What is Firebase?
Firebase is Google’s platform for rapid mobile and web application development. Instead of building custom backend infrastructure, developers use Firebase services like Authentication, databases, and hosting. Firebase accelerates development and eliminates server management.
Core Features
- Firebase Authentication for user login with email, social login, or phone
- Cloud Firestore and Realtime Database for data storage
- Cloud Functions for serverless backend logic
- Firebase Hosting for web apps with global CDN
- Firebase Cloud Messaging for push notifications
- Crashlytics for crash reporting and app stability
Typical Use Cases
Startup MVPs: Teams use Firebase to quickly build functional apps without running their own servers. Authentication, database, and hosting are set up in minutes.
Real-Time Applications: Chat apps, collaboration tools, and live dashboards benefit from Firestore’s real-time sync. Changes are automatically pushed to all connected clients.
Cross-Platform Apps: Firebase SDKs for iOS, Android, Web, and Flutter enable using one backend for all platforms.
Benefits
- Fast start without backend development
- Automatic scaling from zero to millions of users
- Integrated analytics and performance monitoring
- Seamless integration with Google Cloud
Integration with innFactory
As a Google Cloud partner, innFactory supports you with Firebase: architecture design for scalable apps, backend migration, Firestore data model optimization, and GCP service integration.
Available Tiers & Options
Spark (Free)
- Free for small projects
- Full feature set
- Usage limits
- No Cloud Functions
Blaze (Pay-per-use)
- No usage limits
- Cloud Functions available
- Access to all GCP services
- Costs vary by usage
Typical Use Cases
Technical Specifications
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Firebase?
Firebase is a development platform from Google that provides Backend-as-a-Service for mobile and web apps. It includes authentication, databases, hosting, analytics, and more.
What is the difference between Firebase and Google Cloud?
Firebase is a collection of developer-friendly tools built on Google Cloud. Firebase projects are simultaneously GCP projects and can use all GCP services.
Which database should I use, Firestore or Realtime Database?
Firestore is the newer, recommended database with better scalability and query capabilities. Realtime Database is suited for simple real-time sync and has lower latencies for very frequent updates.
Is Firebase GDPR compliant?
Yes, Firebase offers GDPR-compliant data processing. For EU projects, data can be stored in European regions. Google provides data processing agreements.
Can I combine Firebase with my own backend?
Yes, Firebase can be used alongside custom backends. Many use only Firebase Authentication or Cloud Messaging while business logic runs on their own servers.
