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feedback: re the site: i have no idea what you mean by a "backend". If it's got a "admin dashboard" it's got a UI which means it's got a front-end which means

feedback: re the site: i have no idea what you mean by a "backend". If it's got a "admin dashboard" it's got a UI which means it's got a front-end which means it's not a backend. I'm assuming "go backend" isn't specific to go but just indicating that it's written in go. it's got a example code block but doesn't explain the point of it. Why would an existing framework with a UI and everything need me to write a `main` method? Why doesn't it have one already? If it doesn't have one why doesn't it. If it does have one why am i not using it? My thinking here is that there are many existing patterns for registering plugins / extended functionality that don't require altering the main method of the thing you're hooking into. Why aren't you using that? Is this maybe intended to be like... a starter template for a Sinatra like thing with a pre-defined set of functionalty? Kind-of like how Django sets up model administration UIs for you? re your summary here and the site: i have no idea what "backed-in files" means and I've been doing web-dev for decades. "convenient Admin dashboard UI" ... to admin / do what? "simple REST-ish API" a) why "ish" and not actually REST b) ... that let's me do what? --- in summary.... this looks useful but i don't get what you're actually offering or what it's intended usage scenario is. This is compounded by the fact that you're using a very atypical definition of one word "backend" and a very uncommon term "backed-in files"

sangnoir 4y ago
It's a lightweight replacement for Firebase. I That's why it is described as a backend, because it's primary feature is to act as a data store. If don't understand what a project does, and you're unfamiliar with the comparisons given (Firebase, Supabase), the right thing to do would bw to look up the comparisons.
- masukomi 4y ago
  I know you have user management, a database, and do something with files. As noted before the "backed-in files" isn't a commonly used phrase so i'm left with 2 pieces of meaningful info, neither of which is particularly notable because every multi-user app has both of those. Firebase gives me a list of use cases https://firebase.google.com/use-cases https://firebase.google.com/use-cases and documentation whose left nav gives me a good insight into the high-level functionality it provides "authentication, storage, hosting, security rules, extensions, machine learning, etc" I think it's safe to assume you don't provide all of those, but i don't know what subset you DO provide. As a result, if i give you the benefit of the doubt, telling me it's a "replacement for firebase" is not meaningful because i don't know what parts it can replace unless it's just the few listed in which case it's absolutely _not_ a replacement.
  - sangnoir 4y ago
    I'm not OP; I wasn't aware of the project until I read the HN headline. "Lightweight replacement" also implies missing features, IMO. This project has - at the minimum - authentication, storage and hosting in a single binary that can be self-hosted. This absolutely can replace Firebase for some use-cases (e.g. on my LAN/homelab) Aside: your tone is weirdly - and needlessly combative. If you see no value in this project to yourself, that is fine, but it appears to be making you angry for some unfathomable reason.
  - semireg 4y ago
    I’m familiar with firebase and an electron developer and I still don’t understand what this project does. I wish I did, because it seems it’d be interesting to me. Even the app that uses this (Presentator) is described in a way that leaves me grasping for “bit what does it DO?”
    - resoluteteeth 4y ago
      There is a bunch of software in this space like supabase, flat backend, and appwrite that attempts to be a generic self hosted backend for apps in a manner similar to firebase by providing data storage and authentication with a rest API in an integrated fashion, usually with a built in admin interface for schema design, user management, etc. You can also think of them as software like postgrest but with the addition of authentication and other app oriented features, and with a JavaScript client library out if the box. This program is doing the same thing in a more lightweight way as a single executable using sqlite. The idea is that by using this type of generic backend software for your database and authentication, you can basically just write the remainder of a typical app or webapp entirely as client side/frontend software, which is something that you can also do with firebase, but this allows you to easily self host it without having to create your own custom backend software.
      - semireg 4y ago
        Ok, so it's a self-hosted CRUD boilerplate with auth written in Go? Or a self-hosted Notion but with less view/UI customization out of the box?
iampims 4y ago
You haven’t tried really hard: > PocketBase could be used as a standalone app or as a Go framework/toolkit that enables you to build your own custom app specific business logic and still have a single portable executable at the end.
- masukomi 4y ago
  if it's used a standalone app then what functionality is it providing beyond "user admin". Like, what problem does it solve in that use case? > a Go framework/toolkit that enables you to build your own custom app specific business logic that definition applies to literally every framework and toolkit. It tells me nothing.
  - resoluteteeth 4y ago
    It provides an authenticated rest API (with a premade JavaScript client library) to an sqlite database, so you can store users' data similarly to how you might use firebase.
  - rpdillon 4y ago
    > and still have a single portable executable at the end. You're quoting selectively in a way that elides meaningful parts of the sentence, and then stating that the description lacks meaning.

