webclient

A web client is a software application that runs on a user's device and is used to access resources on the World Wide Web. The most common type of web client is a web browser, such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari. These browsers interpret and display web pages, which are written in languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. When a user enters a URL into a browser or clicks on a link, the web client sends a request to a web server. The web server then processes the request and sends back the requested resources, such as an HTML document or an image. The web client then renders these resources for the user to see and interact with.

Beyond web browsers, other types of web clients exist. For example, command-line tools like curl or wget can be used to retrieve web content from a terminal. Mobile applications also act as web clients, interacting with web services and APIs to fetch and display data. In a broader sense, any program that initiates a connection to a web server to retrieve information or perform an action can be considered a web client. The interaction between a web client and a web server typically follows the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or its secure version, HTTPS. This protocol defines the format of requests and responses exchanged between the two.