What are software applications that combine different online applications referred to as?

The term "mashups" is used to describe software applications that integrate multiple online services or data sources into a single cohesive application. This typically involves combining content and functionality from various applications, allowing users to have a more enriched experience. For example, a mashup might pull in mapping data from one service, customer data from another, and present them together in a way that provides additional insights or functionality that neither service could offer alone.

This approach harnesses the strengths of various online APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) and services, demonstrating how different pieces of software can work together. The concept of mashups emphasizes collaboration between different software systems, making it an essential part of modern web development and service integration.

In contrast, integrated software typically refers to solutions that offer a suite of applications designed to work together seamlessly, but this does not necessarily involve fetching external content from disparate online sources like a mashup does. Ajax is a set of techniques used in web development to create asynchronous web applications, enabling dynamic content updates, but it does not specifically refer to the integration of multiple applications. Edge computing relates to processing data closer to the source rather than in a centralized data center, which is also not synonymous with combining different applications.