What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is defined as the delivery of computing services over the internet. This encompasses a wide array of resources, including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence. Instead of owning and maintaining physical servers or data centers, users can access and pay for these services on-demand, which provides significant flexibility and scalability.

The advantages of cloud computing include cost-effectiveness, as companies can reduce the expense of hardware and maintenance; the ability to scale resources quickly in response to changing demand; and the possibility of accessing these services from anywhere with an internet connection, promoting remote work and collaboration.

The other concepts highlight significant areas in computing but do not accurately define cloud computing. Local storage pertains to saving data on physical devices, server hardware focuses on the physical machines used to run applications, and programming languages are tools used to create software, none of which capture the essence of cloud computing as a service delivery model.