Comparison
Multi-page applicationvsSingle-page application
Multi-page application
every link is a real navigation and the server sends a whole new document each time.
The default model, where each URL is a document request and the browser handles the transition. It costs a round trip per navigation and throws away client state, and in exchange every browser feature works without you implementing it. Modern paint-holding and back-forward caching have narrowed the perceived gap considerably, which is why the model is being reconsidered rather than assumed obsolete.
Full entry →Single-page application
the address bar changes and the content swaps, but the browser never loads a new document.
An application that loads once and handles every subsequent navigation in JavaScript. It gives you fast transitions and preserved state across screens, and it makes your code responsible for everything the browser used to do: history, scroll position, focus, titles, loading indicators and error pages. Most of what follows in this section is that list, one bug report at a time.
Full entry →