Cloud computing means running applications on servers that are connected to the internet, instead of installing and running them on your own device. The software itself sits on the provider's servers, and you reach it over the internet, usually through a browser.
Because the processing happens on the provider's machines, your own device does not need to be powerful. A modest laptop, a tablet or even a phone can use a large, demanding program this way, as long as it can get online. The provider buys, powers and repairs those servers, and applies the software updates, so nobody in your organisation has to install a new version.
| Software run locally | Cloud computing | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the program runs | On your own device | On the provider's internet-connected servers |
| What you need | A device powerful enough to run it | Access to the internet and a browser |
| Updates | You install them | The provider applies them |
| Who looks after the hardware | You or your organisation | The provider |
Cloud computing is not the same thing as cloud storage: one is about running software, the other about keeping files. It also does not remove the need for the internet — if your internet connection fails, you cannot reach the application at all. It is the internet connection that matters, not just Wi-Fi.
Online applications are software programs that you use over the internet, usually through a web browser, instead of installing them on your own device. This means you don't need to download or install anything extra to start using them.
Some online applications are entirely browser-based. Everything you do happens inside the browser window. For example, you might build a simple animation in an online tool and save it online, with nothing installed on your computer apart from the browser itself.
Other online applications work together with locally installed programs and services. A browser-based tool might pass a file to a desktop program, or a local app might save your work to an online service. For instance, you could design a poster in a browser-based editor, then open the file in a desktop publishing program to add the final touches.
Because online applications run on remote servers, you can access them from any device that has an internet connection and a browser. That is different from traditional software, which has to be installed on every computer that uses it.
Consistency of version means that every user of a cloud application is running exactly the same version of the software. Cloud software runs as a single service on the provider's servers, rather than being installed separately on each device. Because there is only one copy of the software, there is no way for one person to be on an older release while someone else has a newer one.
This has two main effects. First, all users have the same features available. If the provider adds a new tool or fixes a bug, everyone gets it at the same time. No one is left waiting for an update or stuck with missing options. Second, the file formats are compatible across users. A file saved by one person will open correctly for everybody else, because the software that reads it is identical. For example, a shop that sells aquarium supplies uses cloud-based label-design software. One assistant designs a price label on the shop's laptop and saves it; when another assistant opens that file on the tablet at the till, the layout, fonts and barcode appear exactly as designed.
This is a key reason organisations choose cloud software. It removes the problems caused by different versions, such as files that will not open or features that some staff cannot use. Everyone works with the same tools and the same file formats, so work can be shared without confusion or extra effort.
A single shared instance of a file means that there is one master copy stored on the provider's server. Every authorised user accesses and edits that same copy, rather than each person working on their own separate file.
Because there is only one file, an organisation avoids creating and managing many copies. This saves time and reduces the risk of mistakes. For example, if you email a file to five people, you end up with five versions to merge back together. With a single shared instance, that problem disappears.
When anyone opens the file, they see the most recent version, including any changes made by others. This means users cannot accidentally work on an out-of-date duplicate. The single shared instance also makes it easier to keep everyone on the same page, because there is no confusion about which copy is correct.
Worked example: A youth theatre group keeps its rehearsal schedule in a cloud file. The director updates the schedule after each rehearsal. Every actor opens the same file and sees the latest times immediately. No one has to email a new copy or worry about reading an old version.
Without a single shared instance, each person might have their own copy, so changes could be lost or duplicated. The cloud provider manages the master copy, so you do not need to worry about where it is stored.
When you share a file or folder from cloud storage, you decide what other people are allowed to do with it. These permissions are called access rights. They protect your work from accidental changes or deletion, while still letting the right people see or use it.
| Access right | What it allows | When you might use it |
|---|---|---|
| View-only | Open, read and download the file, but not change it. | Sharing a finished timetable or a set of rules that must stay the same. |
| View and edit | Open, change and save the file. | Working together on a document, such as a drama club writing its script. |
| Full control | Edit, rename, move and delete the file or folder. | Giving a trusted co-organiser more power over the folder — but deleting removes the files for everyone. |
Full control is the highest level because it includes deleting. If you only need someone to read a file, view-only is safer: a mistake cannot ruin the original. You set the rights as you share, and you can change or remove them at any time.
For example, a school photography club stores its event photos in a shared folder. The whole club gets view-only access so they can look at the pictures, the club leader gets view and edit to upload new albums, and a private link to the best photos is sent to the school newsletter team.
Collaboration in cloud storage means several people can open and edit the same file at the same time. Their changes appear almost instantly for everyone, so you can work together without emailing versions back and forth.
