Parse

The sole purpose of Parse was to demystify the process of backend development. Launched in February 2016, Parse Server is an open source version of Parse (MBaaS platform) which was originally developed by Parse Inc. It can be deployed to any infrastructure that can run node.js

Prerequisites

• Kubernetes 1.4+ with Beta APIs enabled
• PV provisioner support in the underlying infrastructure

Features

Manage your Apps

Create and Manage your data model

Use the web-based, all-in-one Dashboard for powerful data manipulation, to view analytics, schedule and send push notifications. Create all your classes and manage
your Data using Parse Dashboard.

REST API tool

Play around with your REST API

With the API Console, you have a quick and easy access to all functions of your REST API, allowing you to play around with the API or debug issues without writing a
single line of code.

Automatic Emails

Welcome Emails and Email Verification

Send automatic verification and welcome emails to your users. Use your own HTML template.

Social login

Make your app social

Connect your users via traditional logins or third-party social networks with just a few lines of code. We take care of linking accounts across networks, resetting passwords, and keeping everything safe and secure so you don’t have to.

Cron Jobs

Setup running tasks with Background Jobs

Easily schedule recurring tasks like sending engagement emails, updating data, and long running computation at any time interval via the dashboard. View job status
data and customize job frequency as required.

WebHooks

Keep yourself informed on app events with Web Hooks

Work in your preferred coding language and define a URL to receive a POST linked to a trigger set off when a specific cloud function is called. This keeps you informed of app events connected with the various user and device interactions.

Config parameters

Update your app on the fly

The simplest way to store your app's parameters for updating on the fly. Keeping configurations out of your app's binary means config changes do not require a fresh
app release.

ACLs and CLPs

Setup permitions to access your data

Use CLPs and ACLs to manage your API permitions. CLP is the easiest way to lock down your app is with class-level permissions. Almost every class that you create
should have these permissions tweaked to some degree. For classes where every object has the same permissions, class-level settings will be most effective. An ACL
specifies a set of users who can read or write an object's data. So, before you can use ACLs, you have to have Users. There are many ways to handle users on Parse.

Multiple SDKs

Build for anything

No matter what platform you're building for, Parse Server has the SDKs you need to create an amazing mobile/desktop/IoT/Web experience. No matter what you’re creating
for the desktop and the web, our SDKs will help you move faster than you ever thought possible. Perfect for standalone products, or experiences that complement your
mobile app.

User management

Easy user account management

At the core of many apps, there is a notion of user accounts that lets users access their information in a secure manner. Parse Server provides a specialized user
class called PFUser that automatically handles much of the functionality required for user account management.

Geo queries

Use Geo-located commands

Parse Server allows you to associate real-world latitude and longitude coordinates with an object. This allows you to easily do things like find out what user is closest to another user or which places are closest to a user.

How to use Parse Server

The efficiencies of Parse Server can be harnessed in one of the two ways:

a) Self-hosting at AWS, Azure, Digital Ocean, etc.
b) Use a Parse Server hosting service like Back4App, Firebase, etc.

With Self Hosting, apart from the deployment issue, the biggest problem is with the scaling of the app. As the number of users on your application increase, you will
start facing performance and reliability issues, since Parse Server can correctly handle apps only up to a certain size.
because Parse Server was designed to allow developers to migrate their applications to other hosting providers.
Fortunately, we have some vendors providing Parse Server hosting service which can host parse applications, providing migration alternatives. Using these services, we,
as developers, can reap the benefits of both – Parse and Parse Server.

Parse Server Hosting Services

Some of the most widely used Parse Server hosting services are:

1. Back4App: Back4App is one of the finest and the most popular alternatives for Parse among developers community. It’s an easy way to build, host and manage apps
using the open source Parse Server. Based on the highly efficient open source backend framework, Parse Server, Back4App has several rich functionalities:

• Featured Parse Server: Back4App uses Parse Server as a core product as it is the finest framework for backend development which can help developers save precious time
  building an app.
• Boosted Server Performance: It supports a smart database index, queries optimizers, auto-scaling, automated backups and redundant storage capacity.
• Easy Deployment: Back4app is a ready-to-go platform. You can set up your app in less than 5 minutes.
• Real time database and analytics: It provides real time data storage and synchronization. Real time analytics is a key feature.
• Within your budget: Predictable pricing, transparent and easy-to-budget.
• Great technical support team: The engineer support of Back4App is always available to help its users.

2. Firebase: Firebase can be considered as a good alternative for Parse. It is built on Google infrastructure, not on the dedicated Parse Server. It mainly focuses on
the application and database hosting. Key features are:

• Real time database: Store and sync app data quickly
• Authentication: Authenticate users securely
• Cloud Storage: Store and serve files at Google scale
• Performance Monitoring: Provides insight into your app’s performance
• Google Analytics: Free and unlimited app analytics
• A major disadvantage of Firebase is that adding cloud code is quite difficult.

3. Kinvey: Kinvey is a good mobile backend as a service provider and certainly worth a look for being a Parse alternative. Like Parse, they offer a generous free tier,
push notifications and analytics. Key features are:

• Instant-on platform: No delay in getting your project started.
• Scalability: Scalable services to meet high user adoption and app usage requirements.
• No cloud lock-in: Runs on any cloud to meet your global deployment needs.
• The reason why Back4App is the best alternative for Parse is that it is a Parse Server hosting solution where the functionalities are almost similar to what you may
  have used for Parse. Also, there is no vendor lock-in issue in Back4App.

With top-class and renowned Parse alternatives like Back4App and contributions from developers all across the globe, Parse Server is bound to be the future of backend
as a service.

Whatever product you are trying to come up with, whatever problem you are trying to solve, Parse Server will definitely save you from the unwanted burden of developing
a backend. Hope after this, you will consider evaluating Parse Server for your next project.
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