Client vs Server
The client is the device or application requesting something. The server is the remote machine that receives that request and sends back a response. Almost every online interaction is a client asking a server for something.
Client (computing)
A client, in computing, is the program, such as a browser or an app, that sends a request to a server and shows you the answer. It is not your paying customer.
Server
A server is a computer, or a program on one, that receives requests from other programs, such as a visitor's browser, processes them and sends back an answer.
Requests data or actions
Processes requests and returns responses
The user's device (phone, laptop, browser)
A remote machine, often in the cloud
Your phone's app opening a page
The remote computer sending that page's data back
| Role | Requests data or actions | Processes requests and returns responses |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | The user's device (phone, laptop, browser) | A remote machine, often in the cloud |
| Example | Your phone's app opening a page | The remote computer sending that page's data back |