Online applications are software programs that you use over the internet, usually through a web browser, instead of installing them on your own device. This means you don't need to download or install anything extra to start using them.
Some online applications are entirely browser-based. Everything you do happens inside the browser window. For example, you might build a simple animation in an online tool and save it online, with nothing installed on your computer apart from the browser itself.
Other online applications work together with locally installed programs and services. A browser-based tool might pass a file to a desktop program, or a local app might save your work to an online service. For instance, you could design a poster in a browser-based editor, then open the file in a desktop publishing program to add the final touches.
Because online applications run on remote servers, you can access them from any device that has an internet connection and a browser. That is different from traditional software, which has to be installed on every computer that uses it.
Pearson BTEC Digital Information Technology · Features of cloud computing