subject: Advantages Of Rich Internet Applications [print this page] The Web 2.0 revolution has raised the demand for enhanced user experience (UX), usability and increased interactivity. And this in turn has put stress on web developers to look for new technologies and tools to meet the demand. Web developers nowadays are increasingly using technologies such as Adobe Flash/Flex, Java, and Ajax etc. for building web applications called RIAs or Rich Internet Applications. RIAs can be referred to as fully interactive business applications similar in power to the desktop, but instead of being heavy on the client-side; they are installed at a single server (and are internet driven). RIAs offer a rich, engaging experience that improves user satisfaction and improves productivity. Google Earth is the best example of a RIA.
A Rich Internet Application allows a decent proportion of the application to execute on the user's local system. The application for the client is designed to perform those functions that enhance the user's experience. Technically speaking - a server itself will update the client with fresh updates (as needed) without waiting for the end user to perform some action. Communication with the server doesn't have to be initiated every user action.
Advantages of RIAs
They provide an engaging and interactive user experience without page reloads or refreshes
RIAs reduces complexity of data - users can interactively visualize and manipulate complex data more effectively
Users get immediate and dynamic visual feedback of their actions
They run on browsers (no software is required)
Web users can remotely manage and monitor data through a web-based system
RIA combines the best of desktop and web. As web does not exclude anyone, RIA automatically becomes cross-platform
