DISTRIBUTED APPLICATION OPTIMIZATION USING SERVICE GROUPS

Embodiments are directed to managing multiple different types of applications using service groups. In one scenario, a computer system receives an indication of one or more application dependencies and characteristics that are to be implemented when an application is provisioned on a distributed host computer system. The computer system creates an application manifest that declaratively defines application dependencies and characteristics for various different service groups. Each service group includes applications that match the declaratively defined application dependencies and characteristics. The computer system also sends the manifest to the distributed host computer system which loads those applications that fit the manifest criteria onto available nodes of the distributed host computer system according to the service groups specified in the manifest.