A web application is an application stored at a remote server. It requires a web browser to run and the internet for data or resource transfer.
Whereas, a desktop application is an application designed to serve standalone machines that don’t require the internet for its operation.
Web Application vs Desktop Application
| Web Applications | Desktop Applications |
| Web applications can be accessed from anywhere, so there is no location constraint. | As desktop are confined to a standalone machine, so they can be only accessed from the machines they are deployed in. |
| Web applications are platform-independent, they can work in different types of platforms with the only requirement of a web browser. | Desktop applications need to be developed separately for different platform machines. |
| Web applications are at higher security risks as they are inherently designed to increase accessibility. | Desktop applications, on the other hand, have better authorization and administrators have better control, hence more secure. |
| Web applications rely heavily on internet connectivity, for there operation. | Desktop applications don’t require the internet for their operations. Some applications just require internet connectivity at the time of updaes. |