Top Firebase Extensions to elevate your Android, Flutter & Web projects

Have you heard of Firebase Extensions?

Firebase Extensions are pre-packaged solutions that can be deployed to an app to simplify common development processes. They save the developer’s time by handling complex tasks so that they can focus on building other aspects of their app, thus boosting productivity.

The pre-packaged solutions are code that performs a task whenever a specific event is triggered in the app, for example; a database change, a file upload etc which then runs a predefined set of actions in response. This helps streamline your app’s functionality without you having to manually write code for those actions.

Some of the key features of Firebase Extensions are;

• Automated processes: Firebase extensions automate various tasks like resizing images, translating texts etc thus reducing the number of boilerplate code.

• Scalable: The extensions are designed to scale with your app’s needs.

• Secure: The extension logic runs using cloud functions and also the extension is usually secluded from your project with access limited only to the resources and data that were specified before installation.

• No Maintenance: You only need to install and configure an extension before use. Once installed, the extension automatically handles scaling and resource management hence no need to worry about manually adjusting resources as your app grows.

By using Extensions, you save time and effort writing code which then promotes faster development processes of your app.

Let’s now look at some of the Firebase Extensions that you can use in your app!

• Resize images: Created by Firebase, this extension resizes images uploaded to cloud storage.

• Delete user data: Made by Firebase, this extension automatically deletes certain data keyed on a user ID when the user is deleted from Firebase Authentication.

• Run payments with Stripe: Made by Invertase, this extension controls access to paid content by syncing your one-time and recurring payments with Firebase Authentication.

• Translate text in Firestore: Made by Firebase, this extension translates strings written to a Cloud Firestore collection into multiple languages.

• Enable in-app purchases: Made by RevenueCat, this extension facilitates in-app purchases and subscriptions, controls access to premium content and syncs purchase information to Firestore.

• Build chatbot with GeminiAPI: Made by Google Cloud, this extension deploys customizable chatbots using Gemini models and Firestore.

• Back up Firestore to Storage: Made by Htsuruo, this extension exports Firestore documents to Cloud Storage at any scheduled time.

• Shorten URLs in Firestore: Made by Firebase, this extension shortens URLs written to a specified Cloud Firestore collection.

• Export user data: Made by Invertase, this extension exports certain data keyed on a user ID from Firestore, Realtime Database or Cloud Storage to a Google Cloud Storage bucket.

• Make payments with Google Pay: Made by Google Pay, this extension handles payments via Google Pay through various Payment Service Providers and records the response in Cloud Firestore.

• Export storage Files to Google Drive: Made by Mark, this extension exports cloud storage files to Google Drive in real-time.

• Detect objects with Cloud Vision API: Made by Jauntybrain, this extension detects multiple objects in provided images and saves them to Firestore using Cloud Vision API.

• Trigger GitHub issues from Crashlytics: Made by Htsuruo, this extension automatically creates GitHub Issues triggered by Crashlytics alerts.

• Firebase alerts: Made by Oddbit, this extension empowers your team with timely Firebase notifications sent directly to your preferred communication platform.

• Manage Smart Wallets with Openfort: Made by OpenFort, this extension controls the management of a smart wallet to send blockchain transactions.

• Track shipping Labels with ShipEngine: Made by ShipEngine, this extension provides a callable https function for retrieving label tracking data and a https webhook endpoint for live tracking updates from a ShipEngine account.

The above extensions are just but a few extensions out of the many in the Firebase Extension Hub. Feel free to check them out here.

That’s all for now. Hopefully, you’re ready to dive into Firebase Extensions and make your app even better!