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Maybe I'm like a Luddite or something, but I feel like I keep hearing about Firebase but still have no idea what it really is or why/how I would use it in a pro
by ufmace 3y ago
Maybe I'm like a Luddite or something, but I feel like I keep hearing about Firebase but still have no idea what it really is or why/how I would use it in a project. I'm just sitting here on my own building projects with mostly Postgresql DBs, once in a while MySQL, and not suffering massive security breaches. Thanks I suppose for giving me a data point that I'm most likely not missing anything.
- ElFitz 3y agoIt’s a hands—off database and auth service, initially intended to be directly accessed by thick clients, with little to no backend logic (although they have since added FaaS). When mobile apps started out, most had little to no online features. As the mobile apps market grew, more and more of these apps started requiring account persistence, sharing content with other users, real-time online interactions, etc. That's when Backend as a Service became a thing (eg Parse), targeting developers with little to no server-side experience. And that's when Firebase popped up.
- ufmace 3y agoAhhh Backend As A Service. I guess that makes sense. Not something I could see myself ever using, but I suppose I can see how somebody might use it if they don't know how to write and run their own backends or don't have authority to spin one up. Guess I'm a little lucky in that I can spin up personal backend services just for kicks, and even though DayJob is pretty corporate and locked down, I can still spin up a new backend on my own with not much oversight as long as it doesn't touch certain sensitive things. Thanks for a brief and clear description - it's surprising how few people can't seem to write one, and how many official corporate sites bury what their service actually does behind 10 pages of marketing fluff and stock photos.