A client is a device or software that communicates with a server via a specific protocol in order to retrieve services or data and make them available locally for use. This communication takes place within the framework of the client-server model, in which tasks and services can be distributed across several computers.
Clients are managed via client management and can be categorized into different types such as fat clients and thin clients. A fat client is a powerful desktop computer with its own computing capacity, while a thin client requires less hardware and is dependent on a server. This distinction has an impact on maintenance costs and energy efficiency. Clients serve as interfaces to the user and transmit standardized requests to the server. They accept received data and prepare it for output on end devices such as screens. There are different types of clients, including web browsers, email clients, DNS clients and VPN clients.
These enable communication via various protocols such as HTTP, POP3, SMTP or IMAP. Some clients, such as DNS clients, work as background services. In summary, clients are essential elements for communication between hardware and servers in order to provide services and data.
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