Firebase REST API vs JS Client Library

Question

I want to get a list (potentially 100k+ entries) as read-only values.

I can use:

firebaseRef.once('value', function(dataSnapshot) {
    // handle read data.
});

Or I could get the data by issuing a GET request to a Firebase endpoint:

https://docs-examples.firebaseio.com/rest/saving-data/fireblog/posts.json

In this read-only scenario, the REST API seems to be consistently faster than using the library. Particularly on larger data sets.

Why is this? If I only want to read data, is there any reason not to use the GET request method?

The JavaScript SDK is primarily built to synchronize data in realtime. If you don't need that and get better (in your definition of what that means, e.g. "Faster") results with the REST endooint, by all means use the REST endpoint. — Frank van Puffelen
– Frank van Puffelen, Commented Feb 20, 2015 at 14:34

Phssthpok · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-20 11:04:36Z

3

firebaseRef.once() uses a WebSocket. It takes as much time to set up as a repeating event observer, and it doesn't benefit from the cacheability of a GET request. It also makes use of the global firebase auth state, which is more convenient but less flexible than the auth parameter of a REST request.

If you are already setting up a WebSocket connection for repeating event handlers, once will sometimes be the most convenient way to get the latest data for something that wouldn't have benefitted from cacheing anyway. But sometimes you have to dip into the REST layer to fully optimize performance.

edited Feb 20, 2015 at 11:04

answered Feb 20, 2015 at 10:58

Phssthpok

1,6681 gold badge14 silver badges21 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Dan Over a year ago

Is it just setting up one WebSocket for the whole child node? The time difference I notice between GET and the library call can be as much as 10 seconds on larger sets.

Phssthpok Over a year ago

The library has some facilities for switching protocols, or using multiple connections for multiple data objects. Sometimes you see several sockets open at once when listening to several objects. But I don't think it can ever split a single request across multiple sockets.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Firebase REST API vs JS Client Library

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related