The Evolution of Web Applications via Edge Computing: Advantages and Practical Examples
Think about playing your favorite online game. You press the button and your character jumps instantly, without any lagging. Or you visit a shopping website and get your favorite products in front of your eyes immediately. Such speed and ease are the results of using edge computing technology.
Web applications are the websites and platforms that we use in our day-to-day life such as games, videos, online shops, maps, or educational applications. For quite some time, all the requests were processed in distant large computer centers called “the cloud”. However, sometimes, that caused some lagging problems. Fortunately, with the evolution of edge computing, everything changed in a way that brought many advantages.
Let us understand edge computing through practical examples
How it Worked Before:
Whenever you press a button on a website, your phone or tablet sends a request to a distant large center called “the cloud”. The computer processes your request, computes the necessary action, and sends the result back to your device. Since it takes a lot of time, similar to writing a letter to your friend living far away and waiting for their response, it causes some delays.
What Edge Computing Brings
However, with edge computing technology, instead of sending all the requests to remote locations, special “helper” computers are located closer to you. Such centers process all the easy requests directly. Only complicated computations or those involving personal data are transferred to distant computer centers.
That is how, instead of going to a distant large shop to purchase products, one visits a small helpful shop right near their home. Most things happen nearby.
Why Edge Computing Gets Popular
Today, internet usage increased dramatically among children and families. People desire to use websites and applications instantly without delays and pauses. They love to watch videos, play games, or study without being bothered by long waits. With improved network conditions and the rise of smart gadgets, more and more websites and applications started implementing the principles of edge computing. That is why many modern web applications became faster and more friendly.
Basic Advantages of Edge Computing
1. Extremely High Speed
Since information is processed near your location, websites and applications load much quicker. There is almost no lag when clicking buttons or pressing keys in a game. Videos become available instantly. Thus, users have more leisure time.
2. Reduced Consumption of Network Resources
With most operations performed nearby, fewer data is sent to and from distant computer centers, thus, saving the user’s network resources, which is beneficial from an environmental aspect.
3. Increased Security
Data stays closer to the user, reducing the risk of exposure while traveling a long distance. Nearby helpers perform some basic checks or provide customized services without sending the whole package to distant computers. However, proper websites should always ask for permission and allow the user to manage their data privacy.
4. Availability even when Connection is Poor
In case when the link between the device and computer centers gets weaker, nearby helpers keep the app functioning until the connection becomes stable again.
5. Ability to Handle Loads of Concurrent Users
When multiple people use the same website simultaneously, such as watching the newest episode or playing games, edge computing spreads the workload evenly among numerous nearby centers. All users receive a seamless experience.
Real-life Practical Examples:
The following examples illustrate how edge computing works within modern web applications.
Video Streaming
Copies of movies or videos are stored on the helper computers near your location. When you press the play button, the content starts loading immediately, while being watched by many others simultaneously without lagging.
E-commerce
You search for specific goods or toys. The website provides a list of suitable products based on your size and preferences instantly. Stock availability is checked quickly, providing a fast update of the website.
Cloud Gaming
Some games operate with large computers while using the capabilities of nearby helpers to make all your moves instantly. That allows controlling characters quickly without delays and lags making gaming fun.
Navigation
When asking for driving directions to a destination point, your app consults nearby helpers checking the traffic conditions instantly and adjusting the route within seconds in case of any changes.
Educational Applications
All educational websites and apps offer questions and answers without any delays. Whenever there is the need for additional tips and recommendations, hints appear on the screen instantly.
Those are some of the many websites and applications that use edge computing today.
Future Prospects of Edge Computing
Currently, edge computing continues to evolve while becoming more secure and user-friendly.
Because of edge computing technology, internet experience will become even better and more comfortable.
There is no need for complicated technical understanding to appreciate the advantages. Just access any web application and see how quickly and smoothly it works. This seamless experience is the effect of edge computing technology.
With more web apps incorporating edge computing technology, we will continue experiencing the benefits from improved websites and applications.
