What is PaaS?
PaaS (Platform as a Service) is the cloud-based delivery model that provides a complete toolset to deliver enterprise-class infrastructure for the graceful development of applications in order to reduce time-to-market. It offers a variety of services, allowing customers to build, run, and manage applications without having to worry about the complexity of actually building an app from scratch or even in-house. PaaS solutions include infrastructure—servers, storage, and networking—but also middleware (and sometimes operating systems), development tools, business analytics (such as those used in operations processes or to analyze customer behavior), database management services—and more.
Key Benefits of PaaS:
- Simplified Development: With pre-configured environments & tools, it helps to streamline the application development process.
- Scalability: Automatically scales applications up or down as per load without manual intervention.
- Cost-Effective: Reduces the need for massive upfront investments in hardware and software, operating on a pay-as-you-go model.
- Collaboration: Improves teamwork by allowing more than one developer to work on the same project concurrently.
- Administration: Takes the responsibility of managing and maintaining infrastructure away from you, allowing developers to focus on coding or innovation.
PaaS is ideal for developers who want to focus on creating applications without having to think about the complexities of managing infrastructure and middleware. It is programming language, framework, and tool agnostic, which means you can use it for different types of applications.
Top PaaS Providers
The following table depicts some PaaS providers along with their differentiating features, supported languages, and pricing models.
| Provider | Key Features | Supported Languages | Pricing Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Elastic Beanstalk from Amazon Web Services | Simplify deploying and managing, work seamlessly with other AWS services, scale automatically | Java, .NET, PHP, Node.js, Python, Ruby, Go, Docker | FaaS billing driven by resources used |
| Microsoft Azure App Service | Web and mobile app support, Web- or Mobile-app driven DevOps Integration, In-built security measures, Scalability | .NET, Java, Node.js, Python, PHP, Ruby, Go | Metered billing displaying rate for different tiers |
| Google App Engine | Built-in services (datastore, memcache), mostly GCP tooling with automatic scaling | Java, Python, PHP, Node.js, Go, Ruby | Pay for what you use with a free tier |
| Heroku | Easy deployment with Git, large add-ons store in app market, good dev community | Ruby, Java, Node.js, Python, PHP, Go, Scala, Clojure | Free, Hobby, and Production plans with tiered pricing |
| IBM Cloud Foundry | Support for multiple clouds, enterprise-grade security, integrated DevOps tools | Java, Node.js, Python, PHP, Ruby, Go, Swift | Flexible usage-based pricing |
| Red Hat OpenShift | Kubernetes native, hybrid cloud support, advanced security features and CI/CD pipelines | Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP, Node.js, Go | Subscription tiers in multiple flavors |
| Salesforce Platform (formerly Force.com) | Built-in CRM features, lots of APIs, enterprise polish | Aura, Lightning, Apex | Subscription pricing tailored to Salesforce ecosystem |
| Oracle Cloud Platform | Wide array of Dev tools, deep database integration, AI/ML services | Java, Python, PHP, Node.js, Ruby, Go | Available in both transaction-based and subscription models |
| SAP Cloud Platform | Includes integration with SAP services, enterprise-grade features, analytics and IoT enablement | Java, Node.js, Python, Ruby, PHP | Enterprise options with consumption-based pricing |
| Mendix | Low-code development platform, collaborative tools, speed application development | UML, Java & JavaScript Modeling | Paid subscriptions with various options based on business needs |
Quick Introduction to Top Providers
AWS Elastic Beanstalk
Pros: Deep integration with AWS ecosystem, supports a wide range of programming languages, robust scaling options.
Best For: Companies already using other AWS services seeking smooth authentication and scalability capabilities.
Microsoft Azure App Service
Pros: Best-of-breed support for enterprise applications, leverages DevOps integration, and offers strong security.
Best For: Companies that use Microsoft tools and need solid support options.
Google App Engine
Summary: Ideal for applications that need to scale up, leverage Google Cloud Platform solutions, and enjoy improved cloud performance.
Best For: Startups or developers interested in scalability and easy integration with Google’s ecosystem.
Heroku
Pros: Developer-friendly with minimized deployment work, large add-ons marketplace, and strong community support.
Ideal For: Developers in need of a straightforward PaaS solution with flexibility and numerous integrations.
IBM Cloud Foundry
Pros: Standardized, enterprise-grade features, multi-cloud support, and strong baseline security options.
Perfect For: Large enterprises needing strong security and multi-cloud deployment options.
Red Hat OpenShift
Pros: Kubernetes-based (container orchestration), offers hybrid cloud support, and strong CI/CD pipeline integration.
Suited For: Companies needing container-based PaaS solutions and more mature orchestration features.
Salesforce Platform
Pros: Very tight integration with Salesforce CRM, extensive list of APIs, and a focus on enterprise applications.
Best For: Companies that already use Salesforce products and want to create custom apps as an extension of their CRM capabilities.
Oracle Cloud Platform
Strengths: Robust database integration, comprehensive development tools, and inclusion of AI/ML services.
Best For: Companies with high-volume data support needs, large database requirements, and/or advanced analytics.
SAP Cloud Platform
Advantages: Integration with SAP services, enterprise capabilities, and extensibility for analytics and IoT.
For: Organizations using SAP technologies to develop and scale applications within the SAP ecosystem.
Mendix
Pros: Low-code development environment, fast application composition, and good collaboration features.
Use Cases: Organizations looking to develop more applications with minimal coding effort.
Conclusion
PaaS provides a flexible and simplified solution ideal for developers who want to build, deploy, and configure applications without the complexity of managing their underlying infrastructure themselves. With PaaS, companies can speed up their development cycle by taking advantage of shared tools and processes, enabling innovation through open collaboration across different workforces on the web. These trade-offs mean that you need to select the right solution based on your needs and constraints, as each of these platforms excels in certain areas.