Client-server architecture

Definition

Client-server architecture is a computing model that divides tasks between service providers, called servers, and service requesters, known as clients. This structure allows clients to interact with servers to request resources, services, or data over a network. By separating these roles, it enhances scalability, manageability, and security within applications, making it foundational for various web technologies including APIs and webhooks.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Client-server architecture relies on networked systems where clients send requests to servers that process these requests and return responses.
2. This architecture supports multiple clients connecting to the same server, making it efficient for resource sharing and data management.
3. Security measures are often centralized on the server side, which helps in protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access.
4. Scalability is a major advantage; as demand grows, additional servers can be added to balance the load among multiple clients.
5. Client-server interactions can occur through various protocols like HTTP for web services or TCP/IP for other types of communication.

Review Questions

• How does client-server architecture improve scalability and resource management in applications?
  • Client-server architecture improves scalability by allowing multiple clients to connect to a single server simultaneously. When demand increases, additional servers can be added to handle the load without requiring significant changes to the client applications. This separation of concerns means that resource management can be centralized on the server side, leading to more efficient handling of data requests and reducing redundancy across client applications.
• What role do RESTful APIs play in the context of client-server architecture, and how do they facilitate communication?
  • RESTful APIs act as intermediaries in client-server architecture, allowing clients to communicate with servers using standard HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE. This makes it easier for developers to create applications that can interact with server resources seamlessly. By following REST principles, APIs enable stateless interactions where each request from a client contains all the information needed for the server to process it. This promotes a clean separation of concerns and enhances scalability.
• Evaluate the significance of webhooks within client-server architecture in facilitating real-time communication between services.
  • Webhooks significantly enhance client-server architecture by allowing servers to send real-time updates to clients or other servers whenever specific events occur. Unlike traditional polling methods where clients repeatedly check for updates, webhooks push notifications to interested parties instantly. This event-driven approach reduces unnecessary network traffic and improves application responsiveness. By integrating webhooks into their architecture, systems can provide timely data exchange that supports dynamic user experiences and enables better integration between disparate services.

Related terms

API: An Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of rules and protocols for building and interacting with software applications, enabling different systems to communicate with each other.

WebSocket: A WebSocket is a communication protocol that provides full-duplex communication channels over a single TCP connection, allowing real-time data exchange between clients and servers.

Microservices: Microservices is an architectural style that structures an application as a collection of loosely coupled services, which can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently.