Thick Clients
Thick clients, also known as fat clients, are software applications that perform most processing locally on the user's device rather than relying heavily on a central server. They typically include substantial business logic, data processing, and user interface components installed directly on the client machine, requiring minimal server interaction primarily for data storage or authentication. This architecture contrasts with thin clients, which offload most processing to remote servers.
Developers should consider thick clients when building applications that require high performance, offline functionality, or complex local processing, such as desktop software, graphic design tools, or data-intensive scientific applications. They are particularly useful in environments with unreliable network connectivity or when sensitive data processing must remain on-premises for security compliance. However, they require more maintenance for deployment and updates compared to web-based alternatives.