What does the term 'Client' refer to in networking?

In networking, the term 'Client' refers to a computer or device that accesses services provided by another computer, known as a server. This relationship is foundational in client-server architectures, where clients initiate requests for information or resources and servers respond to those requests.

Clients can range from concrete devices such as personal computers or smartphones to applications like web browsers that request data from servers. The process allows users to access and utilize resources, such as files or applications, hosted on the server.

The other options describe different concepts in networking and computing. A server hosting files specifically implies a role that contrasts with a client's role. Network bridging refers to the function of connecting two or more segments of a network to work as a single network, which does not define a client. A specialized data management system implies functionalities focused on organizing and managing data rather than the client-server interaction model. Thus, the definition clearly aligns with the concept of a client as it is understood in networking contexts.