Firebase

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Firebase

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Firebase

Firebase is a Backend-as-a-Service platform. It's not just hosting or serverless. It has a powerful SDK, Authentication, and Real-time database.

Written by:
  • Thom Krupa

    Thom Krupa

Last update: April 18, 2021
  • Firebase logo
  • JS framework: All
  • Website: firebase.google.com
  • Founded: 2011
  • Total raised: $7M
  • Infrastructure: GCP
  • Serverless: Node.jsGo

Infrastructure

Firebase is a Google product, and it uses Google Cloud Platform under the hood. GCP is a cloud computing service much like AWS, and just like AWS, it offers world-class infrastructure and a robust set of solutions for data management, application development, etc.

Hosting vise, you can use their Cloud Storage option, but here we are more interested in Firebase, a mobile app dev platform often labeled as backend as a service, which is built to help you host a single-page web app, a mobile app landing page, or a progressive web app without the hassle.

Everything you need to develop an app

Pretty much the same as Amplify Console and AWS, if you really on Google Cloud and their services for a project at hand, integration vise you’ll have fewer complications if you use Firebase. But unlike Amplify Console, Firebase is built with the mobile app in mind first. So, you might say it is Google’s mobile application development platform.

Firebase offers a Real-time NoSQL Database in which you can store and sync JSON data. Every time data changes, each device that runs your app receives changes almost immediately. A real-time database is a great fit for applications that need some collaboration features between users. It can also be used offline. A great choice for Progressive Web Apps and mobile apps. Data is stored locally, and once the device is connected to the Internet, Firebase will sync changes.

Dashboard

In contrast to the GCP dashboard, Firebase is much simpler. You don't need to take a full-day course to set up a simple project. On the left sidebar are all essentials tabs.

Conclusion

Firebase is a great choice if you build a mobile app. You can set up auth and database quickly. Easy integrate more advanced things like Machine Learning or Push Messages. Firebase SDK gives you a fast start and covers all common features.

Features
  • Realtime database
  • A lot of built-in backend products like Push Notifications, Machine Learning
  • Integration with Google Analytics
Use Cases
  • Backend as a service for mobile and web apps.

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