Editing Client–server model (section)

==Client and server role==
The server component provides a function or service to one or many clients, which initiate requests for such services.
Servers are classified by the services they provide. For example, a [[web server]] serves [[web page]]s and a [[file server]] serves [[computer file]]s. A [[shared resource]] may be any of the server computer's software and electronic components, from [[Computer program|programs]] and [[Data (computing)|data]] to [[Microprocessor|processors]] and [[Data storage device|storage devices]]. The sharing of resources of a server constitutes a ''service''.

Whether a computer is a client, a server, or both, is determined by the nature of the application that requires the service functions. For example, a single computer can run a web server and file server software at the same time to serve different data to clients making different kinds of requests. The client software can also communicate with server software within the same computer.<ref>The [[X Window System]] is one example.</ref> Communication between servers, such as to synchronize data, is sometimes called ''[[inter-server]]'' or ''server-to-server'' communication.