Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Category:
Definition
Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a cloud computing model where a provider manages the underlying infrastructure (servers, OS, networking, runtime) so developers can focus exclusively on writing and deploying application code.
Detailed Explanation
The classic cloud service model has three layers:
``` IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) → You manage: OS, runtime, middleware, app, data → Provider manages: Virtualization, storage, networking, hardware → Examples: AWS EC2, Google Compute Engine, DigitalOcean Droplets
PaaS (Platform as a Service) → You manage: Application code, data → Provider manages: Runtime, middleware, OS, virtualization, hardware → Examples: Kubeletto, Heroku, Railway, Render, Google App Engine
SaaS (Software as a Service) → You manage: Data, configuration → Provider manages: Everything else → Examples: GitHub, Stripe, Notion ```
**The PaaS value proposition:**
A developer using PaaS gets: - **No server provisioning**: No VMs to size, provision, or patch - **Managed runtime**: The platform installs and maintains the language runtime - **Automatic scaling**: Traffic spikes are handled without manual intervention - **Built-in TLS**: HTTPS certificates provisioned and renewed automatically - **Deployment workflow**: git push or CLI command to deploy
**Evolution of PaaS:**
First-generation PaaS (Heroku, ~2009) introduced "git push to deploy" for traditional server apps. Modern PaaS (Kubeletto, Railway, Render) is container-native — it runs OCI images from any registry, supports any language that compiles to a container, and offers scale-to-zero to eliminate idle costs.
**When PaaS is the right choice:**
PaaS is ideal when your team's primary value is writing application logic, not managing infrastructure. The tradeoff is less control (you don't choose which kernel version runs your app) for more speed (you deploy in minutes, not hours).
How Kubeletto provides Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Kubeletto is a modern container-native PaaS. Developers interact with a CLI and web dashboard; the platform handles container builds, registry management, Kubernetes scheduling, Knative routing, TLS provisioning, autoscaling, and observability. The goal is to make deploying a container as simple as running a local Docker container.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between PaaS and IaaS?
IaaS gives you raw infrastructure (VMs, storage, networking) that you configure yourself. PaaS abstracts the infrastructure layer and provides a ready-to-use deployment platform. IaaS offers more control; PaaS offers more speed and simplicity.
Is Kubernetes a PaaS?
Kubernetes is an orchestration platform (closer to IaaS) — it gives you powerful primitives but requires significant configuration and expertise. A PaaS like Kubeletto sits on top of Kubernetes and provides the opinionated, developer-friendly deployment experience.
What are the limitations of PaaS?
PaaS trades flexibility for convenience. Deeply customized infrastructure requirements (specific kernel modules, specialized networking, bare-metal performance) are better served by IaaS or a managed Kubernetes service.
See Platform as a Service (PaaS) in action
Deploy your first app on Kubeletto — free during our active beta.