In UiPath, all three terms - thin client, thick client, and surface automation - deal with automating tasks on applications, but they differ in how UiPath interacts with those applications:
Thin Client Automation:
- This refers to automating tasks done on web applications accessed through a browser.
- In essence, UiPath acts like a regular user interacting with the web interface.
- Examples include logging into a web portal, filling out forms, or extracting data from a website.
Thick Client Automation:
- This refers to automating tasks done on desktop applications installed locally on the machine.
- UiPath can directly interact with the elements of the application like buttons, menus, and data fields.
- Examples include automating tasks in software like Microsoft Office applications or custom-built desktop programs.
Surface Automation:
- This is a specific approach used for automating applications that run in virtual environments like Citrix or Remote Desktop.
- Since these applications are presented as a “surface” on the user’s screen, UiPath relies on techniques like image recognition and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to interact with them.
- This is because traditional methods of identifying UI elements might not work within the virtual environment.
Anil_G
A_Learner
Matias_Clemente.Arg