Difference between a web based, Client Server and a Desktop application?

[bvani]

What is the thin line difference between a web based, Client Server and a Desktop application?

What are the key points we need to take care (test) while testing these applications?



Thanks in advance,
Alankar

Hey Sunny I have posted ur question to the forum pls check ...

what is the difference between client-server testing and web based testing and what are things that we need to test? plz explain in detail if possible

Here goes the answer :

Projects are broadly divided into two types of :
2 tier applications
3 tier applications


CLIENT / SERVER TESTING
[a] This type of testing usually done for 2 tier applications (usually developed for LAN)
Here we will be having frontend and backend.

The application launched on frontend will be having forms and reports which will be monitoring and manipulating data

Eg : applications developed in VB,VC++,Core Java,C,C++,D2K,PowerBuilder etc.,
The backend for these applications would be MS Access, SQL Server, oracle, sybase, mysql, quadbase

The tests performed on these type of applications would be
- user interface testing
- manual support testing
- Functionality testing
- compatability testing & configuration testing
- intersystems testing

WEB TESTING
[b] This is done for 3 tier applications (developed for Internet / intranet / xtranet)

Here we will be having Browser, web server and DB server.

The applications accessable in browser would be developed in HTML, DHTML, XML, JavaScript etc.,
(we can monitor thru these applications)

Applications for the webserver would be developed in Adv Java, ASP, JSP, VBScript, JavaScript, Perl, ColdFusion, PHP etc.,
(all the manipulations are done on the web server with the help of these programs developed)

The DBserver would be having oracle, sql server, sybase, mysql etc.,
(all data is stored in the database available on the DB server)


The tests performed on these type of applications would be
- user interface testing
- Functionality testing
- security testing
- browser compatability testing
- load / stress testing
- interoperability testing/intersystems testing
- storage and data volume testing

A web-application is a three tier application.
This has a
browser (monitors data) [monitoring is done using html, dhtml, xml, javascript]-> webserver (manipulates data) [ manipulations are done using programming languages or scripts like adv java, asp, jsp, vbscript, javascript, perl, coldfusion, php] -> database server (stores data) [data storage and retrieval is done using databases like oracle, sql server, sybase, mysql] .

The type of tests which can be applied on this type of applications are :
1. User interface testing for validation & userfriendliness
2. Funtionality testing to validate behavious, i/p, error handling, o/p, manipulations, services levels, order of functionality, links, content of web page & backend coverages
3. Security testing
4. Browser compatability
5. Load / stress testing
6. Interoperability testing
7. Storage & data volume testing

a client-server application is a two tier application.
This has forms & reporting at frontend (monitoring & manipulations are done) [ using vb, vc++, core java, c, c++, d2k, power builder etc.,] -> database server at the backend [data storage & retrieval) [ using ms access, sql server, oracle, sybase, mysql, quadbase etc.,]

the tests performed on these applications would be
1. User interface testing
2. Manual support testing
3. Functionality testing
4. Compatability testing
5. Intersystems testing

[sunny_love]

Thanks a lot and really good reply.....!

[Robert]

That is really as very detailed explanation. It would really help to know briefly about client-server testing and web based testing. Thanks for such posting.

[milu_mohanty]

Thank you so very much Bhavani..I appreciate your help.

[msusmitha]

good bvani goood answer

[venkatsagehill]

hi

What is the Difference between Project and Product testing? What difference you have observed while testing the Clint/Server application and web server application.

venkat

[Yallabandi]

Hi Venkat,
Project and product testing is one and the same. Project refers to the whole software and product (considering all modules of the project integrated to a single whole product in commercial terms) refers to the whole software.

[Manojks]

Hi Venkat,

Project and Product are not the same...

Project is a one time process. ie., it has a start time and end time.
Product is a repeated process. For eg: Microsoft windows, Siebel CRM they are all products.
We can also say that Project is a short term process and product is a long term process...
If you consider testing on this... the same difference applies over there...
Project testing is a short term process and product testing is a long term process... Have u heard about 6 sigma testing process its applicable for product testing...

