68 lines
3.4 KiB
Markdown
68 lines
3.4 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Internet Applications
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---
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## Internet Applications
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### Overview
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Internet Applications are applications that are enabled by connecting a local device to a remote application server or cloud services.
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Internet applications run on desktops and thin clients such as smart devices and other internet appliances.
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Desktops commonly use web browsers to facilitate a connection.
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Smart devices use either a web browser or a dedicated 'app' or Rich Internet Application.
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Web applications are a kind of internet application.
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### Full Stack
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Internet applications consist of a full stack of layers.
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The stack is sometimes divided into two parts or layers: The Front End and the Back End.
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However the stack is divided, an application consists of software unique to itself, and a bunch of dependent software.
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Dependent software consists of libraries and other software that provide services.
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### Full Stack as system of subsystems
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A useful way to view each component is as a part of a system of subsystems, where each subsystem is a system of subsystems.
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As an analogy, the human body is a system of subsystems.
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The body has an immune subsystem, a digestive subsystem, a nervous subsystem, a skeletal subsystem, a muscular subsystem and the like.
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The digestive system includes the liver subsystem aka "liver" for example.
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Each subsystem is a system in its own area of activity or function.
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### Front End of Stack
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The 'Front End' is the software unique to the application that performs work on a local device.
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A local device has all the functional components of a computer. software applications installed in an operating system running on hardware (or virtual hardware running on hardware or other virtual hardware.)
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### Back end of Stack
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The 'Back End' is the software unique to the application that performs work on a remote server.
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A remote server has all the functional components of a computer: software applications installed in an operating system running on hardware (or virtual hardware running on hardware or other virtual hardware.)
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### Application Bias to Front or Back End
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Applications seeking to work consistently across devices or requiring security in data storage and access will tend to have most business logic in the back end.
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This is because software at the Front End is subject to many more modes of attack from malicious agents such as viruses, malware, and insider threats aka "inside hackers".
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Also, web browsers standardize rendering of web content sent to the Front End.
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Applications seeking speed and efficient use of project resources move as much software as possible into the Front End.
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By moving resources to the Front End, a project can share its limited Back End resources with more end-users.
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### Application Server
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An application server or software framework provides the core required dependencies for an internet application.
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### More Information:
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[FreeCodeCamp Full Stack Development Certification](https://guide.freecodecamp.org/meta/free-code-camp-full-stack-development-certification)
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[Rich Internet Application (Wikipedia.org)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Internet_application)
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[Software Framework (Wikipeida.org)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_framework)
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[Web Application Framework (Wikipedia.org)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_framework)
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[Application Server (Wikipedia.org)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_server)
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