What does apaas platform mean?

apaas refers to Application Platform as a Service, a solution based on PaaS (Platform as a Service), which supports the development, deployment and operation of applications in the cloud, and provides users with basic tools in software development. , including data objects, rights management, user interface, etc. APaaS has two characteristics: 1. It provides a rapid development environment, and users can complete application development, testing, and deployment within a few hours, and can adjust or update at any time; 2. Low code or zero code, non-technical personnel can Complete application development.

The operating environment of this tutorial: Windows 10 system, Dell G3 computer.

The Internet industry likes to abbreviate some words. In the cloud computing industry, the former include SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS. In the past two or three years, the concept of APaaS has begun to attract attention again. What does aPaaS mean, what is it used for, and what is the difference from the first three? This article will thoroughly explore these issues.

What is cloud computing

Before discussing what APaaS is, we need to explain the concept of cloud computing. Imagine, if you want to develop a software program, what technologies or facilities will you need? It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand technology, as long as you remember that a set of software usually contains the following nine levels:

• Application

• Data )

• Runtime

• Middleware

• Operating system ( OS)

• Virtualization technology

• Servers

• Storage ( storage)

• Network (networking)

In the past, you needed to purchase and maintain these nine pieces of equipment/technology, and now, there are a few Companies integrate certain layers (such as storage, servers, operating systems) and package them into a service for sale. These companies are called cloud computing companies, and their packaging method is called cloud technology. This form of service is also It's a cloud service.

You can rent these services directly, and you only need to pay monthly like water and electricity bills. Isn’t it much easier than maintaining nine layers of equipment/technology before?

Not all companies have implemented all nine levels. There are currently three main service forms on the market. They are: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service. Services (SaaS), the difference lies in which services are provided by cloud computing companies and which are provided by yourself.

What is APaaS?

You can understand APaaS as a sub-form of PaaS. The full name of APaaS is Application Platform as a Service, which means application platform as a service. Gartner defines it as: “This is a solution based on PaaS (Platform as a Service), which supports the development, deployment and operation of applications in the cloud, and provides users with basic tools in software development, including data objects. , permission management, user interface, etc."

APaaS (Application Platform as a Service) has the following 2 characteristics:

• Providing a rapid development environment, users can complete application development, testing, and deployment within a few hours, and can adjust or update at any time.

• Low code or zero code, non-technical personnel can complete application development

The difference between APaaS and PaaS is What?

Both APaaS and PaaS can complete software development and deployment, and both support cloud access. The difference between the two is mainly reflected in the different user groups and usage environments:

• PaaS includes all platform-level services and requires technical personnel to complete application development and data provision locally. Then deploy it to the PaaS platform and distribute it to users.

• APaaS is a sub-form of PaaS. Under the APaaS model, non-technical personnel can complete the construction, deployment, use, update and management of applications directly in the cloud.

It can be seen that PaaS is more flexible because it can be developed completely on demand, but the disadvantage is that the labor cost is high because you have to recruit programmers to complete the development process. In addition , if it involves demand adjustment, it will also involve secondary development. Both labor cost and time are beyond the reach of ordinary enterprises.

The advantages of APaaS are that it is fast and low-cost. Non-technical personnel can develop a set of commercial software, which is visible and available during the development process, and can be adjusted at any time. For example, with the domestic APaaS platform Mingdaoyun, a sales director can build a complete sales CRM management system within 2 hours

Three Features of APaaS and its Benefits to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Although there are many SaaS general solutions on the market, small and medium-sized enterprises still face the following challenges:

• These general software are not particularly suitable for the needs of their own enterprises

• After personalized needs are fed back to manufacturers, it is difficult for them to adjust products specifically for a single enterprise

• Business scenarios are changing and new software products need to be purchased continuously. , increased budget

• The data between these software cannot be connected, which increases IT operation and maintenance costs

For small and medium-sized enterprises, APaaS The benefits are obvious. Let’s take a closer look at the three main features of APaaS:

What kind of enterprise is APaaS not suitable for?

1) The industry has obvious proprietary characteristics

Some industries themselves are highly specialized, and there are differences between enterprises There is little variability, and vertical industry applications may be more reasonable at this time.

The most typical examples surrounding this feature are the catering and hotel industries. The operational logic of all catering industries is similar. Except that single stores and chains may use solutions of different complexity, the application modules are similar. Moreover, the methods and paradigms used to solve problems in this industry have obvious industry characteristics, such as restaurant queuing and waiting systems, ordering and checkout systems, etc. It is more cumbersome for aPaaS tools to build such proprietary scenarios and cannot effectively provide industry-specific views.

2) Industries have independent code audit requirements

The core business systems of finance and other industries cannot use the zero-code platform due to regulations and other requirements because it cannot meet code audits requirements. The APaaS platform may not necessarily provide source code to user companies, and even if it does, it cannot prove the accuracy of the data processed by the application system. Because these industries have high regulatory requirements and abundant funds, they will not use APaaS solutions in core business links.

3) Customer-facing front-end system

Of course this refers to the e-commerce online store platform. Although there is not much distance between the basic data management of e-commerce retail and the capabilities of APaaS, consumer-oriented front-end systems generally require higher flexibility and supporting marketing facilities. It is better to use a zero-code platform to create a dedicated e-commerce platform directly. Business systems, such as Youzan, Weimeng and other store opening solutions. They provide not only storefront functions, but also customer-centric marketing services and payment platforms, which are areas that APaaS is not good at.

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