Synchronisation is the automatic process that keeps files the same on the cloud and on every device linked to your account. When you save a change on one device, it is uploaded to the cloud and then downloaded to your other devices.
For example, four students in a robotics club keep a shared build log in the cloud. One types the list of parts, another adds the measurements, and a third writes about the motor that kept jamming. Everyone sees the new text as it is typed, so nobody is working on an old copy. This works because the file itself lives in the cloud rather than on one person's device.
Imagine you start drafting a speech for a debate competition on a library computer. You save it, and synchronisation copies it to the cloud. Later, you open the same file on a laptop at home and add a new paragraph. That change is uploaded to the cloud and then copied back to the library computer the next time it is online. You always work on the most recent version, whichever device you pick up.
Synchronisation also means copies of your files sit on several devices, not just one. If one device breaks, your work is still in the cloud and on your other devices.
Version history is a feature of cloud storage that keeps a record of every saved change made to a file. Each time you or someone else edits and saves the file, the service stores a new version. You can then look back at earlier versions and restore one if you need to.
This is useful when a mistake has been made, such as deleting a whole paragraph of your history essay by accident and saving the file. Instead of retyping everything, you open the version history, find the version from before the deletion, and restore it. The same applies if a collaborator makes an unwanted change, like replacing your carefully chosen image with a different one.
When you restore an old version, the service does not delete the newer versions. Instead, it creates a new version that matches the old one, so your version history stays complete. You can usually see a list of versions with dates, times and the names of the people who edited the file.
| Version | Saved by | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | You | First draft of the poster text |
| 2 | You | Added a paragraph about the school garden |
| 3 | Your partner | Deleted the paragraph by mistake |
| 4 | You | Restored version 2, so the paragraph is back; versions 1 to 3 are still listed |
Cloud collaboration tools go beyond letting several people edit the same file at once. They include features that help teams give feedback, review edits, and talk to each other while they work. Three of these are comments, track changes, and chat.
A comment is a note attached to a specific part of a document. You can use it to leave feedback or ask a question without changing the actual text. For example, in a shared project plan for a school fair, you might highlight a task and add a comment: "Who is booking the hall?" A teammate can reply to the comment, and the conversation stays linked to that task. This keeps discussions organised and easy to find later.
Track changes records every edit made to a document, along with the name of the person who made it. When it is switched on, any insertion, deletion, or formatting change is shown as a suggestion. Other users can then review each change and accept or reject it. This is helpful when work needs checking before it is finalised. Imagine you are editing a friend's blog post; you might delete a sentence, and they can see exactly what you removed and decide whether to keep the change.
Many cloud applications include a chat facility. This lets users discuss the file while they are working on it, without leaving the application. For instance, if two of you are building a quiz in a shared spreadsheet and you are unsure about a formula, you can ask in the chat and get an answer straight away while you both look at the same cells. Chat makes it quick to resolve questions and keep the work moving.
Cloud storage services usually start you on a free basic plan. That plan gives a limited amount of space, such as 5 GB, and a limited set of features. When you need more room, you pay for extra capacity, normally as a subscription that renews regularly.
Scalability means you can increase or decrease your storage easily as your needs change. If your needs grow, you move to a bigger plan. If they shrink, you drop back down. For example, a community radio station might keep 4 GB of interview recordings on the free plan, upgrade to 200 GB while editing a documentary series, then drop back to the free plan once the series has aired.
Scalability keeps costs under control. You only pay for the storage you actually use, so you do not buy a large hard drive that sits empty for most of the year. Paying a small subscription during busy months and nothing during quiet months is cost effective, and being able to step back down matters as much as being able to step up when you only need extra space for a short time.
Cloud storage is not usually offered with unlimited space. Even paid plans have a maximum capacity, so "unlimited storage" is not a standard benefit to claim.
Using cloud storage means you do not need to buy extra hardware to store your files, and you do not have to look after it. The cloud storage provider owns and manages all the physical equipment, so that job is taken care of for you.
If you keep lots of files on a local device, you might need to buy extra storage, such as an external hard drive, a USB flash drive, or even your own server. These cost money and take up space. With cloud storage, the provider has already bought the servers and hard drives, and you simply use them through an internet connection. For example, a community radio station records hours of interviews every month. Instead of buying a large external drive that could fill up or break, the station uploads the recordings to a cloud service, so the provider's hardware stores them and the station buys no storage equipment.
Maintaining storage hardware means checking it works, replacing broken parts, and upgrading when it gets full. It also involves power, cooling, and physical security. The cloud provider does all of this, so you do not have to. Software updates for the cloud storage service are managed by the provider too, so you do not need to download or install new versions or patches. The radio station never has to update the cloud storage app; the provider does it automatically, so the service keeps working without any effort from the station.