# DApp

> A decentralised application. A web app whose backend logic runs on smart contracts.

Canonical URL: https://fudfomo.co/glossary/dapp
Source: What The Block! Dictionary v1.0 (last updated 2026-04-25), browsable at https://wtb.fudfomo.co.

## Definition

A DApp, short for decentralised application, is an app whose core logic lives in smart contracts on a public blockchain. The frontend usually looks like a normal web app, but instead of talking to a private server it sends transactions to on-chain contracts.

Most DeFi platforms, NFT marketplaces, and DAO interfaces are DApps. The frontend can still be hosted by a single team, which is why some critics question how decentralised any given DApp really is.

## Related terms

- [Smart Contract](https://fudfomo.co/glossary/smart-contract): A program that runs on a blockchain and does what it says, automatically.
- [Web3](https://fudfomo.co/glossary/web3): A loose label for the part of the internet built on blockchains, wallets, and tokens.
- [DeFi](https://fudfomo.co/glossary/defi): Decentralised finance. Apps that offer lending, trading, and saving on a blockchain instead of through a bank.
- [Wallet](https://fudfomo.co/glossary/wallet): An app or device that holds the keys you need to spend and receive crypto.

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