Developing Web Applications

Limitations of Client Technologies

Although it’s possible to create applications that rely exclusively on client-side technologies, they are somewhat limited in their capabilities, just as client/server architecture is. There are several reasons why client/server architecture isn’t suitable for full-scale enterprise applications on the Internet:

A client application using client-side ActiveX controls or client-side scripting is not supported by all browsers. A line-of-business application for the Internet must work with as many browsers as possible, including those that do not support HTML tables, frames, Java applets, client-side scripting, or ActiveX controls.
Coding business logic as client-side script fails to protect your programming investment (because the source code is available to all). Java applets and ActiveX controls are more secure, but whenever you combine business logic with the user interface, your application becomes harder to support and to debug. In addition, the resulting components are less likely to be reusable in other applications.
Client-centric applications do not take full advantage of the three-tier programming model. Designs in which the client plays more than a supporting role typically take on tasks that are better suited for the server, such as resource management and data manipulation.