Intro to Use the Firebase emulator to create safe test environments for Angular

Overview of the demo application and tools we'll use

Initialize Firebase emulators in your app

Setup the Firebase authentication emulator

Initialize the Firestore emulator

Overview of the different Firebase cloud functions

When to use the onCall or onRequest Firebase Cloud functions

Get started with Firebase HTTP Cloud Functions

Create and use callable functions with the Firebase function emulator

Watch for changes and trigger functions with the Firestore emulator

Disable Firebase emulators when in production

Import seed data for your Firebase emulators

Local App Development with the Firebase Emulator Suite

Firebase has two methods for creating HTTP functions, `onRequest` follows a REST pattern and `onCall` gives you access to the Firebase JavaScript SDK. 

https://app.egghead.io/api/v1/lessons/firebase-when-to-use-the-oncall-or-onrequest-firebase-cloud-functions/subtitles



Instructor: Firebase has two different ways to create HTTP functions. One is using the onRequest() functions, and the other one is using the onCall() function. Both of these functions create an HTTP endpoint you can call.

The big difference is that the onRequest() follows more the regular REST API, where you send data to the endpoint, and you here get their request, their response, and you work with that, like in most Node.js applications.

The onCall() is a special wrapper on top of that that lets you use the Firebase JavaScript SDK from the client side, which will handle most of the complex part for you, like handling already passing the authentication state of the user without you having to send any tokens or anything like that. They both work as a general guideline. I usually use the onRequest() when I'm talking server to server, like when I'm creating functions that another server is trying to talk to.

I use the callable functions when I'm calling those APIs from the UI. That way, I don't have to handle the JWT tokens or anything like that. I just use the JavaScript SDK, and they send the proper tokens that I need for the authentication.

When to use the onCall or onRequest Firebase Cloud functions

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Local App Development with the Firebase Emulator Suite