Skip to content

Database

FireFlutter uses Realtime Database. Initially, FireFlutter was actively developed and used through Firestore. However, in early 2024, it was determined that Realtime Database could be sufficiently well-implemented, leading to the development of a more concise and faster package. As a result, the package primarily using Realtime Database was developed.

Database Guidelines

  • By using Realtime Database instead of Firestore,

    • You can listen to parts of the data rather than the entire data, and fetch minimal units of data from the database.
    • This allows you to retrieve data faster and display it on the screen more efficiently.
    • It can lead to cost savings.

  • Use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_) in database paths whenever possible.

    • For example, use user-private instead of user_private.

Database Structure

  • Aim for a flat data structure whenever possible.
  • Avoid nesting subcollections whenever possible. For instance, refrain from storing comments under a post node. For example,
    • Instead of storing comments under a post like /posts/<postId>/comments/...,
    • Store posts under /posts/<postId> and comments under /comments/<postId>/... to separate the data groups.

Database Widgets

  • Provides widgets for easy database usage.

Value Widget

The Value widget displays information from the Realtime Database in real-time on the screen. When displaying values from the database on the screen, it is essential to use this widget.

When a database path is specified in path, it is passed to the builder as dynamic type. If there is no value at the specified path, a null value is passed to the builder.

Providing the same value as in the database to initialData significantly reduces screen flickering.

Example 1 - Display the value of the test/banana node on the screen.

Value(
  initialData: 'BANANA',
  path: 'test/banana',
  builder: (v) => Text(v.toString()),
),

Example 2 - Display the phone number of the logged-in user on the screen.

Value(path: Path.phoneNumber, builder: (v) => Text(v ?? ''))

You can display a loader icon in onLoading, or show default widgets to reduce screen flickering.

Database(
  path: post.ref.child(Field.noOfLikes).path,
  builder: (no) => Text('좋아요${likeText(no)}'),
  onLoading: const Text('좋아요'),
),

Through Value.once, you can display the value only once on the screen. In other words, if the value continues to be modified, it will not be displayed on the screen in real-time. Instead, it fetches the value once, displays it on the screen, and does not update it even if it changes.

Value.once(
  initialData: 'BANANA',
  path: 'test/banana',
  builder: (v) => Text(v.toString()),
),

User Database

See user document.