A wide availability of the Internet makes web applications very popular. They are real programs or web programs for online use. Web applications are designed to run on a website, using a browser as a client. They can be simple, like a guest-book on a website, or complex, such as a word processor. Web banking or web games are examples of applications we are familiar with.
Usually, an application has a three-tier structure. First, there is the User Service one that allows user access. Then, the Business Service tier allows the user to perform complex activities. The third tier is the Data Service allowing data storage and retrieval.
The developer has no responsibility to build a client for each type of computer or operating system. And this is one of the advantages of a web application. It means the application runs from a web browser for all the computers and operating systems. Some web apps, however, are designed for specific web browsers.
The ubiquity of the web browsers, the update and maintaining facilities without physically reach of thousands of clients turn applications into world wide used platforms. Among the functions of a application, there are online auctions, retail sales and web mail.
It is considered that applications have been around since 1987, years before the Internet became popular outside academic and technology circles. From relatively simple applications, the late 90’s brought a push to more complex ones.
The client-server architecture is preferred to host web applications. The server stores and recovers information. Web applications have the functionality and the benefit of working across multiple platforms. An example is the word processor running as a web app that stores the information and gives you the possibility to download the document on your PC.
Nowadays, project management is a key implementing factor. Projects broke the boundary of company offices and there was the need of a web based application to run projects around the world on the same platform. Web applications of Project Management are flexible and efficient solutions that improve communication within projects. They enable an early identification of problems and maintain the project environment. An application for Project Management can be as simple or complicated as required, based on the size, type and methodology of the project.