If one day I would have to replace Firebase with custom solution can I migrate authorized users from Firebase Auth to my system?
I am aware that Firebase allows to export all user data using Firebase Admin SDK but I'm curious about behavior of identity providers (Facebook, Google and Twitter). If my custom system would use the same providers API keys as Firebase Auth what would happen to my users?
Thanks for any help !
Firebase Auth provide a CLI SDK to download your accounts:
https://firebase.google.com/docs/cli/auth#authexport
Firebase Auth uses SCRYPT to hash passwords. If you decide to migrate, you can also contact Firebase support to help you with the process.
As for linked OAuth providers, you can still implement that in your own system as the OAuth flow is a well known standard and the users should be portable. In general, Firebase Auth architecture is based on open standards and protocols that are widely used in the industry. The advantage is that Firebase Auth manages all that complexity for you for free.
Related
Firebase has announced a new optional upgrade called Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform, however, the new features already exist on the GCP Identity Platform.
As mentioned in the documentation here
Identity Platform serves as the backend for Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform and the features that are offered are identical.
I want to know:
What is the changes that occurred after the new upgrade has been released, and how can we benefit from it?
Should we now choose to work with only one of Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform and GCP Identity Platform?
What changes should be implemented if I want to migrate from GCP Identity Platform into Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform?
One of my favorite features that are implemented is that we are able to register blocking functions. If you read the docs, you'll all the benefits.
It's up to you to decide, but in my opinion, I would prefer to use the newest solution.
As far as I noticed, none.
Once you migrate, you'll see in the Firebase console in the Authentication section on the top of the page, the following text:
Authentication with Identity Platform
And to answer your question:
What is the difference between Identity Platform and Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform?
The real benefit is that you can use all the other Firebase products.
Edit:
Besides the blocking functions, there are other new features present, that weren't before:
Multi-factor authentication
Sign in with OIDC
Sign in with SAML
Multi-tenancy
IAP integration
In addition to #Alex's answer, upgrading to Identity Platform also let's use disable sign-ups and account deletion from the Firebase client SDK. It's useful when you want to restrict certain users to your application as you'll have to use the Admin SDK to create/delete users.
This along with blocking function and other features were part of Identity Platform already and you were able to upgrade your Firebase project before as well just like in the answer linked above. Firebase just made it easier for you to upgrade and use those features now directly from Firebase console.
Should we now choose to work with only one of Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform and GCP Identity Platform
If you plan to use only E-Mail Password authentication, Google Accounts and do not require blocking functions or so. You can keep using Firebase Authentication only as you won't be charged for it. However, if you upgrade to Identity Platform, you only have 3000 DAU for free.
I'm looking for out-of-the-box signup and sign-in solution. Based on my research AWS Cognito provides the solution. Custom hosted UI, self-sign-up with configurable required fields.
Does Google Firebase or Google Cloud as a whole have similar functionality? Especially self-sign-up flow with configurable required fields.
I see with Google Firebase email/password authentication provider available for sign-in. but I don't see self sign up process where I can configure the required field during the sign-up process.
Firebase Authentication is the sign-in solution from Firebase. In addition to SDK for Firebase's supported platforms, it comes with a pre-built UI for the most common platforms: web, Android, iOS and Flutter.
The number of pre-defined fields for a user is quite limited though, see for example the definition here for a web user. There is no way to expand this within Firebase Authentication. If you want to store more information for each user, you'll typically do that in one of Firebase's databases (Firestore or Realtime Database) with the user ID as the key for that information.
It is possible to use Google Identity Platform and Firebase Auth concurrently in the same project without upgrading my email/password users in Firebase Auth to Google Identity Platform and having to pay for those users?
Attempting to use Google Identity Platform seems to force me to move all my users in Firebase Auth over to it.
As far as I know it is indeed not possible to use Google Cloud's Identity Platform and Firebase Authentication on a single project. You'll have to pick one, and use that for the entire project.
The only alternative I can think of is setting up separate projects for each, and accessing the specific project for the type of user. But in that scenario you'll have to deal with data migration and probably more nasty situations.
Update: since June 2022 the upgrade to Identity Platform is available directly within Firebase. While this optional upgrade does switch you to a different pricing plan which is no longer unlimited, it comes with a generous free tier of 50,000 MAU (monthly active users).
For more on this see the announcement blog post MFA, Blocking functions, and more come to Firebase Authentication and the documentation section on Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform.
I have been creating a flutter app and am using firebase for authentication.
Is it possible and best practice to use the firebase only for the authentication and use REST APIs via http package for the CRUD operations instead of using cloud firestore?
Yes, it sure is possible, and common. If you want to send the user credentials to your backend for verification, you should use the Firebase Admin SDK to verify a user ID token.
I see firebase has no server authentication API's added in the Firebase Admin but has only user management (CreateUser and UpdateUser).
Firebase only offers signin through client libraries where it depends on Google Identity Platform (https://www.googleapis.com/identitytoolkit/v3/relyingparty/verifyPassword)
After exploring further I ended up finding Firebase Auth REST API over (Implemented it too and works great) here.
This API reference is great for implementing Auth through REST API and avoiding dependency on client libraries. As this helps in having complete server side authentication through cloud functions.
Coming to the pricing, Firebase mentions that Auth costs nothing where as Google Identity platforms has really high pricing.
So would like to know what Firebase team has to say on this or any one who explored this.