If you are looking for a PaaS (Platform as a Service) solution, it can be hard to know where to start. There is a vast range of platforms available, and each one has its strengths and weaknesses. You must think carefully about what kind of app you want to build, how much support you want from your provider, and so on, before making your decision. 

Here are some beginner distinguishers that will help guide you through the process of choosing the right PaaS system:

What is PaaS?

PaaS, or Platform as a Service, is a type of solution based on cloud computing. It offers a platform for application development, deployment, and maintenance. The client does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure, including servers, storage, or networking equipment.

PaaS can be used to develop and run applications on the cloud without the user having to worry about servers or other infrastructure components such as load balancers. As its name suggests, Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) helps you build your apps by providing all the tools you need to do so. 

This means there’s no need for you to have any prior knowledge to start building your apps with PaaS systems.

What Is a Public PaaS Used For?

As the name suggests, public PaaS systems are, well, public. They're available to anyone who can access the web, both businesses and individuals. According to Statista, the public PaaS market is estimated to be worth $136 billion in 2023.

As such, they're designed to be used by a large number of developers at one time. This means that they must be scalable and flexible enough to handle many users at once while maintaining performance standards high enough for all those users.

In addition to these qualities, public PaaS systems are typically designed with easy-to-use interfaces that make it possible for anyone with little to no technical knowledge about programming or deployment settings to use them successfully. Some of the popular examples of public PaaS solutions are Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, IBM Cloud, etc.

Pros and Cons of a Public PaaS

Public PaaS systems are great for developers who want to get their code up and running quickly. They're also a good choice if you work in a small team or need to test out new features on a small scale.

However, there are some downsides to using public PaaS systems. They often have limited control over the environment (e.g., no access to the source code), and there's no control over where your data is physically stored. Plus, if one of these solutions goes offline for any reason, your application will stop functioning until it's back online again, which could be hours or even days without warning.

What Is a Private PaaS Used For?

Private PaaS is a type of cloud computing in which a company or institution uses the services of a public cloud provider but manages and controls the cloud environment on their premises. Private PaaS is used for internal applications and development, such as:

• Private clouds
• In-house web applications (for non-production environments)

Some of the popular examples of private PaaS solutions are Apprenda, CloudBees, Red Hat OpenShift, etc.

According to Technavio, the private cloud service market is estimated to see substantial growth of 26.71% between 2022-27. The market size is estimated to increase by $276.36 billion.

Pros and Cons of a Private PaaS

Private PaaS is the most secure option, as you can keep it under your control and only allow access to users with necessary permissions. It also makes it easier to customize the system to your needs because you have full control over everything.

However, private PaaS systems are more expensive than public ones. This is simply because they require more resources (from the hardware and software levels) than their free counterparts. 

Private PaaS systems are usually best for large companies or organizations with dedicated IT departments requiring a lot of customization or security features not available on other platforms.

How Do You Choose Between a Public and Private PaaS?

When choosing a PaaS system, you should consider your application's needs and how it will be used. If you need to integrate with other applications, public PaaS is a good choice. 

If your application must be highly secure and not open to the public, and if you have teams of programmers that may need support from time to time (or are not yet experienced in using PaaS), private PaaS might be right for you. 

Publicly available systems offer more flexibility but may require additional fees for upgrades or support. Privately hosted systems generally have better maintenance plans but require more upfront planning before deploying an application.

Conclusion

As you can see, many PaaS systems can be used to build your applications. According to Grand View Research, the global PaaS market was worth $60.12 billion in 2021, and it is expected to see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.3% between 2022 to 2028.

But, at the end of the day, you need to choose one that meets your needs based on what you’re trying to achieve with it. Hopefully, this article has helped guide you in the right direction.