When deciding to own a house, you have two options. The first option would be to buy a fully built house, leaving you to decorate as you please. The second option is purchasing a plot of land, building from scratch, and handling interior decoration. If you need this house within a limited time, you will most likely choose the first option. In software development, that first option can be likened to . Platform as a Service Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a cloud computing model that provides developers with a platform to create, run, and manage applications without worrying about the complexity of underlying infrastructure management. With PaaS, developers can focus on application development and deployment. At the same time, the PaaS provider takes care of the underlying infrastructure, such as servers, storage, and networking, making it easier and faster to develop and deploy applications. PaaS providers offer developers a comprehensive environment for developing and deploying their software applications in the cloud. This cloud environment includes tools for building, deploying, and scaling applications. With these tools, developers can focus on delivering value without worrying about infrastructure. This article will discuss platform as a service and explore its software development benefits. In this article, you will learn about two PaaS providers - Aptible and Heroku, while highlighting their differences. At the end of this article, your development team will be able to make informed decisions about which PaaS provider best suits their application's needs. What Is PaaS? As earlier explained with the analogy, PaaS offers developers a fully equipped cloud environment to build applications without worrying about the infrastructure - servers, storage, and networking. house The entire infrastructure is delivered via the cloud, and developers only have to focus on writing the application code. PaaS helps companies avoid the expense and hassle of purchasing, setting up, and managing hardware and software needed for application development. These companies can subscribe to a PaaS provider and use the pay-as-you-go model, allowing them to only pay for the resources they use. Platform as a service is one of the three main categories of cloud computing services. Infrastructure as a Service and Software as a Service are two other cloud computing models. The table below shows the differences between these three categories. Category Description Examples Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) IaaS is the most fundamental cloud computing service. When you use IaaS, you can rent servers, virtual machines, storage, networks, and operating systems from a cloud provider on a pay-as-you-go basis. Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Compute Engine (GCE), Microsoft Azure, Platform as a Service (PaaS) PaaS platforms help developers build applications. PaaS providers typically include the same services as IaaS offerings but also high-level tools and components to help developers build applications faster. Aptible, Heroku, Google App Engine, Microsoft Azure, OpenShift. Software as a Service (SaaS) The SaaS model allows users to access software applications through the internet on a subscription basis, providing on-demand availability. Using SaaS, cloud providers offer hosting and infrastructure services and handle maintenance such as software updates and security patches. Users connect to the application over the internet, usually with a web browser on their phone, tablet, or PC. Google Workspace, Salesforce, Dropbox, MailChimp, DocuSign, Slack Benefits of PaaS In the fast-paced world of software development, utilizing platforms that allow you to focus on your core business is a no-brainer. PaaS offers a lot of benefits to developers and companies. Some of these benefits are: : Just like our fully built house analogy, PaaS offers development teams a platform that is always ready, updated, and scalable. Infrastructure availability : Companies can save costs by relying on PaaS platforms because they offer a pay-as-you-go model. This payment model allows companies to only pay for the resources they use, saving companies the cost of buying, configuring, and maintaining all the hardware and software. Cost savings : You would agree that buying an already-built house can save you the time it would take to build from scratch. In the same way, development teams could save a lot of time by using PaaS platforms. Reduced development time With a pre-built, up-to-date platform, you can focus on writing code and delivering value to your customers rather than worrying about the underlying infrastructure for your application. Aptible According to the analogy, we established that in order to own a house in the shortest amount of time, the best option would be to buy one. In this case, is that house. house Aptible Aptible is a PaaS that provides developers with a ready-to-use cloud environment for deploying their application or API. This cloud environment handles everything from scaling to database management and even metrics & logs of your application. Aptible, like every other PaaS, offers deployment, infrastructure scalability, and monitoring to development teams. However, Aptible's outstanding features are its commitment to reliability and security & compliance. Development teams have various options for deploying applications using Aptible. They can utilize the Aptible dashboard via the Graphic user interface, the command line interface, or even Infrastructure as Code - Terraform. Heroku If Aptible is the for developers looking for a ready-to-use cloud environment, then can be considered another impressive in the world of PaaS. go-to house Heroku property Heroku is another PaaS provider that lets companies build, deliver, monitor, and scale apps. It is a fully managed cloud platform with integrated data services and a powerful ecosystem for deploying and running modern web or mobile applications. Beyond apps, data lies at the heart of any significant application. Heroku recognizes this and provides