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What Is a PaaS?
A clear definition of Platform as a Service (PaaS), how it differs from IaaS and managing your own VPS, and where Runex fits as an easy deployment platform for developers.
· Updated · 2 min read
Direct answer
A PaaS (Platform as a Service) provides a higher-level environment for building and running applications so developers spend less time managing servers, OS packages, and deploy plumbing.
Runex is a cloud deployment platform in this category: connect GitHub, deploy into isolated containers, and get HTTPS on *.runex.cloud.
What PaaS typically includes
- Application build and run workflows
- Managed networking / public URLs
- HTTPS for public deployments
- Configuration via environment variables
- Isolation between workloads (implementation varies by vendor)
Exact features differ by product. Always verify against official docs.
PaaS vs IaaS vs “just a VPS”
| Layer | What you manage | Example mindset | | --- | --- | --- | | VPS / IaaS-style | OS, packages, reverse proxy, TLS, process supervisors | Maximum control, more ops | | PaaS / deployment platform | Application code, env config, domains | Faster shipping for common apps |
Neither is universally better. Choose based on control requirements and team capacity.
Where Runex fits
Runex positions as easy deployment for developers:
- GitHub App deploy — deploy from GitHub
- Docker path — deploy Docker
- HTTPS on
*.runex.cloudand custom domains viacname.runex.cloud - Container isolation described factually on security
For a deeper category definition, see What is an application deployment platform? and PaaS vs VPS.
Next step
Read getting started or what is Runex?, then deploy.