# Server: what it is and how it works · Zorraquino
> A server is a computer or program that provides services or resources to other computers, called clients, over a network.
URL: https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/internet/server.html

# Server

A server is a computer or program that provides services or resources to other computers, called clients, over a network

What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.

[The whole glossary](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary)

## What it is and how it works

It may be a physical machine, a virtual machine or a cloud service. By function there are web servers, which deliver pages, as well as mail, database, file and application servers. The client-server model underpins the internet: the browser requests a page and the web server sends it.

The word refers both to the hardware and to the software handling requests; for example, Apache and Nginx are web server programs running on a machine. Choosing between shared, dedicated, virtual private or cloud servers depends on the traffic, security and control a project needs.

Topics

[Technology and data](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/category/tecnologia-y-datos)

## Related concepts

- [Hosting](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/internet/hosting.html)
- [Shared server](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/internet/shared-server.html)
- [Dedicated server](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/internet/dedicated-server.html)