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So, Which is Better? A Smart Client or Pure Web-based Approach for Application Development?
by LogiXML BIz Comm Editorial Staff
August 22, 2006
In the case of Web-enabled smart client and pure Web-based applications, it’s not necessarily a question of which is better. The question really is, which is better for which purpose. This article compares smart clients with pure Web-based applications. When comparing a smart client approach to Web-based, you should consider the target platforms, the type of Web-based functionality, and the level of interactivity you need.
Smart Client Applications for Single Target Platforms
(Windows + IE)
If you have identified a clearly focused target client platform for which your users will be willing to install your application and for purely Windows-based and Internet Explorer environments, then smart clients will probably give you and your users the best experience.
The applications will be easy to develop with robust development tools like Microsoft® Visual Studio, and your users will experience the rich look and feel of a Windows application. In addition, if you need to build both desktop and Web-enabled versions of an application, it’s usually better to build the application as a smart client.
Disadvantages of Smart Client Applications for the Web
However, you should keep these considerations in mind for Web-enabled smart client applications:
- You may sacrifice functionality since the smart client approach is not fully optimized for the Web. Client applications may not be able to provide specific features or functionality that is available on the Web.
- Smart clients applications are not browser and platform independent. With smart client applications your users will be tied to IE running on Windows.
- Smart clients must be downloaded and installed on the user’s desktop, which increases risk and raises deployment, support and maintenance complexity.
- Smart clients need to support deployment for each update or upgrade to the application. And, supporting all the different combinations of client system configurations, and troubleshooting client issues like driver incompatibilities can be very difficult. Also, s mart clients do not automatically include the ability to run on any computer, provide automatic updates, or maintain portability.
Further, some organizations have strict IT policies and mandates that prohibit users from downloading components from the Web due to the potential for network security breaches, viruses and other unsafe code.
For many of the reasons listed above, most public applications on the Web (think online banking, online stores, and any government Web sites) are likely not based on Web-enabled smart clients.
Flexibility with Pure Web-based Applications – Broad User Reach and Easy Administration
If your application requires a broader reach, if your users may access your application with different browsers or platforms, or your IT initiatives promote a fully Web-based enterprise, you should employ a purely Web-based approach in your applications.
- A purely Web-based application relies only on the Web and Web technologies and does not require the complexities of download, installation, and maintenance. For example, when people purchase items from Web sites like Overstock or Amazon or E-bay, they do not want to have to download and install separate client applications for every store for every site (as well as check for updates on subsequent visits).
You get seamless distribution and seamless updates with Web-based applications. Your applications stay current since you can add and deploy enhancements as needed on the Web Server and not on individual clients. The only way users will notice the upgrade is when they take advantage of new features.
- You also get a cross-platform UI that works regardless of browser or OS. Users running Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Apple Safari, or Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) on a Linux machine, Mac, or PC can all access the application.
If you need to deliver functionality only over the Web, zero-footprint technologies like AJAX will improve the user experience with no plug-ins or downloads required. If you are specifically targeting platforms other than Windows for your applications, then Web applications are definitely better.
- For a competitive advantage, a pure Web-based approach may also be the way to go. Other Web browsers in the marketplace today are giving IE a run for the money. It doesn't make sense to just develop applications for IE with other browsers like Firefox, Safari and Opera gaining popularity and market share. (For example, Firefox now has over 10% of the browser market share.)
Users now have more choices; competition is good for consumers as well as advancing technologies and products. Based on that, application developers should seriously consider pure Web-based to support all the standard browsers and protect their development investments.
Compared to day-to-day desktop business applications, pure Web-based applications have been criticized for not being able to offer the same rich, dynamic user experiences and interactivity as desktop or smart client applications. However, technologies like AJAX are addressing such issues in mainstream applications, for example, as evidenced by Google’s purely Web-based applications. AJAX is an open technology that doesn’t bind users to any one platform. It essentially lets developers take advantage of the same benefits of Smart Clients (providing a rich, interactive user interface) in the browser without requiring Windows.
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