我应该使用 Cloud Functions 还是客户端逻辑来更新 Firebase 中的计数器？

Question

noob Firebase user here!

Initially, I tried to do this as a cloud function and I failed. Now I can do it but I cannot figure out what is the advantage or disadvantage of using one or the other? ¯_(ツ)_/¯

When should I use cloud functions and when client-side logic? I need, please, a mental model to navigate this issue.

I ended up doing this to update a simple counter of downloads and it works:

const { firebase, userAuth } = useContext(FirebaseContext);

const countLinkClicks = async (id, userId) => {
        
        const statsRef = firebase.db.collection('publicProfiles').doc('--stats--');
        await statsRef.update({
            totalDownloads: firebase.increment
        })
        
    }

'firebase' and 'increment' are defined in another file:

class Firebase {
  constructor(app) {
    if (!firebaseInstance) {
      app.initializeApp(firebaseConfig);

      this.auth = app.auth();
      this.db = app.firestore();
      this.functions = app.functions();
      this.storage = app.storage();
      this.googleProvider = new app.auth.GoogleAuthProvider()
      this.facebookProvider = new app.auth.FacebookAuthProvider()
      this.increment = new app.firestore.FieldValue.increment(1)
    }
  }

Many thanks

Answer 1

Most likely i would go the client route. This way you have all the other advantages of firestore on the client like streaming API and whatnot. Hiding this stuff behind a REST API or something might be ok too, but in the end you will most likely want to use the firestore client anyway for other things.

So as always, it depends. Without knowing what you are creating, its a tough question anyway.

But let me give you an example:

If you are developing a mobile business application and you want to have realtime updates of say, current stock quotes. You need the client to make this pleasant to code.

If you have a game where you only need to update a score and do perhaps only a few more db related things, i would start thinking coding the db updates behind a RESTful service or something.