富客户端平台，即Rich Client Platform（RCP），指的是一种C/S（Client/Server）应用软件的公用基础结构实现，其Rich概念是相对于B/S（Browser/Server）应用软件的（Thin Client）浏览器而言的，有时也称之为胖客户端（Fat Client）或者传统客户端（Traditional Client），它通常包含以下组件：

开发人员可以基于已存在的平台构建一个应用，以替代原有的从零开始写起的复杂应用，这得益于平台的供应商已经对平台做了大量检验和测试，基于平台的应用可以方便快速的开发和集成，并且跨系统的工作也统一由平台做了，已经有一些平台供应商声称基于他们的RCP平台构建的客户端可以在多种操作系统上运行。

A rich client platform (RCP) is a programmer tool that makes it easier to integrate independent software components, where most of the data processing occurs on the client side. It is a software consisting of the following components:

With a RCP, programmers can build their own applications on existing computing platforms. Instead of having to write a complete application from scratch, they can benefit from proven and tested features of the framework provided by the platform. Building on a platform facilitates faster application development and integration, while the cross-platform burden is taken on by the platform developers. The platform allows the seamless integration of independent software modules like graphic tools, spreadsheets and mapping technologies into a software application with a simple click of the mouse.