Firebase for Crypto – The Best Blockchain Firebase Alternative

Blockchain technology is set to shake a wide range of industries as the internet did over 20 years ago. As such, becoming a blockchain developer, learning about blockchain’s disruptive technology, and diving deeper into the realm of crypto will most certainly future-proof your career. As Firebase is a front runner for creating Web2 mobile and web applications, Moralis has proven to be the best blockchain Firebase alternative for Web3 development. Therefore, if you need a Firebase for crypto option to build your first dApp, such as a mobile Ethereum dApp, follow along as we explore Moralis’ Web3 platform and discover why it is the best blockchain Firebase alternative.

If you have experience with developing mobile and web applications, odds are you’ve heard of Firebase. This platform from Google was created to make things as straightforward for developers as possible. What Firebase does for regular Web2 apps, Moralis does for decentralized applications. Moralis’ ultimate Web3 development platform is essentially Firebase for crypto. It provides all the tools you need to deploy cross-chain interoperable dApps quickly and without any heavy lifting. With the help of this blockchain Firebase alternative, you get to use your frontend skills to contribute to blockchain technology adoption without the need to learn any of the blockchain-related backend programming parts.

Firebase for Crypto – Meet Moralis

As such, if you want to build excellent Web3 applications quickly, you’ve come to the right place. Using this blockchain Firebase alternative makes blockchain development feel like a breeze. Developers who create dApps around RPC nodes know it takes weeks or even months to create a working product.

However, when using Moralis and its ultimate Web3 SDK, you can turn those months or weeks into days or even hours. How is this possible? Well, for starters, you get to avoid all the limitations of RPC nodes. Essentially, you get to take advantage of Moralis’ backend infrastructure to build your unique user interface around it. Moreover, you can further speed up the process by using Moralis’ Ethereum dApp boilerplate that comes with UI-ready components. The latter means that you can include a wide range of functionalities in your dApp in minutes by simply copying and pasting short snippets of code. 

In this article, we’ll show you how to get going with Moralis, and how to make the most out of this Firebase for crypto platform. You’ll learn about the tools, SDKs, APIs, and a full boilerplate project that this blockchain Firebase alternative provides you with. So, whether you are looking to develop your own NFT marketplace, create an OpenSea clone, generate and mint non-fungible tokens, create a DeFi dashboard, or build your first dApp, Moralis got you covered!

The Best Blockchain Firebase Alternative

Let’s take a closer look at what the best Firebase alternative has to offer. Moralis provides you with everything you need to deploy cross-chain dApps in record time. This enables you to easily deliver on your timeline and also get feedback from users as soon as possible, instead of wasting months on development just to see how your potential users flee to another dApp. 

Features that make Moralis the best blockchain Firebase alternative:

• Get Started for Free – Moralis was created by developers – for developers; to contribute as much as possible to make the adoption of blockchain technology faster. As such, our goal is to make Moralis available “as free as possible”. Currently, everyone can start and get full access to all features without any cost by taking advantage of the free tier.

• Moralis Speedy Nodes – The nodes from Moralis are the best Infura alternatives available. Building directly on top of RPC nodes is an old way of creating dApps due to the limitations of RPC nodes. However, you still need to access a node to interact with the various blockchains. Fortunately, you don’t need to run your own nodes and deal with all the complications of setting up your own node. 

• Access to the Ultimate Web3 SDK – Moralis provides everything you need to create dApps quickly and easily. This includes crypto login and user management, syncing historical transactions, setting up real-time alerts, decentralized storage (IPFS integration), and dApp hosting.

• The Ultimate Web3 API – An extensive part of Moralis’ SDK is its ultimate Web3 API. The latter includes native API, account API, token API, the ultimate NFT API, and resolve API. All these together comprise the best Ethereum API. 

Firebase for Crypto with the Best Documentation

In order to help developers make the most out of these features, we’ve got a top-notch documentation in place. We’ve spent a ton of resources to ensure that we provide Moralis users with the best documentation in the industry. As such, Moralis’ documentation includes detailed instructions, examples, and even video explanations. Furthermore, it also has a neat and clean look. Moreover, it is easy to navigate and makes the development of dApp straightforward. The “Getting Started” section will guide you through all the necessary steps to ensure that you can focus on developing your first dApp in no time. 

Blockchain Firebase Alternative with Strong Community

When you join Moralis, you also get access to an incredible community. In the Moralis forum and Moralis’ Discord channel, you get to ask questions and learn from experienced Web3 developers. That way, you are never alone. We believe in a strong community, so you can not only get help whenever needed, but you also get to be part of a group of like-minded developers, all eager to contribute to the blockchain’s mainstream adoption. Moreover, you get to learn how to become a blockchain developer by learning from those who’ve already done it. 

Blockchain Firebase Alternative – Getting Started

In order to use Moralis’ SDK or the ultimate Ethereum boilerplate, you need to set up your Moralis server. Here are the necessary steps to start using this Firebase for crypto option:

1. Set Up Your Moralis Account – You’ll need to create your free Moralis account to use the power of this blockchain Firebase alternative. Just click the link above, enter your email address, and create your password. To complete the process, confirm your email address (you’ll receive an email with a confirmation link). If you already have an active Moralis account, just log in and go to your admin area.
     
2. Create a New Server – After you log in, you will access your Moralis admin area. Click the “Servers” tab and then “+ Create a new Server” in the top-right corner. From the drop-down menu, select one of the network options (see the image below). We recommend starting with the “Testnet Server” option if you are still learning how to make the most out of this blockchain Firebase alternative. 

Next, a pop-up window asking for server info will appear. Enter the necessary server details, including the server name, select region, network, chain(s), and click “Add Instance”. It can take some time for the server to spin up, so please be patient. 

