Software as a service (SaaS) is a software application delivery model where a software vendor develops a web-native software application and hosts and operates (either independently or through a third-party) the application for use by its customers over the Internet. Customers do not pay for owning the software itself but rather for using it. They use it through an
API accessible over the Web and often written using
Web Services or
REST. The term SaaS has become the industry preferred term, generally replacing the earlier terms
Application Service Provider (ASP),
On-Demand and "
Utility computing".
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