client-server

programming A common form of distributed system in which

software is split between server tasks and client tasks.

A client sends requests to a server, according to some

protocol, asking for information or action, and the server

responds.

This is analogous to a customer (client) who sends an order

(request) on an order form to a supplier (server) who

despatches the goods and an invoice (response). The order

form and invoice are part of the "protocol" used to

communicate in this case.

There may be either one centralised server or several

distributed ones. This model allows clients and servers to be

placed independently on nodes in a network, possibly on

different hardware and operating systems appropriate to

their function, e.g. fast server/cheap client.

Examples are the name-server/name-resolver relationship in

DNS, the file-server/file-client relationship in NFS and

the screen server/client application split in the X WindowSystem.

Usenet newsgroup: news:comp.client-server.

["The Essential Client/Server Survival Guide", 2nd edition,

1996].

(1998-01-25)