What is Client-Server Architecture? An Easy Explanation

A basic understanding of client server architecture can be,

an app requesting a list of restaurants to the server and the server giving back a list as a response. But often it can happen that there is logical manipulation of data. For example, your food ordering app is now asking for a list of top rated restaurants near your location. In this case, there will be filtering of data (manipulation/processing). Now, this manipulation of data can happen in the client as well as in the server. If the logic happens in the client, then it will be called a thick client, and if the logic sits in the server, then the client will be called a thin client.

Types of architecture:

• 2 tier

If there is only client and server with all the data, and the logic/processing of data sits in either the server or the client , then it is a 2 tier architecture.

• 3 tier

In case when the data is huge and needs to be stored and processed separately, 2 tier is divided into a separate layer. This is the database. In 3 tier architecture there are 3 layers, namely, the client/presentation layer, the application/logic layer and the data layer.

• N tier

Now, in some cases when even the 3 tier architecture is not enough for the amount of computation and processing of data in an efficient manner, it is further divided into separate layers. For example, a caching layer can be introduced between the logic and data layers, or there can be proxies and load balancers in between client and logic layers. These are N tier architectures.

When to choose what?

• Thin client in 2 tier architecture

In case, when you only have to serve images/texts and very less logical data manipulation is needed then a thin client with 2 tier architecture can be a good choice.

• Thick client with 2 tier architecture

In case, when rich graphical user interface or too much processing is needed at the client end for example video editing software, then thick client is a good option.

• 3 tier architecture

When the data is huge and a lot of processing is required, then it is better to make a separate machine for the data, a separate machine for the business logic and a separate client.

• N tier architecture

When the applications grow larger and complex and need to cater to a large user base, and it is not possible using these 3 layers, then other layers or components like caching and load balancers come into picture.

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