What is Provider?

In the context of software and cloud computing, a 'Provider' generally refers to a company or service that offers resources, services, or platforms to other businesses or individuals. This could include cloud service providers (like AWS, Azure, GCP) offering infrastructure, platform, or software as a service; data providers offering datasets; identity providers managing user authentication; or payment providers handling financial transactions. Providers abstract away the complexities of managing the underlying infrastructure or specific functionalities, allowing consumers to focus on their core business. The exact function of a provider is entirely context dependent.