When you need to create web applications quickly but want to avoid the cost (and inconvenience) of purchasing software and infrastructure, PaaS may be the choice for you. As web-based platform for software creation it eliminates the need to spend hard-earned capital just to get up and running.
Basic characteristics of PaaS include
- Services needed for application development (development, testing, deployment, maintenance, etc.) are contained in a single, integrated environment.
- Multi-tenant architecture allows simultaneous development application for multiple users.
- Project planning and communication tools to support development team collaboration
- Web-based interface creation suitable for a number of different UI scenarios
- Web service and database integration in tune with common standards
- Built-in software scalability (including load balancing and failover)
- Billing and subscription management tools
When Should you Consider PaaS?
One of the most useful features of PaaS is the way it allows multiple individuals to work on a project simultaneously. This provides a convenient way for external parties to interact during the development process. When developers wish to automate testing and deployment services, PaaS is the solution.
When PaaS May Not be the Best Option
- Although PaaS provides an effective way to do a number of things (ex: automate processes), there are certain situations in which PaaS may not be ideal:
- Where proprietary language could hinder a future move to a different provider (vendor lock-in issues)
- When application performance requires hardware and software customization
- If proprietary approaches might impact the development process
- When an application requires portable hosting