Thanks
Manoj

[anushya]

Hi,
Web based / browser based application means, the application that run thru browser. The executable file may have web files/ html files to run the application.
Client Server based application means, the application should have a client and server, whereas the server will listen for the new connection and the client will communicate to the server. Both the server and client application should run for this application.

Please correct me, if i am wrong.

[smganesh]

Hi,

Let me add few more points:

Desktop:
01. Application runs in single memory (Front end and Back end in one place)
02. Single user only

Client/Server:
01. Application runs in two or more machines
02. Application is a menu-driven
03. Connected mode (connection exists always until logout)
04. Limited number of users
05. Less number of network issues when compared to web app.

Web:
01. Application runs in two or more machines
02. URL-driven
03. Disconnected mode (state less)
04. Unlimited number of users
05. Many issues like hardware compatibility, browser compatibility, version compatibility, security issues, performance issues, etc

Regards,
Ganesh

[chand05]

great answer ....ganesh....tahnks for it...

[smganesh]

You are most welcome, Chand05.

[spd15]

Hello vani,
It was a quite detail explaination. Thanks a lot. Still I have few confusions....
Could you please explain me few more thing...
In Client/server archtecture, geographically how far could be they all from each other? Limited to a building or could be a town or....? Can big companies e.g. Reliance, have client /server administrative applications for their staff e.g. payroll, as they have no. of plants located at different locations? Or they access these internal applications only using web-based intranet?

[jainbrijesh]

see friend when we consider the security testing, both application should well secured to internal and external threat.

As per difference in both application comes where, how to access the resources. In client server once connection is made it will be in state on connected, whereas in case of web testing http protocol is stateless, then there comes logic of cookies, which is not in client server.

More for client server users are well known, whereas for web any user can login and access the content, he/she will use it as per his intentions.

so, there are always issuses of security and compatibility for web application.

[varmakub]

Here goes the answer :

Projects are broadly divided into two types of :
2 tier applications
3 tier applications


CLIENT / SERVER TESTING
[a] This type of testing usually done for 2 tier applications (usually developed for LAN)
Here we will be having frontend and backend.

The application launched on frontend will be having forms and reports which will be monitoring and manipulating data

Eg : applications developed in VB,VC++,Core Java,C,C++,D2K,PowerBuilder etc.,
The backend for these applications would be MS Access, SQL Server, oracle, sybase, mysql, quadbase

The tests performed on these type of applications would be
- user interface testing
- manual support testing
- Functionality testing
- compatability testing & configuration testing
- intersystems testing

WEB TESTING
[b] This is done for 3 tier applications (developed for Internet / intranet / xtranet)

Here we will be having Browser, web server and DB server.

The applications accessable in browser would be developed in HTML, DHTML, XML, JavaScript etc.,
(we can monitor thru these applications)

Applications for the webserver would be developed in Adv Java, ASP, JSP, VBScript, JavaScript, Perl, ColdFusion, PHP etc.,
(all the manipulations are done on the web server with the help of these programs developed)

The DBserver would be having oracle, sql server, sybase, mysql etc.,
(all data is stored in the database available on the DB server)


The tests performed on these type of applications would be
- user interface testing
- Functionality testing
- security testing
- browser compatability testing
- load / stress testing
- interoperability testing/intersystems testing
- storage and data volume testing

I would like to add another point " Load/Stress testing is not only for Web Testing we can do these on Client side (Desk top applications) as well "
As am working on the same :-)

[test_3]

What is the difference between client server and web application testing

[anand shi]

What are the factors are considedred in client server testing.
A ex. concurrency, performance are the basic tests to be done. ANy other tests to be conducted?

[murthy78]

Project is focussed on a single customer and testing is easier and product testing is generic consumption of the users. Product testing is more difficult.

[rohit1212]

Thanks for the information

[judhajit]

How is testing a CLIENT-SERVER application and a WEB based application diferent from one another ?