Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) Practice Exam

What type of Azure service is best for developing applications without managing underlying infrastructure?

1. Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)

2. Platform as a service (PaaS)

3. Software as a service (SaaS)

4. Infrastructure management

The correct answer is: Platform as a service (PaaS)

The correct choice is indeed Platform as a Service (PaaS). PaaS offers a comprehensive environment for developing, running, and managing applications without the complexities of building and maintaining the underlying infrastructure. It abstracts away the physical hardware and networking details, enabling developers to focus on coding and deploying applications. With PaaS, the provider takes care of the operating system, middleware, and runtime while also providing services like databases, development frameworks, and application hosting. This allows developers to quickly build applications, streamline workflows, and support multiple programming languages, all while enjoying scalability and built-in security features that come with Azure's managed services. In contrast, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) requires more involvement in managing the underlying infrastructure, such as virtual machines and networking, which is not ideal for those looking to focus solely on application development. Software as a Service (SaaS) refers to fully managed applications delivered over the internet, where users consume software rather than build it. Infrastructure management is not a recognized category like the others and doesn't directly relate to the development of applications. Overall, PaaS is the best fit for achieving efficient application development without the burdens of managing the underlying infrastructure.