdBho5">thin clients</a>, or <a href="/facts/Diskless_node/fWUz9KyF">diskless nodes</a>.
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<h3>Thick</h3>
<p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Thick_client/rwp4s2Aj">Thick client</a></p>
<p>A <i>thick client</i>, also known as a <i>rich client</i> or <i>fat client</i>, is a client that performs the bulk of any data processing operations itself, and does not necessarily rely on the <a href="/facts/Server_(computing)/dEaYFD7r">server</a>. The <a href="/facts/Personal_computer/koaYfNce">personal computer</a> is a common example of a fat client, because of its relatively large set of features and capabilities and its light reliance upon a server. For example, a computer running an <a href="/facts/Art_software/LaXq3RIJ">art program</a> (such as <a href="/facts/Krita/VuMXYuxD">Krita</a> or <a href="/facts/Sketchup/jNSyQW7z">Sketchup</a>) that ultimately shares the result of its work on a network is a thick client. A computer that runs almost entirely as a standalone machine save to send or receive files via a network is by a standard called a <a href="/facts/Workstation/h5tK4hTt">workstation</a>.
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<h3>Thin</h3>
<p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Thin_client/GtBdBho5">Thin client</a></p>

<p>A <i>thin client</i> is a minimal sort of client.  Thin <i>clients</i> use the resources of the host computer. A thin client generally only presents processed data provided by an <a href="/facts/Application_server/wHYtgYK5">application server</a>, which performs the bulk of any required data processing. A device using <a href="/facts/Web_application/BLkF3BIN">web application</a> (such as <a href="/facts/Office_Web_Apps/faD8vYG0">Office Web Apps</a>) is a thin client.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a>
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<h3>Diskless node</h3>
<p>A <i>diskless node</i> is a mixture of the above two client models. Similar to a fat client, it processes locally, but relies on the server for storing persistent data. This approach offers features from both the fat client (multimedia support, high performance) and the thin client (high manageability, flexibility). A device running an online version of the <a href="/facts/Video_game/vmTdNASJ">video game</a> <a href="/facts/Diablo_III/WrTLoMdw">Diablo III</a> is an example of diskless node.
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<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>"1.1.2.2 Clients and Servers". Cisco Networking Academy. Retrieved 2024-04-07. Servers are hosts that have software installed that enable them to provide information...Clients are computer hosts that have software installed that enable them to request and display the information obtained from the server. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240407111300/http://cisco.num.edu.mn/CCNA_R&S1/course/module1/1.1.2.2/1.1.2.2.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20240407111300/http://cisco.num.edu.mn/CCNA_R&S1/course/module1/1.1.2.2/1.1.2.2.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Course, Microsoft Official Academic (8 July 2008). Exam 70-643 Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure Configuration. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-22513-4. <a href="978-0-470-22513-4" target="_blank">978-0-470-22513-4</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"client/server". PCMag Encyclopedia. Retrieved 8 November 2022. <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/clientserver" target="_blank">https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/clientserver</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>"client/server". PCMag Encyclopedia. Retrieved 8 November 2022. <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/clientserver" target="_blank">https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/clientserver</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>"client/server". PCMag Encyclopedia. Retrieved 8 November 2022. <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/clientserver" target="_blank">https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/clientserver</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>Baratto, Ricardo A.; Kim, Leonard N.; Nieh, Jason (20 October 2005). "THINC: A virtual display architecture for thin-client computing". Proceedings of the twentieth ACM symposium on Operating systems principles. Sosp '05. Association for Computing Machinery. pp. 277–290. doi:10.1145/1095810.1095837. ISBN 9781595930798. S2CID 723321. <a href="9781595930798" target="_blank">9781595930798</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Client (computing) open-in-new

Client (computing)