3. Access Server Details – As soon as your server is ready, you can access its details by clicking the “View Details” button next to your server’s name. 

This will cause another pop-up window to appear, which is where all the information you need will be listed:

4. Initialize Moralis – To obtain the required backend functionality, populate your “.js” or “.html” file with the Moralis server details (application ID and server URL):

Note: Use your server’s details and NOT the ones from the image above.

Firebase for Crypto – The Ultimate Shortcut

Once you have your Moralis server set in place, you are ready to start creating your cross-chain operable dApps. You can do so by using extensive Ethereum APIs (hooks) and building your own user interface around it. However, if you are looking for an even faster way to deploy your dApps, you may want to use Moralis’ ultimate Ethereum dApp boilerplate.

By using our Ethereum dApp boilerplate components, you can implement the following functionalities, including the UI, in minutes:

• Capture wallet addresses with <AddressInput /> and display an Ethereum address with a blockie avatar using <Address />:

• Offer a user-friendly way to switch among supported chains with <Chains />:

• Display the price (in USD or the native token [switch by clicking on it]) of a specified token by using <CoinPrice />:

• Show all ERC-20 balances to your users with <ERC20Balance />: 

• Display ERC-20 token transactions using <ERC20Transfers />:

• Add a wallet to your dApp with <Wallet />:

• Offer a decentralized exchange (DEX) to your users by using <DEX />:

All of the above components are at your disposal by completing the Moralis server setup as per the previous section. However, to make use of the DEX component, you also need to install the 1inch plugin from Moralis. Fortunately, you do this with a few clicks:

1. Click the three dots on the right-hand side of your server, followed by a click on “Plugins”. Then click the “Go to Plugin Store!” button. 

2. Select the 1inch plugin by clicking the “Read More” button on Moralis’ 1inch plugin container:

3. Install the 1inch plugin:

After you’ve successfully completed the installation, you’ll be able to use the “<DEX />” component. 

Blockchain Firebase Alternative – Using the Boilerplate

If you want to make the most out of this “Firebase for crypto” alternative in the shortest possible time, using our Ethereum dApp boilerplate components is the way to go. To make that happen, you’ll need to follow these simple steps:

1. Start by cloning or forking the “ethereum-boilerplate” depository using “git clone https://github.com/ethereum-boilerplate/ethereum-boilerplate.git”.

2. Next, install all dependencies:

cd ethereum-boilerplate
yarn install

3. Followed by providing your “appId” and “serverUrl” from your Moralis server (instructions in the “Blockchain Firebase Alternative – Getting Started” section above) to “<MoralisProvider>” in a “src/index.js” file:

<MoralisProvider appId={APP_ID} serverUrl={SERVER_URL}>
  <App />
</MoralisProvider>

4. Run your app using “yarn start”.

Note: Instead of using “yarn”, you may also use the npm package manager. If so, you need to replace “yarn” with npm’s equivalent commands. 

All the currently available features within the ultimate Ethereum dApp boilerplate are just the beginning. It is a work in progress, and as a user, you can contribute by leaving comments on its GitHub depository.

Firebase for Crypto – Authenticating Users

Whether you decide to go with the ultimate shortcut that the Ethereum dApp boilerplate offers or want to create unique user interfaces, being able to authenticate users is the key. Unlike with Web2, where email login is all you need, with Web3 apps, you need to obtain your users’ wallet addresses for them to gain full functionality of dApps. Essentially, this is the feature that every decentralized application needs. 

Fortunately, this Firebase for crypto makes Ethereum authentication as simple as it gets. Thanks to its MetaMask integration, you get to exploit the power of this popular wallet as the gateway to the crypto realm. Aside from MetaMask, Moralis also offers WalletConnect integration, which is great if you want to create mobile Ethereum dApps.

Whichever of the two authentication integration options you decide to use, you get to cover it with the “Moralis.authenticate” code snippet. Moreover, once your dApp is able to authenticate users, you automatically gain full access to all on-chain data related to that address. Furthermore, all of this data becomes available in your Moralis dashboard, which is a live database. As such, displaying token balances, NFTs, and transaction history become an easy process.

Your Moralis dashboard is linked to your Moralis server. Thus, in order to access it, go to your Moralis admin area and then click the “Servers” section. Next, click the three dots on the right-hand side next to your server’s name, and finally click on the “Dashboard” button:

By completing the steps above, you access your Moralis dashboard:

In case you are more of a video person and would like to learn about the features that make Moralis the best blockchain Firebase alternative, make sure to watch the video below:

Firebase for Crypto – The Best Blockchain Firebase Alternative – Summary

We’ve covered quite a lot of ground in this “Firebase for Crypto – The Best Blockchain Firebase Alternative” article. As such, you now know that Moralis is Firebase for crypto, designed to make dApp development fast and simple. Moreover, you also know that with Moralis Speedy Nodes, Moralis serves as a node provider. On top of that, it provides you with the ultimate Web3 SDK, including a full scope of APIs to make programming as easy as possible. By copying short, most times single lines of code, you get to cover all of the backend coding. 

In addition, you’ve also learned about the ultimate Ethereum dApp boilerplate and its components, which offer you a way to create powerful Web3 applications in minutes. On the other hand, you also have an option to use Ethereum dApp boilerplate hooks to create your unique user interface around the offered functionality. Moreover, we’ve also provided you with detailed step-by-step instructions to cover the initial setup to use Moralis. With all that, you are ready to create your first dApp in a matter of minutes. 

Nonetheless, remember to join the Moralis community, which will help you overcome any potential hurdles. Also, make sure to check out the Moralis YouTube channel and the Moralis blog for guidance and inspiration. On both of these outlets, you can find many example projects that are a great way for you to practice your blockchain development skills.