What is the difference between a fat client and a thin client?

The main difference between a fat client and a thin client lies in their processing capabilities and resource requirements.

A fat client, also known as a thick client or a rich client, is a computer or device that has a significant amount of processing power, memory, and storage capacity. It can perform complex tasks and run applications locally, without relying heavily on a network connection or a central server. Fat clients are capable of executing most of the processing and data storage tasks on their own.

On the other hand, a thin client is a lightweight device that relies heavily on a network connection and a central server for processing and data storage. It has limited processing power, memory, and storage capacity. Thin clients are designed to primarily serve as a user interface to access applications and data that are stored and processed on a remote server. They depend on the server to perform most of the computational tasks.

In summary, the key difference between a fat client and a thin client is that a fat client has more processing power and can perform tasks locally, while a thin client relies on a network connection and a central server for most of its processing and storage needs.