What is Platform as a Service?

John Spacey, updated on December 16, 2016

Platform as a Service, or PaaS, is a comprehensive toolset for building services offered on top of a managed cloud environment. Platforms include APIs and user interfaces for building highly scalable information technology services.

Technology

PaaS typically offers an autoscaling cloud environment with fully managed features such as infrastructure, network, databases, storage, middleware, web servers and frameworks for building, deploying, operating and managing a service.

Value

Platform as a Service offers a fully managed cloud platform. This can be expensive to do yourself, particularly if you include operating data centers and the technology stack related to the platform. PaaS is typically priced on a usage-based model that allows for low upfront capital requirements. Many PaaS providers may offer volume discounts that allow your costs to fall as you scale.

Risks

Running your business from a PaaS potentially represents both vendor and platform lock-in. If the vendor suddenly changes an API, your code may stop working. If they discontinue the PaaS altogether, you may face operational disruptions. Such risks can potentially be mitigated. For example, a PaaS may be based on open source technologies that are somewhat portable.

Overview: Platform As A Service
Type	Cloud Computing Information Technology Computing Platform
Definition (1)	A comprehensive managed toolset for building cloud services.
Definition (2)	A service that offers a complete toolset and environment for building cloud services potentially including managed infrastructure, network, database, storage, programming environments, middleware, web servers and cloud frameworks.
Also Known As	PaaS
Related Concepts	Cloud Computing Computing Platform Utility Computing