Let Firebase Cover the Basics For You

When it comes to writing code, the less you have to do the better.  You want control over how your applications behave, but if you can piggy back off of other developer’s work then that’s generally a good thing.  And if you’re hoping to be an app developer, then one of the best tools for piggy backing is Firebase.

Using others to your advantage:

If you think about it even developing the most basic app takes the work of countless others.  Someone else had to develop the programming language you’re writing in, someone else had to build the IDE (probable Android Studio) that you’re developing on, and someone had to…well you get the point.  Any modern-day invention was not created from nothing, it came about thanks to the ground work being done by something that came first.

This doesn’t mean you can’t be innovative.  It means that there’s nothing wrong with using 3^rd party libraries and tools to make your development journey easier.  If you don’t have to worry about the basics then you can focus on what makes your app great.  Ok enough justification, let’s talk about how you should use Firebase to make life easier.

Authentication and Data Management:

How many apps do you have that require you to sign in to fully use features?  Of those how many let you create and account through Facebook?  Users hate having to create sign-in info, a decent percentage won’t even go through the process because of the extra 10 seconds it takes.  So including an option for one-click sign in makes it more likely your app will succeed from the start.  Firebase makes this feature easy to leverage allowing you to create a sign in screen with companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google. 

When users sign up Firebase keeps track of their info and allows user management to be easily configured.  If a user gets a new phone they can log in and Firebase will associate them with the same account.  Firebase also has a database feature allowing you to create and store JSON info, so users can interact with one another and store information easily.  Let’s say you wanted to create that new social media app which lets people post pictures and message one another:  Firebase should be your go to.

Analytics:

When you release an app it’s best to have a game plan for what’s next.  What if users love one part of the app but never use another?  Well if that’s the case then you should aim for a redesign that either brings in new features or directs the users attention to things they are more interested in.  Of course if you release an app and people in other countries start downloading it you can’t exactly track them down and ask them how they’ve been using the app.

This is where analytics come in.  Firebase gives you the capability to monitor user events (anonymously) so you can see which features are getting the most interaction.  If you have a search bar in your app that no one ever clicks on, it’s either time to drop it or move it elsewhere to try again.  Analytics can keep you in know for how your app is behaving and what should change.

Crashlytics:

And on the topic of what should change in app behavior, crashes are about the worst thing a user can experience.  You may be getting 1 star ratings in the app store because your app shuts off randomly for some users and you don’t know why.  Firebase offers Crashlytics to look at the stack trace details for every crashed application.  If there’s one button in your app that is broken and slipped through your checks when publishing, now you’ll be able to see that it’s responsible for the crashes and act accordingly.

Firebase offers a ton of other features that can make development easier and the user experience more fluid.  These are just the tip of the iceberg and features I enjoy using on a daily basis.  If you want to learn how to incorporate Firebase into your apps then checkout Phonlab’s Android Development Course!