platformhosted

Platformhosted refers to a deployment model in which an application runs on a managed platform provided by a cloud or software vendor. In this model, developers upload code and configuration, while the platform handles the runtime environment, orchestration, scaling, reliability, and platform services such as databases, messaging, caching, and storage. It is commonly described as a form of platform as a service (PaaS) where infrastructure management is abstracted away.

Key characteristics include automated scaling, managed runtimes, built-in services, integrated deployment pipelines, and security and compliance controls managed by the provider. Applications are often deployed in containers or as serverless components, with isolation options such as multi-tenancy or dedicated environments.

Benefits include faster time to market, reduced operational overhead, and predictable cost models, making it suitable for web applications, APIs, and microservices that require rapid iteration and variable load. Trade-offs include potential vendor lock-in, reduced control over runtime and hardware, possible performance variability in multi-tenant environments, and reliance on the provider for security posture and incident response.

Security and governance are a shared responsibility: the provider typically handles platform security, patching, and compliance controls, while customers manage application-level configuration, data handling, access control, and secrets. Observability, backups, and disaster recovery should be defined in service level agreements and tested regularly.

Examples of platformhosted concepts are seen in platforms such as Heroku, Google App Engine, and AWS Elastic Beanstalk, which illustrate how managed runtimes and services enable developers to focus on code rather than infrastructure.