A dApp is a decentralized application that uses smart contracts and wallet signatures instead of a central account database.
Users connect a wallet, approve transactions, and pay gas. Frontends can still be hosted centrally.
In research workflows, dApp is usually interpreted with Smart contract, Crypto wallet, DeFi, and Phishing rather than as a standalone signal. Throughput, finality, and fee markets determine user experience and where activity migrates during congestion.