In this
tutorial, I will introduce you to Appwrite,
the best open-source alternative to Google Firebase.
Moreover,
I will make tutorial series on using Appwrite as the backend to Flutter App development.
As I write the tutorial in the coming days, I will link it down below. The
tutorial will demonstrate the installation of Appwrite to making the request
and saving data.
- Installing Appwrite Backend
- Create Project and Walk-Through of Appwrite features
- Integration
of Flutter App to Appwrite backend
Why Do You
Need Firebase Alternative
If you are
already here means you know you need a Firebase Alternative. However, if you
are just exploring, let me show you why.
Firebase is a
great, unique service platform provided by Google. It is the go-to choice for
anyone developing new mobile or web app that requires the power of serverless
infrastructure. It has got simple and easy-to-use API with great functionalities.
If
you search for the best backend to mobile apps then Firebase will be the number
one suggestion. I even have an article about Connect Your
Flutter Project With Google Firebase.
So,
why do you need a Firebase alternative if it is so good? Let me share with
you some points below:
- Owning Your Data: When you host your data on Firebase, the data
will be stored in the Data Center of Google. For general projects, it is
not a problem but if you have some concerns over data, it is better to
have it on your own server/data center.
- Pricing: Firebase
has relatively cheaper pricing. If your target is less than 1000 users,
then you will be good at using it. However, once you start scaling, the
pricing there will be cost. The pricing method is dynamic, so you will not
be able to schedule a fixed budget.
From my personal
experience, when I proposing Mobile apps with Firebase backend to clients, they
would be reluctant when they see Firebase pricing.
If this is
not your concern, then go with Firebase. It is one of the best and popular
backend you can have.
Appwrite –
The Best Open-Source Alternative
I am in no
way affiliated with Appwrite to say, it is the best open-source alternative to
Firebase. Later I will mention some other applications and link them in the
next section.
In this
article, I will mainly talk about Appwrite.
As
per the Appwrite website,
“Appwrite is a self-hosted
solution that provides developers with a set of easy-to-use and integrates REST
APIs to manage their core backend needs.”
Let me list
down some of the features making it the best:
- Open Source:
You can check their code on Github.
- Self-Hosted:
You can host it on your own server.
- Works on Local Host
- Easy to Deploy with Docker
- Good Documentation
- Easy Integration with various frameworks and programming languages.
Being a Flutter Developer, I find it to be the best as it
provides out-of-the-box support for Flutter. It states Appwrite is a Secure
Open-Source Backend Server for Web, Mobile & Flutter Developers.
They also
boast to cuts up to 70% of the time and costs required for building a modern
application. With abstract and simplify common development tasks to help you
grow your business in a fast and secure way.
Personally,
I will be using Appwrite from now on for my Flutter Projects. I will also write
an article for you to get started with it.
- Installation of Appwrite Backend
- Creating
Project and Getting started with Appwrite
- Integrate
your Flutter App to Appwrite backend
Other
Firebase Alternatives
There is
another similar or open-source alternative to Firebase, other than Appwrite. I
shall list them down below with links to the respective website. You can
explore it.
- Parse
- Kuzzle
- Back4App: It is based on the Parse Platform
- Supabase
- AWS Amplify: Similar to the Firebase but own by
Amazon. This is not open-sourced but you right find it interesting.
Do
you know any other great alternatives? Do you have any questions for me?
Post it in the comments section. I will do my best to help you.
This article
was short as most people prefer using Firebase itself. I also use it for most
of my projects but now with Appwrite, it makes it easier for me to test my
application. The features that both offer are similar.
As mentioned
above, keep checking for my tutorial series on integrating the Flutter app with
the Appwrite backend.
