What is PaaS (Platform as a Service): A Comprehensive Guide

PaaS (Platform as a Service), SaaS (software-as-a-service), and IaaS (infrastructure-as-a-service) are the three forms of cloud computing. But, a PaaS customer is comparable to someone renting all the machinery and power tools.

Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, and Microsoft Azure are a few of the top cloud service providers with their own PaaS offerings. This write-up will discuss everything you need to know about PaaS in cloud computing. Know its uses, benefits, and examples.

What is PaaS in Cloud Computing

Platform as a Service is a service that offers a runtime environment. Because of this, web applications may be easily developed, tested, implemented, and deployed. Cloud service companies sell pay-per-use versions of some software. However, you need an Internet connection to use them. When using PaaS, end users may forget about managing the infrastructure. Thus, the cloud service provider takes care of back-end scalability.

You can use Platform as a Service using any internet connection, making it possible to create a whole application in a web browser. Thus, developers can work on the application from any location since the development environment is not hosted locally. Moreover, teams that are spread out around the world can interact because of this. Additionally, it means that developers have less control over the development environment, but with much lower costs.

What is Covered in Platform as a Service?

PaaS companies' main products and services are as follows:

• Development Tools

PaaS companies offer a source code editor, a debugger, a compiler, and other essential tools. These resources are necessary for the development of software. These materials might also be made available as a full framework. PaaS packages must include all of the resources a developer needs to create their application. However, the specific tools offered will vary based on the provider.

• Middleware

Platforms that are made available as a service often come with middleware so that developers don't have to create it from scratch. Middleware must be installed between user-facing apps and the computer's operating system, for software to access input from the keyboard and mouse. Although middleware is necessary for software to run, end users never see it.

• Operating Systems

A PaaS provider will offer and handle the operating system on which programmers work and the application is run.

• Database Management

Vendors usually provide access to a database management system to developers as well.

• Infrastructure

In the cloud computing service model, PaaS (Platform as a Service) is the layer above IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) and includes everything offered by IaaS. Therefore, the IaaS provider maintains servers, storage, and physical data centers. However, a PaaS provider either maintains everything or buys services from them.

Advantages of PaaS

1. Range of resources with affordable access

PaaS platforms provide access to a range of options up and down the application stack. It includes operating systems, middleware, databases, and development tools that most enterprises can effectively or financially maintain themselves.

2. More freedom to research at lower risk

Platform as a Service in cloud computing allows you to experiment with and test new operating systems, programming languages, and other tools. Moreover, you don't have to make major payments to either the tools or the infrastructure essential to support them.

3. Scalability that is quick and affordable

Scaling is usually costly, often wasteful, and at times insufficient with an on-premises platform. Moreover, in periods of high traffic, you must purchase more computing, storage, and networking capacity. But, this capacity is idle during times of low traffic. 

However with PaaS, when you need it, you can get extra capacity with PaaS and use it right away.

4. Shorter time to market

PaaS reduces the need for development teams to wait while you buy, install, and configure the hardware and software. You just plug into the PaaS of the cloud service provider to start giving resources and getting started with development right away.

5. Better flexibility for development teams

PaaS services offer a shared environment for developing software. Thus, it gives development and operations teams access to all the resources they require. They get it at any place with an internet connection.

6. Lower costs

PaaS enables a company to minimize capital equipment expenses associated with developing and scaling an application platform. Hence it is obvious that PaaS lowers expenses. But PaaS can also lower or even do away with the cost of software licensing. It can also lower your overall costs associated with application management. Additionally, it takes care of patches, updates, and other administrative activities.

Characteristics of Platform as a Service

These are the features of the PaaS service model:

• PaaS offers a development environment that uses a browser. It uses either point-and-click tools or an application programming interface. Hence, it enables developers to create databases and change application code.
• Other apps on the same platform are simple to add using PaaS.
• Web services interfaces are another feature that PaaS offers, enabling us to connect applications running on different platforms.
• PaaS offers built-in web service interfaces, scalability, and security.
• PaaS offers built-in tools for specifying business rules, approval procedures, and workflow.

Platform as a Service Examples

There are many examples of PaaS providers and companies that offer the equipment and assistance. These services are necessary to create business applications and connections in the cloud. The following are a few of the top platforms and providers:

• Google Cloud
• Microsoft Azure
• AWS
• IBM Cloud
• Mendix aPaaS
• Engine Yard Cloud PaaS
• OpenStack
• Apache CloudStack
• Wasabi Cloud Storage
• Red Hat OpenShift
• VMware (Pivotal) Cloud Foundry
• Oracle Cloud Platform (OCP)
• Heroku container-based PaaS

While several PaaS providers offer similar offerings, each one has its particular features and constraints. Users must assess potential providers to ensure their services satisfy any technical or commercial needs. For example, supported languages and service availability. PaaS application examples also include Wasabi which provides cloud-based object storage as a PaaS.

Conclusion

When building applications developers rent everything they need from a cloud using the PaaS model. It includes operating systems, infrastructure, and development tools. PaaS provides the runtime environment to apps. It also offers the development and deployment tools essential to produce apps. Platform as a Service provider includes Google Cloud, AWS, IBM Cloud, and more. PaaS greatly speeds the creation of web applications from the developer's point of view.

Frequently Asked Questions