Firebase is free* tool (platform, set of tools) for fast developing mobile and web apps. In one sentence: Firebase is a Backend-as-a-Service — BaaS.
Core modules of fire base:
- Analytics
- Authentication – auth with Login/Facebook/Google/Twitter/Github
- Realtime Database – real time NoSQL DB
- Cloud Storage
- Test Lab – (only Android) there You can send your app for remote test
- Cloud Messaging – push notifications
- Functions – (in beta) allows u to write backed functions in JS
- AdMob - menetyzations
...and more less usage modules (from my perspective).
Since Google took Firebase in 2014 they integrate platform with almost all theirs products, for example GCM (google cloud messaging) is now deprecated because of FCM (firebase cloud messaging).
Prons:
- JSON communication
- fast development
- cross platform
- real time
- security
- easy access to storage
- easy auth implementation
- auto-scaling
- its Baas
- static file hosting
Cons:
- manual indexing
- one way sorting
- limited queries
- complex validation rules
- NoSQL so data redundancy
How to start:
- Go to https://console.firebase.google.com/ and login in
- Create project (u will need to set name and choose location)
Hurray now You have Yours Firebase project in next i will create tutorial how to connect it to Android and iOS app.
If You have any question about Firebase I will try to answer.
*pricing depends on chosen plan based on usage
**sorry for my language I will try to improve it with every post here :)