How the Internet Works

Client

The device or program that makes requests to a server.

Definition

The device or program that makes requests to a server. Your web browser is a client. Your phone app is a client. Anything that asks a server for data and displays the result is acting as a client.

Example

When you open Instagram, the Instagram app on your phone (the client) sends requests to Instagram's servers asking for your feed, stories, and messages.

More terms in How the Internet Works

URL Domain Name DNS HTTP Request Server Frontend Backend Request-Response Cycle IP Address

See it in context Learn how Client fits into the bigger picture of how software actually works.

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