ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Single-page application

Hey kiddo, have you ever used a website like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram? They all have one thing in common, they are examples of single-page applications (SPA)! Let me explain...

When you visit a regular website, you usually have to wait for a whole new page to load every time you click on something. It's like flipping through a book to find the page you want. But, with a single-page application, it's more like scrolling through a big poster or a picture book.

That's because the entire website is loaded right away when you first visit it. All the different parts of the site, like photos, comments, and videos, are stored in one big file. So instead of loading a new page every time you click on something, the website just shows or hides different parts of that file as you scroll and interact with it.

Think of it like a toy box with lots of different toys inside. Instead of taking all the toys out of the box every time you want to play with a different one, you just reach in and grab the one you want.

One of the best things about single-page applications is that they allow the website to feel more like a native app on your phone or computer. That means it responds faster and feels more intuitive to use.

So, the next time you're scrolling through your favorite social media site, remember that you're using a single-page application!
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