An introduction to web applications architecture

Contents

• 
  Introduction
  
• 
  Learning outcomes
  
• 
  1 Architecture
  
  • 
    1.1 Client–server architecture
    
  • 
    1.2 Multi-tier architecture
    
• 
  2 Network and distributed architectures
  
  • 
    2.1 Service-oriented architecture (SOA)
    
  • 
    SOA principles
    
  • 
    Web services
    
  • 
    2.2 Cloud architecture
    
  • 
    Software as a Service (SaaS)
    
  • 
    Platform as a Service (PaaS)
    
  • 
    Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
    
• 
  Conclusion
  
• 
  References
  
• 
  Further reading
  
• 
  Acknowledgements
  

Introduction

This free course, An introduction to web applications architecture, provides an overview of the design and implementation of computer software that runs on web servers, instead of running solely on desktop computers, laptops or mobile devices.
Web applications are software which can be accessed via a network using a web browser. Websites such as Amazon and eBay, forums and online banking systems are examples of web applications. Web services describes a standardised way of integrating web applications using the internet standards and protocols.
This OpenLearn course is an adapted extract from the Open University course TT284 Web Technologies.

Learning outcomes

After studying this course you should be able to:

• 
  understand the development of web application architecture leading to a more modular approach
  

• 
  sketch out the components that would be used in a range of approaches to web application architecture
  

• 
  outline a range of benefits and potential problems associated with a specific approach to web application architecture
  

• 
  contrast developments in architecture (SOA, Cloud) with more traditional tiered approaches.