A web application or web app is any application software that runs in a web browser or is created in a browser-supported programming language (such as the combination of JavaScript, HTML and CSS) and relies on a common web browser to render the application.

Web applications are popular due to the ubiquity of web browsers, and the convenience of using a web browser as a client, sometimes called a thin client.

The ability to update and maintain web applications without distributing and installing software on potentially thousands of client computers is a key reason for their popularity, as is the inherent support for cross-platform compatibility.

Common web applications include webmail, online retail sales, online auctions, wikis and many other functions.