Freelance Firebase Developer UK

Overview

Firebase is a great platform for developing backends for different applications (web and native). Developed and owned by Google, it can be the perfect launchpad for any start-up or MVP owners.

It's a very much 'batteries included' solution. As follows:

• Databases: The platform now supports both relational (SQL) and non-relational (NoSQL) approaches. Historically, it was focused entirely on NoSQL document databases. But newer services allow more traditional relational data modelling where appropriate.
• Authentication: I.e. the logging in and out of users.
• Cloud Functions: The ability to run tasks in their cloud is extremely useful. For example, integrating with a third-party emailing solution. Or simply, resizing an image on its way to storage.
• Storage: Applicable for any digital item that needs storing, but typically: images, video, data files and PDFs etc.
• Push Notifications: Push notifications are frequently used with native apps. Allowing app owners to send notifications direct to devices.
• Analytics: Useful usage stats so you can better understand your users and their behaviour.
• Crash Reporting: Great for reporting on real bugs that users are experiencing.
• And much more.

Firebase is an ideal solution for pairing with web apps (single page applications / SPAs) and/or native applications.

Good for your business

The above features mean that this platform can be a great profitable choice for your business applications.

The following are some of the best advantages:

• Maintenance Free: The whole platform is a managed solution. You don't have to worry whether any aspect of it has been updated to the latest.
• Rapid Development: Authentication, databases, storage and hosting can be configured extremely quickly.
• Scalability: Firebase has scalability at its heart. Meaning that your app will be able to manage any sudden spikes in demand.
• Predictable Early Costs: The whole platform is costed on a pay-as-you-go approach. It comes with a generous free tier. In the early days of your application, when demand is low, you can be assured that your costs will also be low. Potentially free depending on your actual usage.
• Real-time Synchronisation: Within an SPA, or a native app, any changes made by one user will be near instantly reflected in another user's device, I.e. without refreshing content.
• Great partner for an SPA or native app: The SDKs and APIs make it straightforward for web, mobile and desktop applications to securely communicate with the backend.

Firebase is an excellent choice for start-ups and MVPs [link to MVP page] as products can be brought to market rapidly. Angular would be a great frontend SPA choice, or Flutter as a native app option.

This great platform has different global data-centres to choose from (e.g. London, West Coast US). However, Firebase services, particularly authentication services, may involve processing data outside the UK. This can be an important consideration for healthcare, government and other regulated sectors requiring strict UK-only data residency. If you need UK data sovereignty, then Laravel hosted in the UK would be a better option.

At Pendigital, we've used Firebase notably with the following projects:

• As the Wylder native app's backend. With an admin panel built with Angular (an SPA) and the app built with Flutter.
• As the database and hosting for a re-wilding schools Wildlife Trust project. The frontend is an SPA and uses the Angular framework.
• As the notification system for a yachting social network app.
• And as a backend for the Find Me a Beach app.

How can Pendigital use Firebase to help you?

As your freelance Firebase developers we can help in many ways including:

• Project setup
• Database design and schema development
• Authentication and security rules
• Cloud Function development
• Storage configuration
• Hosting and deployment
• Third-party integrations (e.g. SendGrid)
• Performance optimisation
• On-going maintenance and support

Recently, we've been involved in code rescue and stabilisation projects. This is where we have been brought in to rescue apps, potentially after businesses have lost their dev. Or equally, when results with AI don't quite work out as expected.

During discovery we'll help you decide whether Firebase is the right long-term fit for your project. Or whether a traditional backend architecture would better support your business goals.

Example Use-Cases

Firebase is suitable for the following range of business applications:

• Dashboards
• Authenticated applications (i.e. where content needs guarding)
• Portals
• Internal systems
• Mobile app backends
• SaaS applications
• Realtime systems

It is an excellent solution in terms of dashboards, portals and app backends. If you need highly-optimised SEO-driven marketing websites, or content heavy platforms then we may need to recommend other solutions.

Next Steps

If you would like to discuss your project in more detail then please don't hesitate to contact us.