Client-server architecture

As explained in Rust Servers, Services, and Apps

The client-server model is a computing architecture in which clients request data or computation from dedicated servers that manage resources.

Client-server architecture separates software into clients that request data or computation and servers that manage resources, authorize requests, and fulfill them. section 11.1 section 11.5

The architecture typically establishes these boundaries:

• Clients request information or operations on resources managed by servers. section 11.1
• Servers act as custodians of data and associated computation, checking authorization before responding. section 11.1 section 11.5
• REST applies the separation to independently evolving clients and servers, often using standardized resource operations. section 3.2

Web requests and REST resources

A web browser requests a resource from a web server: GET retrieves information, while POST, PUT, and DELETE request computations or state changes. REST APIs apply the same pattern to resources such as users, shipments, courses, or weather data. section 11.1 section 3.2

Figure 11.1 Client/server vs. peer-to-peer computing

Compare dedicated client-server roles with peer-to-peer nodes, where each node can act as both client and server. section 11.1

How Rust Servers, Services, and Apps covers it

How deep it goes

Defines roles, authorization, REST constraints, and request methods, but stops short of implementation internals.

Examples

Uses web browsers, web servers, REST resources, HTTP-style methods, and weather, course, user, and shipment APIs.

What it assumes

Assumes familiarity with distributed systems and web APIs while clarifying client, server, resource, request, and response roles.

What you can do after

Evaluate request flows by identifying client responsibilities, server responsibilities, authorization, resources, and state-changing operations.

How it connects

Connects client-server architecture to distributed systems, REST, statelessness, layered systems, and peer-to-peer networks.

liveBookmanning.com

Read Rust Servers, Services, and Apps on liveBook Get the book at manning.com

Also explained in

• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Building Web APIs with ASP.NET CoreThe client-server approach separates client user-interface concerns from server-side data and application concerns.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Acing the CCNA Exam: Volume 2 Advanced Networking and SecurityClient-server architecture is a distributed-system pattern that separates clients requesting services from servers providing them.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Building User-Friendly DSLsA software architecture in which clients request services or data from a server that provides them.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Podman in Action: Secure, rootless containers for Kubernetes, microservices, and moreA client-server application is software organized into clients that request services from a separate server process.

Compare how 5 books explain client-server architecture →

Related concepts

• RESTused by · REST is an architectural style for distributed hypermedia systems that organizes interactions around resources and representations through constraints including a uniform interface, stateless communication, cacheability, and layered components.
• MCPused by · The Model Context Protocol is an open standard protocol that defines how AI applications connect with external tools, data sources, and other contextual resources.
• dhcpused by · The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a network protocol that automatically assigns devices IP addresses and related configuration information.
• peer-to-peer networkcontrasts with · A peer-to-peer network is a distributed architecture in which equivalent participants communicate and exchange resources directly without a central intermediary.
• Dockerused by · Docker is a platform and ecosystem for building, distributing, and running applications in containers.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Rust Servers, Services, and Apps. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.