Characteristics of Desktop Applications

[charlesprabhu]

A Desktop application is a software program that can be run on a standalone computer to perform a task by an end-user.

If you’ve ever used the word editor or notes on your computer, you’ve used a desktop application!

Characteristics

Developed to run on specific operating systems such as Linux, Windows, or mac
Restricted by the hardware requirements of the device on which they run
Don’t need an internet connection
Designed to run in isolated environments

[SamHobbs]

There are some desktop frameworks that support development of portable programs whose binary (compiled) file can execute in Linux, Windows and Mac.

I am not aware of any program that is not restricted by the hardware they run in.

One difference between most internet GUIs and a desktop GUI is that the internet GUI files (such as PHP) are processed from beginning to end and require the program to execute fresh each time there is a GUI event processed by the program (JavaScript executes separate from the server program). For desktop applications the GUI file (or files) are shown after the program has been fully loaded and executed by the operating system and events are all processed in a single execution of the program, somewhat like the way JavaScript works.