DApp meaning is decentralized applications, and they are applications that run on a distributed computing system, which is known as a blockchain network. DApps usually have the following properties:
First, they must be open source, meaning that the source code is intentionally made available to anyone that is able to verify, use, copy, and modify the code.
Second, DApps must be decentralized. They run on blockchain networks, thus they are not controlled by a single entity or authority. They are instead maintained by multiple nodes.
Third, DApps must be cryptographically secure. They are protected by cryptography, meaning that all the data is recorded and maintained in a public blockchain. This also means that there is no single point of failure.
DApps are considered upgrades when compared to traditional applications as there are some issues that DApps can solve. The main benefit of choosing a DApp over a traditional app is that the latter uses a centralized architecture by storing their data on servers controlled by a single entity. This means a centralized application has a single point of failure, which is susceptible to technical problems and malicious attacks. An attack on the central server would cause the entire network to crash. In addition, centralized systems suffer from data leakage or theft quite often.
Decentralized applications fuel their own activity through a tokenized system (digital tokens created through the use of smart contracts). Tokens can be specific for a particular DApp (e.g., the Steem token used on Steemit), or they can be native to the blockchain that hosts the DApp, like in the case of CryptoKitties using ETHer (ETH).
In conclusion, DApp meaning is “decentralized applications”, which is designed as open-source projects that run on top of the blockchain network. Such applications bring benefits in transparency, decentralization, and security.
