When you open a web browser and type an address, your computer sends a request to a server. Your computer is the client — a computer or program that requests services from a server. The server responds with the page. The client renders it on your screen.

The client-server model is fundamental to networking. The client initiates. The server waits and responds. This division of labor lets one server handle thousands of clients at once. Email, file sharing, and databases all use it.

Types of clients

• Thin client: minimal processing, relies on server
• Thick client: does significant processing locally
• Web client: runs in a browser
• Mobile client: runs on a phone or tablet

Not every client is a computer. A printer can be a client requesting print jobs. A smart thermostat is a client asking for weather data. The term describes a role in a conversation, not a specific device.