Fundamentals of DevOps and Software Delivery » FAQ
How does IaaS compare to PaaS?
IaaS gives lower-level control over compute, networking, and storage, while PaaS provides higher-level application hosting abstractions with less operational overhead. PaaS speeds delivery early; IaaS offers more flexibility as requirements grow.
Practical guidance
- Use PaaS for fast starts and small teams prioritizing speed to market.
- Use IaaS when you need custom runtime, networking, or architecture control.
- Account for lock-in trade-offs versus operational effort.
- Plan a migration path before growth makes platform transitions risky.