Software as a service facts for kids

Software as a service (SaaS /sæs/) is a way of delivering software over the Internet. Think of it like renting software instead of buying it. Instead of installing programs on your computer, you use them online through a web browser. The company that provides the SaaS manages everything, like the computers and software needed to run it.

SaaS became very popular around the year 2000 and is now the main way many software programs are used. A key idea behind SaaS is that you don't own the software; you just use it when you need it.

Most SaaS programs are used through a website. Unlike software you install, there's usually only one version of a SaaS program. This makes it easier for the company to keep it updated. SaaS products often run on powerful systems called infrastructure as a service (IaaS) or platform as a service (PaaS). These systems provide the computer power and tools needed. This helps SaaS programs handle many users at once and be available all the time. It also helps keep costs down because many users share the same resources.

When companies create SaaS, they often focus on testing their software a lot and releasing updates often. Many SaaS programs are built so that many users (or "tenants") can share the same software and resources. This makes them more efficient. You usually pay for SaaS through a subscription, or based on how much you use it. Sometimes, there are free versions too. You usually can't buy a permanent license for a SaaS program like you might for traditional software.

What is Cloud Computing?

Comparison of on-premise, IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. This image shows how SaaS is different from other ways of getting software.

Cloud computing is like having computer resources (like storage and processing power) available over the Internet. You don't own the actual computers; you just use them when you need them.

There are different types of cloud computing:

• Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is the most basic type. Here, you rent things like virtual computers from a cloud provider. This means you can quickly get more computer power without buying new machines. But you still need to set up the operating system and software yourself.
• Platform as a service (PaaS) includes more than IaaS. It gives you the operating system and other tools you need to build and run apps, but not the apps themselves.
• Software as a service (SaaS) is the most complete. The provider gives you the ready-to-use software, and they handle all the underlying technology.

SaaS providers often use PaaS or IaaS to run their programs. This helps them make sure their software can handle many users and is always available. Most people who use SaaS don't need to worry about the complex computer parts behind it. Cloud computing also makes it easy to update software for everyone at once. In 2019, SaaS made up 43% of the cloud computing market, showing how popular it is.

How SaaS Started

Computers began serving many users at the same time in the 1960s. This was called multitasking. Later, in the 1990s, companies like Amazon and Salesforce started offering software over the Internet. You would pay to use these programs as needed.

One of the first widely used consumer SaaS products was Gmail, which launched in 2004. Email services were among the first SaaS programs that many people started using. Over time, SaaS grew quickly. By 2023, it became the main way companies deliver software.

You probably use many popular SaaS products every day! These include:

• All social media websites.
• Email services like Gmail.
• Tools like Google Docs Editors.
• Communication apps like Skype.
• File storage like Dropbox.
• Entertainment services like Netflix and Spotify.

Companies also use SaaS for their business needs, such as Salesforce for managing customer information.

How SaaS Companies Make Money

SaaS providers use different ways to earn money:

• Free services: Some offer free versions, often supported by advertising or by selling data (though this is less common for kid-friendly services).
• Freemium: This is very popular. You get a basic version for free, but you pay to unlock more features or continued use. Even if you don't pay, using the free version helps the company get more users.
• Subscription: This is the most common model. You pay a regular fee (like monthly or yearly) to use the software. Think of your Netflix subscription.
• Pay-per-use: You pay based on how much you use the software. This could be by the number of users, the amount of data stored, or how many tasks you perform. This can be good for users who don't use the software often, as they pay less.

For customers, SaaS often means lower upfront costs. It's more flexible than buying expensive software outright. This makes powerful software available to smaller businesses that might not be able to afford traditional software.

The subscription model gives companies a steady income. However, customers can easily cancel their subscriptions and switch to a competitor. This means SaaS companies need to offer great customer service to keep their users happy.

Why People Use SaaS

SaaS programs are usually accessed through a web browser. This means you can use them from almost any device, anywhere, without needing to install or update anything. SaaS providers often make it easy to sign up. They also listen to customer feedback and update their products quickly. This helps users feel that the software is always getting better.

Even though SaaS is often very secure, some companies worry about security and privacy when using it. SaaS companies must protect their online services from attacks like hacking. They use tools like access control and encryption to keep your data safe. The SaaS provider is responsible for all updates, including security fixes, and for protecting customer data.

One small downside is that SaaS programs can sometimes be a tiny bit slower than software installed directly on your computer. This is because the data has to travel over the Internet to the cloud. However, for most uses, this difference is not noticeable.

How SaaS is Developed

A big challenge for SaaS providers is not knowing exactly how many people will use their software at any given time. Their systems need to be strong enough to handle everyone without slowing down, but without wasting too many resources when fewer people are using it.

There aren't special ways of coding that are unique to SaaS. However, SaaS products are often updated very frequently. Developers often use methods like Agile software development to help them release updates quickly. They also do a lot of software testing to make sure the service is always available.

SaaS developers also need to make sure their software works well on many different devices, like desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones. Some SaaS apps are even designed to work a bit even when you're offline.

How SaaS is Built (Architecture)

Most SaaS providers use a special way of building their software called a multi-tenant architecture. This means that all customers use the exact same version of the software on the same setup of computers and networks. This makes it much easier for the company to manage and update the software. In this setup, many resources can be shared among different customers.

A typical SaaS program has two main parts:

• Application plane: This is the part that does the main work of the software. For example, if it's a video editing app, this part handles the actual editing.
• Control plane: This part manages the system itself. It handles things like signing up new users, billing, and how the SaaS provider manages the service.

The main challenge in a multi-tenant system is making sure that different users cannot see or change each other's data. Even though many resources are shared, some parts might be set up separately for each user, especially for more complex features.

Some SaaS products keep everything completely separate for each user. This is called siloing. While it might not be as efficient, it can be easier to move older software to a SaaS model this way. Some companies offer this as a premium (more expensive) option. Many systems use a mix of both sharing resources and keeping some separate.

See also

In Spanish: Software como servicio para niños