Definition

app

App is an abbreviated form of the word "application." An application is a software program that's designed to perform a specific function directly for the user or, in some cases, for another application program.

Different types of apps include:

Web app - stored on a remote server and delivered over the Internet through a browser interface.

native app - has been developed for use on a particular platform or device.

hybrid app - combines elements of both native and Web applications. Hybrid apps are often mentioned in the context of mobile computing.

killer app - a program that intentionally or unintentionally gets you to buy the system the application runs on.

legacy app - has been inherited from languages, platforms, and techniques earlier than current technology.

Related glossary terms: corporate VM (corporate virtual machine), corporate mobility policy, Mobile Active Defense (MAD), enterprise mobility, consumer device, end user policy, bring your own apps (BYOA), endpoint security management, security awareness training, Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

This was last updated in November 2011

Posted by: Margaret Rouse

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