Transformation of a desktop application to a web application

This thesis investigates how a developer can move a desktop application to the web environment. The investigation also includes finding out what are the limitations of a web application and what is not possible to move to the web from the desktop. The question is whether there is any functionality that is gained or lost in the web application after the move. A survey has been conducted to find out what types of problems occur when moving an application from desktop to the web. The authors of this thesis have developed two prototypes for a company who wants to move a limited part of their current desktop application to the web in the future. The prototypes have been developed in Silverlight and ASP.NET. The survey has revealed that one of the disadvantages of web applications is the difficulty in working with local files and hardware on the computer. An information search has suggested that a function in a web application can be carried out faster or slower than in a desktop application depending on the conditions. Silverlight has shown through the practical work that it can make the move to the web easier for companies who are more specialized in desktop applications because there is not much knowledge required for the migration. Silverlight has also shown during the implementation of graphical components that it can easily move functionality such as drag and drop with the aid of its toolkit. The shift from desktop to the web can be seen as building a web application from scratch. The result can be influenced by the experience of the developer in the development of the web or desktop applications. Increased knowledge in the methods and technology used in the development of web applications is a necessity for anyone considering to make the move from the desktop