Build Data-Driven Web App Without Backend

Written by baas | Published 2020/01/08
Tech Story Tags: makers | software-development | backend | databases | datasets | json | api | indie-hackers

TLDR Traditional way to make your app data-driven is to build a RESTful server that can process web app communication with SQL or No.SQL database. But not always the case when you just don't have time or/and money to build full-scale backend for your web app. And these days it does not mean that you need to sacrifice app's data-based functionality. In this article, I'd like to share a few simple services to make web app data driven and share my own favorite data storage tools.via the TL;DR App

During the last couple of decades websites' functionally has increased dramatically - from simple landing pages serving simple static ads to complex progressive web apps whose functionality close to native applications including user authorization, location tracking, bluetooth handling, and offline mode.
One of the most important features of modern web apps is dynamic data handling.
The traditional way to make your app data-driven is to build a RESTful server that can process web app communication with SQL or NoSQL database. It is good (and probably the most reliable) way to build data-driven web application if your task is to create large and scalable business products.
It is not always the case. There are multiple scenarios when you just don't have time or/and money or/and desire to build a full-scale backend for your web app. And these days it does not mean that you need to sacrifice app's data-based functionality.
In this article, I'd like to share a few simple services to make your web app data-driven and share my own favorite data storage tools
Airtable
  • documentation: https://airtable.com/api
  • data type: JSON
  • RESTful API: yes
  • price: free
Coda
  • documentation: https://coda.io/developers/apis/v1beta1
  • data type: JSON
  • RESTful API: yes
  • price: free
JSONbin
  • documentation: https://jsonbin.org/
  • data type: JSON
  • RESTful API: yes
  • price: free
Firebase Firestore
  • documentation: https://firebase.google.com/products/firestore/
  • data type: JSON
  • RESTful API: yes
  • price: 1GB free

Written by baas | Full Stack Problem Solver
Published by HackerNoon on 2020/01/08