Level 3 Platforms & Creativity

Sep 18, 2007 by Sinclair Schuller

Marc Andreessen posted an excellent article breaking down Internet platforms into three “levels”. If you only have time for one article you would be better off to read his than mine but to summarize, the levels are described as:

• Level 1: API driven, app lives outside of the “platform” (Think Flickr)
• Level 2: Plugging an extension via an API into an existing app (Think Facebook)
• Level 3: A runtime where code lives entirely on the platform and the platforms purpose is to host applications (Think SaaSGrid – disclosure: SaaSGrid is the platform my company Apprenda will be opening to beta soon.)

The most important takeaway from Andreessen’s post is his statement that:

“I [Andreessen] believe that in the long run, all credible large-scale Internet companies will provide Level 3 platforms. Those that don’t won’t be competitive with those that do, because those that do will give their users the ability to so easily customize and program as to unleash supernovas of creativity.”

Reading that quote summarizes our mission with SaaSGrid and my personal perspective on the SaaS platform concept in general. If as a software engineer or development studio one can focus on what’s important and let Level 3 platforms do the grunt work, the ability to work “outside the box” becomes very real, and the quality and value of applications skyrocket. Once a Level 3 platform becomes established, it can very quickly continue to introduce value to the applications deployed on it.