Software Architect's Handbook

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides development teams with a complete platform for developing and deploying applications in the cloud. This cloud computing model provides a higher level of abstraction than IaaS and CaaS. The hardware is provided and maintained as it is with IaaS, but there isn't as much interaction with the infrastructure. The platform abstracts away this interaction with everything that it provides.

Unlike IaaS, the operating system is provided and maintained for you, including the installation of patches and security updates. With PaaS, the development team does not have to manage the OS. In addition to the OS, providers make available a number of supporting software, tools, services, database ...