Intro to Web Applications
When you visit a simple website, your browser downloads files and displays them. The content is fixed — like reading a printed brochure. But when you use Gmail, shop on Amazon, or post on social media, something different happens. These are web applications — programs that run in your browser and respond dynamically to what you do.
The distinction matters because web applications involve much more than displaying pre-made pages.
Static Sites vs Web Applications
A static website serves the same content to everyone. A restaurant's hours, a company's "About" page, a blog post — these don't change based on who's viewing them. The server sends files; the browser displays them.
A web application generates content dynamically. When you log into your bank, the page shows your balance, not everyone's. When you search on Google, the results are computed specifically for your query. The server runs programs that create customized responses.
Think of it this way: a static site is like a printed flyer handed to everyone. A web application is like a restaurant with a dynamic menu — what you see depends on what's available, your preferences, and your past orders.
How Web Applications Work
Web applications split work between two places:
The browser (client) handles what you see and interact with — buttons, forms, animations. This is the frontend.
The server (backend) handles data, logic, and security — checking passwords, saving information, processing payments. This is the backend.
When you click "Submit" on a form, your browser sends a request to the server. The server processes it (maybe saving data to a database), then sends back a response. Your browser updates to show the result.
Why This Matters
Understanding that web applications are programs, not just pages, helps you see why building them requires programming knowledge. The interactive experiences you use daily — email, shopping, social media, banking — all involve code running both in your browser and on remote servers.
As you learn to code, you'll gain the ability to create these dynamic experiences yourself.