Cloud applications are software that users access primarily through the internet, meaning at least some of it is managed by a server and not users' local machines. Cloud-native application development strategies help development teams design apps with consistent experiences (for front-end users and back-end operations teams) across any IT infrastructure: physical, virtual, or cloud-based.
This basic definition doesn’t fully describe how cloud applications have reshaped markets and business models, though. If designed well, cloud applications can offer a user experience like a program installed entirely on a local machine, but with reduced resource needs, more convenient updating, and the ability to access functionality across different devices. New cloud applications can become key sources of revenue, and cause disruptive shifts to markets and business models. Gartner forecasts $110.5 billion revenue from worldwide cloud services in 2020, and additionally forecasts a rise to $143.7 billion by 2022. If you’re interested in cloud applications, you may want to integrate one into your own architecture to support your teams, or develop your own cloud app for internal or customer use.