What are the core differences between Firebase and Express?

Question

Right now I'm exploring how to write an API using Express and MongoDB. I'm also using Angular to do my routes and views. I know Firebase and AngularFire can make it so I can bypass using Express all together (or so I think) and have my app be realtime.

In this article by Chris Esplin he states that he could not give up Express because he needed it to write promises instead of callbacks for cleaner code when using his npm package 'Quiver-Invoice' with Firebase, Stripe and MailChimp's Mandrill service.

In this SO post the poster says they need to use Express & Node for the ability to send emails out. I assume this is impossible if one uses only Firebase with Angular.

Also I have seen people talk about differences in authentication and security differences between the two here https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/firebase-talk/WF9gf--A3Qo

Question(s)

So what are the core differences between Firebase and Express?

• Is it possible to build an API around Firebase like I can do in Express + MongoDB?

• Is it possible (or will it be possible soon) to customize the Firebase server like one can with Express?

Solution

Firebase is a backend-as-a-service, with the flagship feature being database capability with realtime eventing. Express is a web framework for Node.js. Comparing the two is apples to oranges.

You can do whatever you want with Express/Node, but you have to manage your own servers and write backend functionality. With a BaaS like Firebase, you can avoid managing any servers at all. You can even mix the two and use Firebase for some things and your own servers for other things. This is what Flawk does.

If you're mainly looking for a way to do realtime eventing with Express, you could use something low-level like Shoe to push events to clients, or something high-level like LiveResource which allows syncing RESTy objects.