The Web Browser as Distributed Application Server: Towards Decentralized Web Applications in the Edge

Web applications are evolving to a decentralized, client-centric architecture in which browsers need to be able to put the user back in control of their personal data, need to be able to operate in disconnected settings, and need to offload the web server as much as possible. This paper presents a set of key application scenarios and trends in different business domains that require a more client-centric and data-centric web middleware for decentralized, peer-to-peer web applications in the edge. We define a set of key requirements for data operations in such middleware and motivate them with the application cases. This paper further discusses the current state and limitations of the browser as a platform for peer-to-peer communication and complex decentralized applications with shared data. We conclude with a performance assessment of our first prototype middleware for client-centric and data-centric peer-to-peer web applications.