Firebase Architecture for Scalable SaaS Apps
Introduction
Firebase is a Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) that simplifies development with real-time databases,
authentication, and cloud functions. This guide provides architecture strategies for SaaS platforms.
Core Firebase Tools
- Firestore: Flexible, real-time NoSQL DB
- Firebase Auth: Email, OAuth, custom tokens
- Cloud Functions: Serverless backend
- Cloud Storage: File uploads
- Hosting: Web app deployment
Design Principles
- Use modular services
- Secure data with Firestore rules
- Use subcollections for multi-tenant data
- Separate user-facing and admin-facing apps
Architecture Example
SaaS App with tenants:
- Firestore: /tenants/{tenantId}/data/
- Auth: Each user scoped to tenant
- Functions: Business logic for billing, email, validation
Performance Tips
- Avoid deep nested writes
- Use batched writes
- Paginate large queries
- Enable Firestore indexes
Compliance
- Store user data by region
- Set up daily backups
- Follow OAuth token management best practices