[edit] Brief Description

[edit] Wiki description

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DESCRIPTION

Web applications must be some of the most popular and accessible applications out there. Almost everyone has tried at least once in its life a web application whether to send an email or to write thoughts in an online journal. Now a days they have become indispensable and they are meant to make users' lives easier. As a short definition we could say that web applications are applications accessible through the internet or intranet and can be used to build webmails, blogs, forums, enterprise portals, wiki engines or even powerful search engines. When it comes to the internet the possibilities are endless. Web applications are based on the client/server architecture and use different technologies(Java, JavaScript, Flash and so on) to create user interface.

CLASSIFICATION

If we were to classify web applications we would get the following categories:

• collaborative applications - these applications have the purpose to help a group of people or a team achieve their goal.

• content management systems - these applications are supposed to manage information stored in a repository.

• search engines - these applications will help users build fast search engines to include in their websites.

• portal applications - these applications can be used to develop elaborate portals.

• social networking applications - these applications will allow users to build websites like MySpace or Youtube.

• RSS readers or news aggregators - these applications are used to aggregate news feeds into one page.

• email software - software for sending and receiving emails.
• webmail
• email clients
• email server

• web servers - software that provides access to web documents.

• web browsers - software used to access the internet.

• wiki engines - software for building wikis similar to the famous Wikipedia.

• advertising tools - software used in ad campaigns.

• blogs - software for building online journals.

• forums - software for starting discussion boards.

• e-commerce software - electronic business application aimed at commercial transactions .

• PHP scripts - usable scripts.

• communicative software - software used for chatting or online conferences.
• chat
• instant messaging
• conferencing applications

TOP CHARACTERISTICS

Although this class contains all sort of products with different characteristics, there are a few features that are common to all of them, like:

• multi-tier architecture;
• accessible via internet or intranet;
• web interface, usually designed in JavaScript, Java, ASP .NET, Python, Perl etc;
• the use of Web application frameworks;
• the use of Servlets, Filters, JSP;
• most of them can be accessed through a web browser;
• most of them use the HTTP protocol;
• web applications are either presentation-oriented or service-oriented.

TOP SOFTWARE

Here is a list of users' favorite web applications, voted in 2007:

1. Firefox (Web browsers)

2. Google Reader (RSS Readers)

3. Internet Explorer 7 (Web browsers)

4. Netvibes (RSS Readers)

5. Opera (Web browsers)

6. Safari (Web browsers and RSS readers)

7. AIM (Webmails)

8. GMAIL (Webmails)

9. Yahoo! Mail (Webmails)

10. Skype (Conferencing applications and Instant messaging applications)

COMMUNITIES

• Web Application Security Podcast and Blog
• WSG Forum - discussion board on any subject related to web applications.
• Google Blog - latest news on Google products.
• MSDN Blog
• IBM developerWorks community
• Oracle Blog
• The Mozilla Blog
• ASP.NET Forums
• Sun Forum
• The Apple Blog
• Web Developer Forum
• Dev Shed Forums - Open source web development
• Developers Forum on Sourceforge.net
• Web Developer Forum
• Web Applications Blog

SEE ALSO

• Unofficial Web Applications List - here users can find a list of all sort of web applications.
• Best Free Web Applications - a list of free and useful web applications.
• Web Applications Tutorial - a tutorial on how to build web applications.
• Web vs. Desktop Design - an interesting article on the comparison between web and desktop design.