Does anybody still use Client Server Architecture [closed]

Question

I have been writing software for several decades now and these days everything is web.
Before the web we had Client Server apps that were basically thick client applications that spoke directly to the database. They had some disadvantages, such as deployment was cumbersome, Did not scale because DB handled all traffic. Of course back then distribution of apps was limited to being on a desktop on a corporate network. The benefits to these apps were that they had fewer layers and were quick to develop.

There are times when the requirements call for an app behind a firewall with a dedicated database and a relatively small amount of clients. I suggest (sometimes on StackOverflow) the old Client/Server type architecture and everybody looks at me like I have 3 legs and 6 arms.

With modern technologies that allow automatic deployments of apps and the tools we have today. Is there a reason this technology is not viable ? Is it that the new generation of developers only know web stuff ?

Answer 1

I can think of at least two large-ish markets where client-server is still big:

• Online games and virtual worlds, such as Battlefield or Second Life. Usually you need a thick client plus a connection to a shared server.
• Custom-made scientific software. Complex technical or scientific software, especially if it needs an interactive graphical UI that does direct manipulation, is sometimes written in this fashion too.