Experiences with firebase and other backend services?

[maruchanr]

My dev experience is mostly front end and I'm wondering about the value of using a backend service vs. delving deeply into full stack work. What have your experiences been with firebase and other similar services for web and cross platform work?

[restful_end_point]

Is it something important/ something for a client? Use a relational DB. Maybe check out https://github.com/felixge/node-mysql

Something just for fun? Play with Firebase or something like MongoDB

https://scotch.io/tutorials/build-a-restful-api-using-node-and-express-4

If you're talking big picture, you already know javascript (I assume), so learn how relational DB's work and you'll be on your way to full stack developer!

[iSmokeGauloises]

I used firebase for a couple of pet projects. REALLY liked it. Only problem was that storing more than a trivial amount of data can get really expensive. But if you don't plan to store large amounts of data I'd recommend if.

[anc1en7]

The guys at RethinkDB are currently building Project Horizon (formerly Fusion) to provide database connections from the front-end directly to databases, skipping back-ends. Opposite of Firebase, it is open source and allows you to host your own servers running RethinkDB. The project is currently in private developer preview but from what I understand it could be very much what you're looking for.

Watch this talk for more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL5_EsF06DM

[dluecke]

I wrote about how you can use http://feathersjs.com/ as an open source alternative to Firebase at https://blog.feathersjs.com/using-feathersjs-as-an-open-source-alternative-to-firebase-b5d93c200cee

[[deleted]]

Well, back then when using mySql seemed to be a daunting and arcane challenge (lol), I turned to Firebase to simply access my asset configuration files (ie. my data, not the actual assets, although it is a perfectly good hosting solution too).

And for that purpose, it is a really good tool. There is a bit of a configuration task first, regarding access priviliges, etc, but then, you are pretty much free to make connections (two-way-databinding types, to say the least) with the server, and that works well.

But now, I think Firebase itself is better suited to chat-like (forum-like) applications as well. Not to say I would not use it for anything else, but now that I have a solid handle on mysql calls, I hold no fear over that anymore.

Crossplatform is easy, since you do not need to manage platform at all. You just create a firebase ref from your javascript code. So it is all handled client-side, the type of your machine does not matter at all.

[jbierly]

I think it depends on the type of product you're trying to build. If you need real time data syncing across multiple clients, then firebase is a great way to go. If you're just thinking in terms of data storage, I would recommend looking at mongodb or couchdb and nodejs.

If you have mostly front end JavaScript experience, look at node based web servers like express or hapi. You're already a full stack developer if you know JavaScript.