Server
Server
A computer or program that provides data and services to other computers over a network.
In Simple Terms
A server is a computer whose job is to deliver information to you. When you browse a website on your phone, a server sends the page data your way; when you send or receive email, a server processes the messages behind the scenes. Servers are at work in countless networked situations — like syncing the positions of all players in an online game.
Behind the Name
The name comes from the English word "serve" — to provide or supply something to others. Just like a waiter at a restaurant who takes your order and brings you exactly what you need, a server waits on the network and delivers the right information in response to each request.
Take a Closer Look!
A server is a computer — or a program running on one — that provides data and services to other computers over a network.
Broadly speaking, it plays the role of a "service provider" on the network.
In contrast, the devices on the receiving end — your phone, laptop, and so on — are called "clients."
There are many types of servers, each built for a specific purpose. A web server, for example, sends the data needed to display a website, while a mail server handles the sending and receiving of email.
Other servers stream video, store large amounts of data, or manage the progress of an online game — there is often a dedicated server for each kind of job.
The word "server" can refer to a dedicated piece of hardware, or to the software running on that hardware and delivering the service. A single high-performance machine can run multiple virtual servers at once, and you can also borrow server capacity over the internet through the cloud — so servers come in many forms.
Our digital lives are kept running by servers that operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year without stopping.