My straight question is: since I am not interested in other Google Services, only Firestore, what is the difference between Firebase Cli and gcloud? Can I do all I need only with Firebase Cli or should I learn also gcloud?
I can easilly see that gcloud can handle more services than Firebase Cli. Also I can see Firebase Cli remenber me a lot the purpose of npm+ng cli when working with NodeJs/Angular (a simple analogy about scaffold/initialize/deploy). Nevertheless, our company will only use Firestore to take advantage of its Realtime Database pushing events to our mobile application.
I use Firebase Cli to type in my Windows command line and create a project in Firebase. I can see the result in Firebase Console and I also can see it in Console Cloud Plataform.
For me, who is total beginner with Google Cloud Plataform, it is a bit confused when prefer one over other. For instance, let's say I want to query data from Firebase Crashlytics from command line instead of logging from my Browser. Is it possible to use either Firebase Cli or gcloud? If both, which one is recommended for some company only interested in Firestore project?
This week I am struggling to figure out how to extract metrics regard my Firestore project and if I don't know what is the recommended tool for reach this task it make even harder to find the first steps. By extracting I don't mean see a beatifull dash in Google Console. I mean consume an endpoint providing me Firestore Metrics or, even better, subscribe my endpoint to Firestore project which will be called every time some issue happens (Other question asking exactly about getting Firestore metrics)
It is confusing and is partly the result of Google's acquisition of Firebase, the creation of what's now called Firestore (which is the unification of the original Firebase backend technology and Google Cloud Datastore), and that Google provides the Firestore service to both its Firebase and Google Cloud developer audiences.
As you've gathered, Google Cloud's CLI (Cloud SDK aka gcloud) and the Firebase CLI overlap in functionality. However, importantly:
both CLIs interact with a shared set of Google services (e.g. Firestore, identity, logging etc.).
there are some Google Cloud services not part of Firebase and vice versa
If you're focused on Firebase, you should be to able to stick with the Firebase CLI and continue to interact with Google's services through this Firebase lens.
If you include Google Cloud Platform services that aren't part of Firebase, you'll need to then consider using gcloud but importantly, you can either:
continue to use the Firebase CLI for the Firebase services;
use gcloud to interact with some (not all!) of the Firebase services (e.g. Firestore).
Over time, I assume (!) the remain discord between these 2 platforms will diminish.
If you consider both platforms as the result of (an ongoing?) unification since the acquisition, hopefully, these discrepancies will be more understandable and less frustrating.
Where you do find inconsistencies and frustrations, ensure Google knows by submitting feature requests and bugs.
Related
I have a fairly complex solution built upon Firebase including Firebase Auth, Firestore, Storage, Functions, FCM, and a few Google APIs. (This is a mobile application). A lot of my logic is in Functions, specifically notifications using FCM. I noticed a lot of errors in my logs when running locally. I don't think it's hurting anything, but I was wondering if there was a way in Functions if I could determine that I was using the local emulator suite and not run certain logic. Or better yet, if I could still use outside logic within the functions running locally. The biggest one being FCM. I also use some of the Google APIs, but I get an error because the Firebase Emulator Suite uses a different projectId.
I'm familiar with using Cloud Firestore when created through Firebase, but I've created a Cloud Firestore as a service within Cloud Platform and I can't figure out how to have a client access that database. I was expecting there would be someway to generate a GoogleService-Info.plist so that my iOS app can access Firestore.
How is Cloud Firestore different when created from GCP, and how can clients access it?
If you want to access Firestore from iOS, you will still have to go through the Firebase console to add your app to the project and generate that plist file.
What you probably don't realize is that a Firebase project is just like a GCP project. Every Firebase project IS a GCP project, just pre-configured with some services and APIs enabled. Read this blog for a full discussion. If you created your project via the Cloud console, you can just as easily access the very same project from the Firebase console.
Your Firstore instance is 100% the same, no matter how you access it. All the same data and scaling behavior that you expect from Firestore. The only differences lie in how Firebase client apps add special mobile functionality. Read this blog for a full discussion specific to Firestore.
Bottom line is that, for use with mobile apps, you should still use the Firebase console to set that up. You can use both console together at the same time. They show almost entirely the same data, but Firebase is simplified for mobile-centric use.
What is the difference between Cloud Firestore and Cloud Firestore for Firebase?
Here's a thread asking the same, but someone, please enlighten me.
https://www.reddit.com/r/googlecloud/comments/bb9n46/what_is_the_difference_between_the_cloud/
Is it the same? If not, which one to use?
The link you have shared is talking about the differences between quickstarts, Firestore as a service within GCP and Firestore as a service within Firebase. There also two different consoles for that. Both doing the same thing.
Please note that Cloud Firestore as a service is available with, or without Firebase SDKs.
Is it the same?
The difference that I see between them is that in Firebase console you can set the security rules and you access other services like IAM, BigQuery, more easily.
If not, which one to use?
If you are used to work in a Google Cloud Platform environment, use the Cloud console, otherwise use the Firebase console. So it depends on whatever your preference is.
For more informations, I recommend you read Doug Stevenson's post on medium.com regarding the same topic:
https://medium.com/google-developers/firebase-google-cloud-whats-different-with-cloud-firestore-40f1fc3e6d1e
I've got 2 different firestore interfaces: both using the same firestore project.
I'm finding this abit confusing - which one am I meant to operate in?
How come the 2nd doesn't have access to other settings such as Rules?
They are both meant for you to operate in. Which one you use depends on whatever your preference is. If you prefer to stay in the Firebase ecosystem, then use the Firebase console. If you prefer to stay in the Google Cloud ecosystem, then use the Cloud console.
Read more about the differences with Cloud Firestore between Firebase and Google Cloud.
Cloud Firestore is available with, or without Firebase SDKs.
For Firebase users, the Firebase interface allows you to configure Firebase specific functionality (Rules).
For GCP users, the Google Cloud interface keeps you closer to other services and admin settings you'll likely be using, such as IAM, BigQuery, etc. It also gives you quick access to a shell (Just click the Cloud Shell icon) so you can quickly run commands like gcloud firestore export.
Both interfaces will show you the same data.
Work in the first one. The second one is a simplified screen I think, because it is also for other services
I am looking to make an app that would have its Backend on another service like AWS or some other. This app would be having many features and functionalities.
But for chat feature, I am exploring options and wondering that would I be able to integrate Firebase in my app.
I have read about Firebase Functions to add more functionality at the backend and also the installation of Firebase Admin to servers.
But still I am not convinced about their capabilities and exactly what all I can do with them.
It would be great if someone who has experience with Firebase help me out figuring if going with it is the best case for me or is there something else I should look into.
So first you can't use Firebase in combination with AWS or Azure etc. Firebase is based on Google Cloud and is the interface between the mobile client (the running app on the client's smartphone) and the backend (your Firebase project).
What I use is, for example, Firebase Cloud Messaging, to simply notify one or multiple users by trigger an HTTP Request from my own web server.
I also made some apps to store the data in FireStore or in the Realtime-Database, so that I don't have to set up a whole new infrastructure. And this is basically the goal of Firebase that you can simply start with your app, without carrying about that.
So what I've heard about Firebase is that you currently cannot install Firebase on a server of your choice and you have to use Google Cloud.
Hopefully, you can do something with my answer. If you have further questions feel free to ask them.