What is a server?
Options
- A very expensive computer that only large companies can own
- A computer or program that waits for requests and sends responses (Correct option)
- A type of database that is used to store the user data
- A programming language that is used mainly for backends
Answer
A computer or program that waits for requests from clients and sends back responses
Why
The word has two meanings and both are used.
Hardware: a computer connected to a network that stores files and runs programs for others.
Software: a program that listens for requests (for example a web server that understands HTTP) and answers them.
A server can be your laptop while you develop, or a machine in a cloud data center in production.
Remember
Server = waits for requests and answers them.