What is a dApp?

dApp means decentralized application. Its user-facing interface connects to smart contracts that execute part of its operation on a blockchain. The application could involve finance, a game or a collection.

Why separate the interface from the smart contract?

The website presents a prepared transaction request to a wallet. Once signed and submitted, the request is executed according to contract rules. The website may rely on centralized hosting, external data services or access restrictions. Calling it a dApp does not prove that every component is decentralized or free of defects.

Connecting a wallet is not the same as authorizing the application to spend every asset. Token allowances and the transaction being signed need separate attention.

Example

Suppose Sam selects an item in an onchain collection application to send to another address. The interface prepares the request, Sam confirms it in the wallet, and successful execution changes the contract’s ownership record. Closing the browser tab does not undo the completed change. The example separates pressing a button in an interface from changing state onchain.

The PancakeSwap review uses real swap screens to distinguish information visible in the interface from the transaction a wallet must authorize.