Which cloud computing model is typically used for application development?

The Platform as a Service (PaaS) model is specifically designed to facilitate application development by providing a comprehensive framework that developers need to create, test, and deploy applications. PaaS offers a complete development environment in the cloud, including infrastructure, runtime environments, and development tools. This allows developers to focus on writing code rather than worrying about hardware and software maintenance, thereby increasing productivity and reducing the time to market.

PaaS typically includes services such as databases, middleware, and development frameworks that streamline the development process. It provides scalability, allowing developers to adapt resources based on application demand without having to manage the underlying infrastructure. This level of abstraction is what makes PaaS particularly valuable for developers who want to deploy applications quickly and efficiently.

In contrast, other models like Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) require users to manage and configure the underlying physical infrastructure, which can complicate the development process. Software as a Service (SaaS) delivers complete applications to end-users but does not provide an environment for developers to create new applications. A Private Cloud, while customizable and secure, does not specifically cater to the needs of application development in the same way that PaaS does.