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Google Launches Mobile Backend Starter, Cloud Backend For Android Apps

48 points| aashaykumar92 | 13 years ago |techcrunch.com | reply

10 comments

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[+] kirinan|13 years ago|reply
So Parse but only for android? The benefit of parse is that I could make one backend and use it for ALL of my apps (including web), and they would all have access to my data. If I used this, I would have to make a kludge (if it is even possible) to access my data for iOS and windows (because as a business I'd want to expand). It looks awesome if you plan to make a one-off app for android only, but it doesn't look like something I'd use as a startup founder or small business owner (wouldn't want to lock myself into a single environment). I like the fact that parse is getting some competition, I don't like the fact that it only works for one platform (for now anyways).
[+] tosh|13 years ago|reply
It seems like it is using Google Cloud Endpoints which means that you can generate client libraries for various languages (Dart, Ruby, Objective-C, Python, JavaScript, …) from your backend API definitions.

See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy0tP6_kWJ4

We are currently looking into Google Cloud Endpoints for exactly this functionality at Blossom (https://www.blossom.io)

[+] vyrotek|13 years ago|reply
This is similar to Azure Mobile Services[0] right? I've never quite understood the appeal of mobile-backend-as-service. I've developed a few mobile apps but always wrote and hosted my own API/Server/Database for the app to communicate with. These new services seem to focus on giving your mobile app some sort of central blob storage and some push features.

I feel like these are nice 'temporary' services which eventually get completely replaced. I'm not suggesting that is bad though. But as someone who came from the business web-app world, I fail to see the value unless you're looking to avoid writing any server code.

[0] http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/develop/mobile/

[+] hayksaakian|13 years ago|reply
To New mobile developers that got their start on mobile (like I was) without back end experience, Its highly appealing to let someone take care of it. (most people just need a basic CRUD api anyway, why spend time writing yet another crud app?)
[+] sazpaz|13 years ago|reply
Has it been announced if it will support iOS apps?
[+] hayksaakian|13 years ago|reply
I think having a general name like "mobile backend starter" implies it heavily
[+] MikeKusold|13 years ago|reply
Some of the features of this framework are specific to Android. I would assume that you can still make calls to the App Engine part though.
[+] petersouth|13 years ago|reply
Will this simplify App building enough to where a novice could build it now?