Difference between Client server & web

testing?

• Client server application is a 2 tier application and web application is an n-tier

• application.
• Client server is a single user application and the web application is multi user

Some other differences are:

1) Client server applications do not require any browser as media to access the
application.
But web based applications must and should require any browser or media to access
the application.
2) Lot of security is required for web based applications than client server
applications.
Ex: web based applications generally facing the problem viruses.
3) Lot of scalability, reliability, performance is required to web based applications
than client server applications, since those are generally multi users around the
world.
4) Generally client server application comes under LAN/MAN. But web applications
come under WAN.

• In Web Testing, you test the application with different browsers and different
versions of the same browsers. Here, you would be concentrating on User
Interface, Functionality and Performance of the application. In Client Server
Testing, you don’t require any media/browser to test the application.

• In a web based application, browser is a thin client, and as a tester we have

to test the browser too. Here we have to test the links, urls, navigation,
usability etc. For a web based application we have unlimited users. So
performance should be considered.

• A higher degree of Security, Performance and Reliability testing is required for

web based applications than client server applications becoz web based
applications are multi user applications whereas client server applications are
single user applications.

• If the database is changed in client server application, the front end source
code needs to be changed where as in web based, if the database changes,
only the middleware has to be changed accordingly as client never interacts
with the server directly. The business logic is @ middleware in web based
application where as the same is at client in fat client/thin server architecture
and at server in thin client/fat server architecture.

• Client Server Transactions are limited, whereas Web Transactions are

unpredictable and unlimited. Client Server User behavior is predictable and
controllable, where in Web Testing User behavior is unpredictable and
uncontrollable.

• Client Server variables are LAN, centralized H/W, and S/W, where as Web
testing variables are Firewalls, Routers.
 • Client Server failures are noticed internally, where in Web Testing it is known
externally.

• Testing the application in the intranet is client-server testing and testing the
application with the internet is web-based testing.

• Web testing includes: navigation testing, frame testing, broken links or

missing URL's testing, browser testing and static text testing.

• Web server serves the web pages by handling http requests for viewing in web
browser; application server provides/exposes business logic for client applications
through various protocols.

• Web server delegation model is fairly simple, when the request comes; it simply
passes the request to the program best able to handle it (Server side program).
It may not support transactions and database connection pooling.

• Application server is more capable of dynamic behavior than web server. We can
also configure application server to work as a web server. Simply application
server is a superset of web server.
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