The document discusses a backend implementation for an offline mobile application aimed at promoting health through mutual support and sharing experiences. It outlines decision factors such as data management, processing requirements, and operating considerations for scalability and privacy. The document also details the features and challenges of development, including deployment and supervision of the platform.

1. Tél : +41 21 312 94 15
www.octo.com
© OCTO 2015
Avenue du théâtre 7
CH-1005 Lausanne - SUISSE
Un back-end ?
On peut s’en BaaS-ser !
Romain Felden
Grégory Bataille

2. Our use case
Decision factors
Implementation
Operating the platform
Beyond our use case
In a nutshell
2
Agenda

3. Our use case
3
• Institute of Global Health
• Offline mobile application
• Stop-tabac — Stop-cannabis — Stop-alcool

4. • Integrate a social platform
• Mutual support
• Share experience
• Candidate app?
4
Our use case

5. • We are at the end of year 2013
• 1 year on the App Store (released early 2013)
• 5,000+ users
5
Our use case

6. Our use case
6

7. • Focus on UI
• Short time to market
• Small but unknown volume
• Users, posts, comments, …
7
Our use case

8. Our use case
8
wow
much app
so backend

9. • No existing data
• Simple data model design
• Easy maintenance and evolution
9
Decision factors - data

10. • Able to run simple jobs (CRUD)
• Will probably grow over time
• Accessible technology / language
10
Decision factors - processing

11. • Quick and easy deployment
• Non critical response time
• Low cost of ownership
11
Decision factors - operating

12. • Scalability
• Technology
• Pricing
• Vendor lock in
• Privacy
12
Decision factors - cloud ?

13. Decision factors - cloud ?
13
Vendor Native SDK Extra features
Facebook
Android, iOS, Windows
Phone, OS X, Windows, Unity,
JavaScript, PHP, Arduino, …
Push notifications,
analytics, crash
reporting
Google
Android, iOS,
JavaScript
Analytics (limited), own
subdomain
Microsoft
Android, iOS,
Windows, Xamarin
Push notifications,
analytics, crash
reporting
Appcelerator
JavaScript,
Android, iOS
Push notifications,
analytics
disclaimer: 2015 data

14. Decision factors - cloud ?
14
API calls Storage Transfer Push
30 req/s
+
1 background job
20 GB (database)
+
20 GB (files)
2 TB / month
1,000,000
recipients
100 concurrent
connections 1 GB 10 GB / month N/A
500,000 API calls
500 active devices
1 background job
20 MB (lol)
165 MB / day
(daily rollover)
1,000,000
recipients
N/A N/A N/A N/A
disclaimer: 2015 data

15. 15

16. Architecture
16
SDK
REST
CLI
Cloud Code
GUI
PushStorage
Client / User Developer / Operator
Back-endFront-end
API

17. • First version
• iOS SDK
• CRUD
• Scheduled jobs
• Push notifications
17
Implementation - basic features

18. Implementation - iOS SDK
18

19. Implementation - iOS SDK
19

20. Implementation - Cloud Code
20

21. Implementation - Cloud Code
21

22. Implementation - Cloud Code
22

23. Implementation - Cloud Code
23

24. Implementation - scheduled jobs
24

25. Implementation - scheduled jobs
25

26. Implementation - push notifications
26

27. Implementation - push notifications
27

28. Implementation - push notifications
28

29. Implementation - push notifications
29

30. Implementation - the product
30

31. • Fast development
• Difficult to debug/test
• Expectations met
• Android port
31
Implementation - Looking back & going further

32. Implementation - Android SDK
32

33. • PFObject (iOS) vs. ParseObject (Android)
• Callbacks vs. Promises
• Caching issues
• Server development very hard to test / debug
33
Implementation - caveats

34. • Deployment
• Supervision
• Browsing the data
• Cost
34
Operating the platform

35. • Parse CLI
• Push with extra oomph
• Deploy vs. develop
35
Operating the platform - deployment

36. Operating the platform - deployment
36

37. Operating the platform - supervision
37

38. Operating the platform
supervision
38

39. Operating the platform
supervision
39

40. Operating the platform - supervision
40

41. Operating the platform - supervision
41

42. Operating the platform - supervision
42

43. Operating the platform - browsing the data
43

44. • Easy to browse
• Difficult to read
• Painful to update
44
Operating the platform - browsing the data

45. • Freemium model
• Never exceeded free rate
• Cf. supervision (API limit - 30 req/s)
45
Operating the platform - cost

46. • More Cloud Code (admin)
• REST API
• Dynamic website
• Local server
46
Beyond our use case

47. Beyond our use case - dynamic website
47

48. Beyond our use case - dynamic website
48

49. • Node wrapper
• Hooks unsupported
• https://github.com/flovilmart/parse-develop
49
Beyond our use case - local server

50. • Offers increased dramatically
• Mostly target startups / POCs
• Speed is a factor
• Development + Operations
50
In a nutshell