Links
Comment on page

Notes

Realtime Database

Set a ref

function writeUserData(userId, name, email, imageUrl) {
firebase
.database()
.ref('users/' + userId)
.set({
username: name,
email: email,
profile_picture: imageUrl,
});
}

Value events

Value events fire with the entire data payload for any and all changes
Listen to ongoing events
var starCountRef = firebase.database().ref('posts/' + postId + '/starCount');
starCountRef.on('value', function(snapshot) {
updateStarCount(postElement, snapshot.val());
});
Listen to a single event and stop listening
var userId = firebase.auth().currentUser.uid;
return firebase
.database()
.ref('/users/' + userId)
.once('value')
.then(function(snapshot) {
var username = (snapshot.val() && snapshot.val().username) || 'Anonymous';
// ...
});

Multi-path updates

function writeNewPost(uid, username, picture, title, body) {
// A post entry.
var postData = {
author: username,
uid: uid,
body: body,
title: title,
starCount: 0,
authorPic: picture,
};
// Get a key for a new Post.
var newPostKey = firebase
.database()
.ref()
.child('posts')
.push().key;
// Write the new post's data simultaneously in the posts list and the user's post list.
var updates = {};
updates['/posts/' + newPostKey] = postData;
updates['/user-posts/' + uid + '/' + newPostKey] = postData;
return firebase
.database()
.ref()
.update(updates);
}

Delete data

function deleteUser(userId) {
return firebase
.database()
.ref('/users/' + userId)
.remove();
}

Detach listener

var starCountRef = firebase.database().ref('posts/' + postId + '/starCount');
var listener = starCountRef.on('value', function(snapshot) {
updateStarCount(postElement, snapshot.val());
});
function detachListener() {
starCountRef.off('value', listener);
}

Transactions

function toggleStar(postRef, uid) {
postRef.transaction(function(post) {
if (post) {
if (post.stars && post.stars[uid]) {
post.starCount--;
post.stars[uid] = null;
} else {
post.starCount++;
if (!post.stars) {
post.stars = {};
}
post.stars[uid] = true;
}
}
return post;
});
}

Child events

  • child_added: fires once for every existing result and then again for every new result; does not fire for changes or removals, only new records
  • child_changed: fires when the underlying object or value is changed in any way
  • child_removed: fires when the entire record is removed
var commentsRef = firebase.database().ref('post-comments/' + postId);
commentsRef.on('child_added', function(data) {
addCommentElement(postElement, data.key, data.val().text, data.val().author);
});
commentsRef.on('child_changed', function(data) {
setCommentValues(postElement, data.key, data.val().text, data.val().author);
});
commentsRef.on('child_removed', function(data) {
deleteComment(postElement, data.key);
});

Sort data

  • orderByChild('childName'): Orders by a child attribute
  • orderByKey(): Orders by record keys
  • orderByValue(): Orders by record values; only relevant when values are strings or numbers and not nested objects
var topUserPostsRef = firebase
.database()
.ref('user-posts/' + myUserId)
.orderByChild('starCount');
var mostViewedPosts = firebase
.database()
.ref('posts')
.orderByChild('metrics/views');

Filter data

Assumes that data is ordered by key unless otherwise specified
  • limitToFirst(count): Sets the maximum number of items to return from the beginning of the ordered list of results.
  • limitToLast(count): Sets the maximum number of items to return from the end of the ordered list of results.
  • startAt(value): Return items greater than or equal to the specified key or value, depending on the order-by method chosen.
  • endAt(value): Return items less than or equal to the specified key or value, depending on the order-by method chosen.
  • equalTo(value): Return items equal to the specified key or value, depending on the order-by method chosen.
var first100Days = firebase
.database()
.ref('days/2018')
.orderByChild('dayOfYear')
.limitToFirst(100);
var first10DaysOfFebruary = firebase
.database()
.ref('days/2018')
.orderByChild('dayOfYear')
.limitToFirst(10)
.startAt(32);
var last10DaysOfJanuary = firebase
.database()
.ref('days/2018')
.orderByChild('dayOfYear')
.limitToLast(10)
.endAt(31);
var first10DaysOfJanuary = firebase
.database()
.ref('days/2018')
.orderByChild('dayOfYear')
.limitToFirst(100) // Limit is never hit
.endAt(10); // endAt stops the query before it hits the limit

Authenticate Node.js

Full admin privileges
var admin = require('firebase-admin');
// Fetch the service account key JSON file contents
var serviceAccount = require('path/to/serviceAccountKey.json');
// Initialize the app with a service account, granting admin privileges
admin.initializeApp({
credential: admin.credential.cert(serviceAccount),
databaseURL: 'https://databaseName.firebaseio.com',
});
// As an admin, the app has access to read and write all data, regardless of Security Rules
var db = admin.database();
var ref = db.ref('restricted_access/secret_document');
ref.once('value', function(snapshot) {
console.log(snapshot.val());
});

Initialize Node.js with limited privileges

Set auth token variables to limit access
// Initialize the app with a custom auth variable, limiting the server's access
admin.initializeApp({
credential: admin.credential.cert(serviceAccount),
databaseURL: 'https://databaseName.firebaseio.com',
databaseAuthVariableOverride: {
uid: 'my-service-worker',
},
});
Act as an un-authenticated user
// Initialize the app with a custom auth variable, limiting the server's access
admin.initializeApp({
credential: admin.credential.cert(serviceAccount),
databaseURL: 'https://databaseName.firebaseio.com',
databaseAuthVariableOverride: null,
});