In the computing field, the term client refers to computer software or hardware that interfaces with a server for accessing services. It is an important part of the client-server model. For instance, web browsers such as Apple Safari or Google Chrome acts as a web client that interfaces with the webserver for retrieving and displaying the web pages. Other examples are email clients like Gmail and Yahoo. Clients are classified into two types, thick client and thin client. An architecture comprising of both thick client and the thin client is known as a hybrid client.

What is the Thick Client?

A thick client performs the operation independent of the server. It implements its own features. The other names for a thick client are ‘fat client’ or ‘rich client’. The prime example of the thick client is personal computers connected to LAN (Local Area Network), cloud computing or virtual network servers, etc. Other examples of the thick client are subscription featured programs and apps such as Adobe Creative Cloud, MS Office 365, etc. installed in a computing device. However, despite the ability of the thick clients to function without a central server, it still requires a periodic network server connection.

Features of Thick Client:

• High-Level Graphics User Interface
• Efficient Program and Data Processing
• Ability to Work Offline
• Highly Efficient Server Performance

What is Thin Client?

Unlike a thick client, the thin client needs a server to function properly. It is heavily depended on the central server for data processing or retrieving files. With a thin client, the server performs sensitive functions like storage, retrieving the files and data processing. The perfect example of a thin client is a web browser. They don’t seem to be interesting unless they are connected to the web servers. Once they get access to the webserver, they provide a wide range of functionality and services.

Features of Thin Client:

• Less maintenance of Hardware and Software
• Reduced risk of malfunction as the files and apps are stored in the central server
• Cost-effective
• Fewer hardware requirements as compared to thick clients.

A Quick Comparison Between Thick Client and Thin Client

Thick Client	Thin Client
Can function independently of a central server	Heavily dependent on the server
Expensive as they need more IT work to deploy them	Cost-effective as they are easy to deploy without any extra installation software
Utilizes more local resources	Utilizes less local resources
Data is stored locally	Data is stored on the server
Can function efficiently in offline mode	Cannot function efficiently in offline mode
Example: Personal Computers connected to LAN.	Example: Web Browsers like Google Chrome and Apple Safari