a secure, scalable database-as-a-service with various developer tools. The goal is to offer developers immediate access to a scalable, highly available database that complements their development style. Comparison Between Aptible and Heroku By now, you should be convinced of the importance of PaaS and its relevance in software development. You should also have a good understanding of Aptible and Heroku. This section will compare both PaaS offerings and highlight their differences. Below is a table comparing Aptible and Heroku: Feature Aptible Heroku Service type Platform as a Service (PaaS) Platform as a Service (PaaS) Cloud environment Offers a cloud environment optimized for application and API deployment. Provides a cloud platform suitable for a wide range of applications and services. Deployment options Offers deployment options through the Aptible Dashboard, Command Line Interface (CLI), and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform). Provides deployment options through the "Deploy to Heroku" button, and Heroku CLI. Additionally, it also supports Git-based deployments for streamlined code management. Application scaling Supports application scaling for handling increased workloads. Allows applications to scale horizontally to accommodate growing user demands. Database management Offers support for database management within the cloud environment. Provides built-in database services and supports third-party databases for data storage. Monitoring Aptible offers application monitoring tools, ensuring they remain secure and operational. Heroku integrates monitoring and logging services, providing insights into application performance and stability. Integration with other services Integration options with external services are limited. Heroku offers an extensive ecosystem of add-ons and services that can seamlessly integrate with applications. Developer focus Places a strong emphasis on a developer-centric experience, aiming to simplify app deployment, management, and scaling. Offers a developer-centric platform that focuses on enabling developers to create applications efficiently with support for multiple programming languages. Language support Aptible supports various programming languages, enabling developers to work with their preferred language. Heroku is compatible with various programming languages, including Node.js, Ruby, Java, Python, and more, offering flexibility in language choice. Security & Compliance Prioritizes security and compliance, making it suitable for applications with strict security requirements. Maintains a security-focused approach, ensuring application and data security in the cloud environment. Scalability Suitable for businesses of various sizes, offering the capability to scale applications to meet specific requirements. Designed for scalability, Heroku is suitable for startups and enterprises, enabling seamless scaling of applications as they grow. Data services Aptible provides a rich ecosystem of managed data services, facilitating data management and storage for applications. Heroku offers a database-as-a-service approach with data management tools, enabling efficient data handling. Enterprise features Provides enterprise-level controls for advanced management and support for portfolios of applications. Offers enterprise-level support and features, making it suitable for large organizations with complex application needs. Pricing model Utilizes a subscription-based pricing model, making it predictable for budgeting. Adopts a flexible pricing model that allows businesses to pay only for the resources they consume. Integration with Salesforce Limited integration with Salesforce and other enterprise platforms. Provides seamless integration with Salesforce, enabling data synchronization and enhanced capabilities for CRM engagement. Although Aptible and Heroku are both PaaS offerings, these platforms differ. One of the most significant differences is that Aptible is specifically designed for companies that need to meet strict security & compliance requirements. Aptible complies with several industry standards, including HIPAA, PCI DSS, and SOC 2 Type II. On the other hand, Heroku is not explicitly designed for companies that need to meet these requirements. Another difference between Heroku and Aptible is that Aptible uses Docker containers to deploy applications. On the other hand, Heroku uses a buildpack system - a set of scripts used to compile applications and prepare them for deployment. Due to the buildpack system, developers are limited to the types of applications that can be deployed on Heroku. Aptible, on the other hand, allows developers to deploy applications written in any programming language. This feature makes Aptible a more flexible option regarding programming language support. Overall, Heroku and Aptible are both good PaaS providers that offer a variety of features to help developers deploy and manage their applications. The best platform for you will depend on your specific needs and requirements. If you are looking for a platform specifically designed for companies that must meet strict security and compliance requirements, then Aptible is an excellent option. If you are looking for a platform that is easy to use and offers various features, then Heroku is a good option to consider. Conclusion Building applications has never been easier with the aid of PaaS providers such as Aptible and Heroku. These platforms offer a variety of features to help developers deploy and manage their applications in ample time. It would be best to consider using a PaaS provider when deploying an application. Relying on PaaS can save you the time and stress of building and managing infrastructure simultaneously. You may also want to consider Aptible or Heroku, depending on what you specifically need and want. You can learn more about Aptible and Heroku by reading their documentation: Aptible Documentation Heroku Documentation You can also learn about PaaS by reading the following articles: What is Platform as a Service (PaaS)? Platform as a service (PaaS) Explained
