Firebase
Since the application requires a backend data storage solution, I decided to try out the Google Firebase service. I only heard a bit about it before and my understanding is that it is straightforward to learn. If you don’t know what Firebase is, I will explain it briefly. It is a Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS). It intends to free the developer from the task of programming and structuring of the backend of a system.
In the case of Android, I connected the application with the Firebase API and implemented the Firebase JSON file into the project. This allowed my application to see and understand the new Firebase objects. Through these objects, it is now possible to use all Firebase’s functionalities. This includes storing, updating and extract information from a real-time database. Likewise, it is also possible to use machine learning services, use multiple authentication services to sign in and sign up new users, plus many other services.
Given my break from Android programming, I thought that taking a Udemy course related to Firebase might be a good chance to brush up both skills. After finishing the class I can honestly say that it was not worth the time and effort. Firebase is so simple to use and understand, that you only need the Firebase console documentation and maybe a five minutes YouTube video when you run into problems. My advice is just to try it.