Parse is the Facebook’s Mobile Backend as a Service provider that application developers use for web or mobile apps. It allows you to develop the app without worrying about creating your own backend. The reason developers like Parse is because it offers many ready-made features that can easily be customized. Some of these includes:
Third-party and user password authentication
File storage
Data storage in document-based database
Push notifications
Validating Apple in-app purchase
In addition, Parse also offers JavaScript, Android, and iOS along with other SDKs. It has been helping developers not on boost the speed of app development, but also to reduce the cost of development. Hence, when Parse shuts down in January 2017, developers will need to find a worthy alternative to maintaining their clients’ business continuity.
Parse Migration and Hosting
On 28 January 2017, Parse will retire and its hosted services will be disabled. The software has been turned into open source and this will let developers set up their own Parse Server and also use the SDKs without the need to build a customized backend. As a developer, if you use Parse, it is time to begin Parse migration and also set up your own Parse hosting. This will allow you to build a new app using Parse, but on your Parse Server.
The Best Parse Alternatives
It is important you start looking for alternatives for Parse migration and Parse hosting so that your app building on Parse can continue uninterrupted and your existing apps do not end up on a platform that no longer exists. It is best to choose cloud computing platforms like Amazon Web Services and Salesforce Heroku. They offer app developers dual services of app building platform as well as app hosting.
AWS: There is no doubt that Amazon Web Services or AWS is the leader in app building and hosting. It offers numerous features that let you design and host a MongoDB cluster, and in the future when you decide you no longer want to use the Parse platform, you can easily shift to Amazon DynamoDB, a fast, noSQL and scalable database backend. On AWS, you can use Amazon SNS to send push notifications. Many huge players like Dropbox and Reddit rely on AWS for their hosting, but it can just as easily be tuned in for a company smaller in scale. Combine this reliability with the ‘a la carte’ approach to pricing for its services, and what you get is a cost efficient, yet steady hosting services for your clients business.
Heroku: If you use Heroku for Parse migration and Parsehosting, you need to understand that it works differently from AWS. It offers app developers a managed infrastructure environment. Hence, you would have to first deploy your code on Heroku using MongoDB services. Once this is done, you do not have to worry about infrastructure administration, availability or even scalability. The Salesforce company offers a comprehensive designing, development, and testing environment so that developers can concentrate on the actual development rather than worrying about the infrastructure on which the application development project will be executed.
While these are the best Parse alternatives for Parse migration and Parse hosting, you may want to compare these two platforms with other. Remember, the platform you choose should offer the following features to make the migration and hosting hassle-free:
Automated backend
Node.js-friendly
Availability of Android and iOS SDKs
Both AWS and Heroku offer these features and that is why developers are opting for either one of these cloud platforms for Parse migration and Parse hosting. Both offer generous limits and affordable pricing, making them extremely attractive to small as well as big app developers.
