5 ms·

Vercel / Next.js does function as a backend, too. You simply add an api folder and create 'routeName.js' files in there and you've got an endpoint backed by a l

Vercel / Next.js does function as a backend, too. You simply add an api folder and create 'routeName.js' files in there and you've got an endpoint backed by a lambda. And Vercel itself allows you to install backend services such as Redis caching, databases, or queues that you can pull in from those functions.

letmeinhere 5y ago
but (at least last I checked and from what I can glean from current docs) Vercel doesn't host databases, or integrate on a network level with the major cloud providers that do, so if you run your "back end" on Vercel you still need a "back back end" from a different provider and are opting into a huge amount of network operations burden to securely connect the two.
- gherkinnn 5y ago
  Welcome to the Jamstack. /snark I'd think of a Next-driven BE as a BE for FE. And since it's co-located, You can share types, validators, utilities, (mental) models, etc. across the same codebase. A technique that does have its place. Not always. Maybe not even half the time. But cleverer people than me use it to some effect.
- sroussey 5y ago
  Check out supabase https://supabase.io/ https://supabase.io/
- rattlesnakedave 5y ago
  For this sort of thing I really like fauna (https://fauna.com/ https://fauna.com/). I don't think you really "need" a "backend backend" anymore, and small dev teams are probably better off without them.
- adam12 5y ago
  You might be able to use GunJS for your database (decentralized). https://gun.eco/ https://gun.eco/
- chrisco255 5y ago
  Right, they don't host the databases, but they do integrate with other database, etc. providers: https://vercel.com/integrations https://vercel.com/integrations Vercel itself I believe runs on a combination of Google Cloud and AWS.
jekude 5y ago
Definitely get that it works as a backend as well. I guess I am imagining a frontend-agnostic platform that is more backend-centric, rather than targeted directly for frontend web development. Ideally I just get an endpoint from my backend-as-a-service (Supabase style) I can pop into Vercel as an environment variable, and use it as well in my moblile apps, public api, etc.
- Abishek_Muthian 5y ago
  If you're already using likes of Supabase, Firebase etc. then Parse.com (RIP) was that OG BaaS but Facebook acqui-killed it. Now it's available as a open-source project and is used by several providers to provide BaaS[1]. I had used both proprietary & open-source Parse until 4 years back for several production applications but has since gone back to relational DB(pgSQL), so don't know the current status of the ecosystem. [1] https://parseopensource.github.io/ https://parseopensource.github.io/
mritchie712 5y ago
Yep, I'm using Vercel + Supabase for a SaaS right now. Easy, fast, cheap, and effective.

letmeinhere 5y ago

but (at least last I checked and from what I can glean from current docs) Vercel doesn't host databases, or integrate on a network level with the major cloud providers that do, so if you run your "back end" on Vercel you still need a "back back end" from a different provider and are opting into a huge amount of network operations burden to securely connect the two.

gherkinnn 5y ago
Welcome to the Jamstack. /snark I'd think of a Next-driven BE as a BE for FE. And since it's co-located, You can share types, validators, utilities, (mental) models, etc. across the same codebase. A technique that does have its place. Not always. Maybe not even half the time. But cleverer people than me use it to some effect.
sroussey 5y ago
Check out supabase https://supabase.io/ https://supabase.io/
rattlesnakedave 5y ago
For this sort of thing I really like fauna (https://fauna.com/ https://fauna.com/). I don't think you really "need" a "backend backend" anymore, and small dev teams are probably better off without them.
adam12 5y ago
You might be able to use GunJS for your database (decentralized). https://gun.eco/ https://gun.eco/
chrisco255 5y ago
Right, they don't host the databases, but they do integrate with other database, etc. providers: https://vercel.com/integrations https://vercel.com/integrations Vercel itself I believe runs on a combination of Google Cloud and AWS.

jekude 5y ago

Definitely get that it works as a backend as well. I guess I am imagining a frontend-agnostic platform that is more backend-centric, rather than targeted directly for frontend web development. Ideally I just get an endpoint from my backend-as-a-service (Supabase style) I can pop into Vercel as an environment variable, and use it as well in my moblile apps, public api, etc.

Abishek_Muthian 5y ago
If you're already using likes of Supabase, Firebase etc. then Parse.com (RIP) was that OG BaaS but Facebook acqui-killed it. Now it's available as a open-source project and is used by several providers to provide BaaS[1]. I had used both proprietary & open-source Parse until 4 years back for several production applications but has since gone back to relational DB(pgSQL), so don't know the current status of the ecosystem. [1] https://parseopensource.github.io/ https://parseopensource.github.io/

mritchie712 5y ago

Yep, I'm using Vercel + Supabase for a SaaS right now. Easy, fast, cheap, and effective.