Ī server may receive requests from many distinct clients in a short period. By abstracting access, it facilitates cross-platform data exchange. By restricting communication to a specific content format, it facilitates parsing. The API is an abstraction layer for accessing a service. To formalize the data exchange even further, the server may implement an application programming interface (API). The application layer protocol defines the basic patterns of the dialogue. All protocols operate in the application layer. The language and rules of communication are defined in a communications protocol. To communicate, the computers must have a common language, and they must follow rules so that both the client and the server know what to expect. This exchange of messages is an example of inter-process communication. The client sends a request, and the server returns a response. the content and the formatting of the data for the requested service.Ĭlients and servers exchange messages in a request–response messaging pattern. The client only has to understand the response based on the well-known application protocol, i.e. Generally, a service is an abstraction of computer resources and a client does not have to be concerned with how the server performs while fulfilling the request and delivering the response.
Communication between servers, such as to synchronize data, is sometimes called inter-server or server-to-server communication.
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The client software can also communicate with server software within the same computer. For example, a single computer can run a web server and file server software at the same time to serve different data to clients making different kinds of requests. Whether a computer is a client, a server, or both, is determined by the nature of the application that requires the service functions. The sharing of resources of a server constitutes a service. A shared resource may be any of the server computer's software and electronic components, from programs and data to processors and storage devices. For example, a web server serves web pages and a file server serves computer files. Servers are classified by the services they provide. The server component provides a function or service to one or many clients, which initiate requests for such services. The "client-server" characteristic describes the relationship of cooperating programs in an application.