sangnoir 4y ago

It's a lightweight replacement for Firebase. I That's why it is described as a backend, because it's primary feature is to act as a data store. If don't understand what a project does, and you're unfamiliar with the comparisons given (Firebase, Supabase), the right thing to do would bw to look up the comparisons.

masukomi 4y ago
I know you have user management, a database, and do something with files. As noted before the "backed-in files" isn't a commonly used phrase so i'm left with 2 pieces of meaningful info, neither of which is particularly notable because every multi-user app has both of those. Firebase gives me a list of use cases https://firebase.google.com/use-cases https://firebase.google.com/use-cases and documentation whose left nav gives me a good insight into the high-level functionality it provides "authentication, storage, hosting, security rules, extensions, machine learning, etc" I think it's safe to assume you don't provide all of those, but i don't know what subset you DO provide. As a result, if i give you the benefit of the doubt, telling me it's a "replacement for firebase" is not meaningful because i don't know what parts it can replace unless it's just the few listed in which case it's absolutely _not_ a replacement.
- sangnoir 4y ago
  I'm not OP; I wasn't aware of the project until I read the HN headline. "Lightweight replacement" also implies missing features, IMO. This project has - at the minimum - authentication, storage and hosting in a single binary that can be self-hosted. This absolutely can replace Firebase for some use-cases (e.g. on my LAN/homelab) Aside: your tone is weirdly - and needlessly combative. If you see no value in this project to yourself, that is fine, but it appears to be making you angry for some unfathomable reason.
- semireg 4y ago
  I’m familiar with firebase and an electron developer and I still don’t understand what this project does. I wish I did, because it seems it’d be interesting to me. Even the app that uses this (Presentator) is described in a way that leaves me grasping for “bit what does it DO?”
  - resoluteteeth 4y ago
    There is a bunch of software in this space like supabase, flat backend, and appwrite that attempts to be a generic self hosted backend for apps in a manner similar to firebase by providing data storage and authentication with a rest API in an integrated fashion, usually with a built in admin interface for schema design, user management, etc. You can also think of them as software like postgrest but with the addition of authentication and other app oriented features, and with a JavaScript client library out if the box. This program is doing the same thing in a more lightweight way as a single executable using sqlite. The idea is that by using this type of generic backend software for your database and authentication, you can basically just write the remainder of a typical app or webapp entirely as client side/frontend software, which is something that you can also do with firebase, but this allows you to easily self host it without having to create your own custom backend software.
    - semireg 4y ago
      Ok, so it's a self-hosted CRUD boilerplate with auth written in Go? Or a self-hosted Notion but with less view/UI customization out of the box?

iampims 4y ago

You haven’t tried really hard: > PocketBase could be used as a standalone app or as a Go framework/toolkit that enables you to build your own custom app specific business logic and still have a single portable executable at the end.

masukomi 4y ago
if it's used a standalone app then what functionality is it providing beyond "user admin". Like, what problem does it solve in that use case? > a Go framework/toolkit that enables you to build your own custom app specific business logic that definition applies to literally every framework and toolkit. It tells me nothing.
- resoluteteeth 4y ago
  It provides an authenticated rest API (with a premade JavaScript client library) to an sqlite database, so you can store users' data similarly to how you might use firebase.
- rpdillon 4y ago
  > and still have a single portable executable at the end. You're quoting selectively in a way that elides meaningful parts of the sentence, and then stating that the description lacks meaning.