Exygy builds Web Applications… but what does “Web Application” mean?

The answer is simple: “A Web Application is software”

Technically, a web application is software that runs in a web browser (Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari).

Typically, a Web Application is software powered by a web server (Apache, IIS), an application language/engine (PHP, Java, Ruby, ASP) and a database (MySQL, SQLServer, Oracle).

A Web Application is software that runs over the internet.

There used to be a lot of talk about “desktop applications” vs. “web applications”, or “client side” vs. “server side” apps.  It was obvious to the end-user what services they were running on their desktop (Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel), and which they were running in their browser (eBay, MySpace, etc.)

There used to be many compelling reasons to choose to build on the desktop instead of the web.  Circa 2002 things like latency, page refreshes, and browser restrictions on user experience were still all reasons to decide to develop on the client side rather than on the web.  Today, the maturation of web 2.0 technologies (AJAX, Javascript libraries like Script.aculo.us) and frameworks (RoR, CakePHP, Struts) have allowed software developers quickly and easily create compelling web applications that mimic the desktop experience.

Businesses looking to offer new services to their clients are now, by default, looking to offer their service through the web.  Legacy services — ones you would previously have expected to access only through your desktop — are becoming available through the web.  For example, QuickBooks and TurboTax, software that used to run on the desktop of every small business owner, now primarily offer their services through their web applications.  The majority of TurboTaxes clients filed their tax returns through turbotax.com (vs. using the TurboTax desktop application) for the first time in 2008.

Google’s applications suite (Google Docs, GMail, Google Calendar etc.) are all web applications designed to compete directly with the king of desktop applications: Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc).

Perhaps the greatest coup for web apps would be the displacement of the biggest client side app there is: your operating system (Windows XP, Mac OS X, Linux, etc.)  Today, the web is a-buzz about companies like Xcerion, eyeOS, Desktoptwo, and (reportedly) Google — all are  trying to build web based operating systems.  Keep your eye on these guys, they may be windows into the future of the software development.