This section describes the client tier components of the Windchill runtime architecture.

The Windchill primary client component is a web browser. The widespread availability of low-cost, powerful web browsers, makes it possible to deploy a large, distributed information system with little or no maintenance of individual client hosts.

Using a web browser as a front-end, allows leveraging of HTTP server capabilities on the back end. For example, HTTP request authentication, designed for controlling access to other web server resources, is used to authenticate access to the Windchill system with the need to license and embed security software into Windchill clients and servers. Instead, rapidly evolving authentication schemes can be used in a manner transparent to the Windchill system, giving you more freedom to manage your Web security infrastructure as you see fit.

A web browser front end also allows you to leverage built-in file download and upload capabilities and the launching of helper applications and plug-ins.

The initial point of contact between a client and a Windchill server is an HTTP GET or POST request. It is typically a GET request, activated by a link embedded in an HTML page, that initiates connection with the Windchill system.

The Windchill system responds with an HTML page. This page may contain JavaScript or JScript to coordinate window or frame usage within the browser.

Many simple accesses to the system may use only HTML presentation, with HTML form data serving as input.