What Is BaaS (Backend as a Service)?

What is BaaS?

BaaS, also known as mobile backend as a service (MBaaS), is a technology that connects mobile apps to cloud-based services. Instead of using mobile middleware, BaaS creates a unified application programming interface (API) and software development kit (SDK) to connect mobile apps to backend services such as cloud storage platforms. This is a drastic departure from traditional mobile application development, which requires a developer to incorporate each backend API individually. 

BaaS vs. mobile middleware

BaaS differs from the more traditional mobile middleware because of its straightforward approach to backend processing, which is how the back end connects to the front end of a mobile app. 

• Mobile middleware: Mobile middleware typically integrates backend services to the app through an on-premises server, requiring you to purchase and maintain your own hardware. 
• BaaS: In contrast, BaaS takes the benefits of the cloud and provides these same services through the use of offsite data centers.

Both enterprise and indie mobile app developers use BaaS to ease the complexity of building mobile apps. BaaS prevents the headache of cross-platform development and does not require developers to learn how to create effective backend processing. For example, if a developer who knows only JavaScript on the client side wanted to create an app, they could easily utilize BaaS to avoid learning how to develop the backend elements necessary for launch.

BaaS features

BaaS providers offer a wide range of functions. BaaS features appeal to advanced business needs and vary in scope and purpose among providers. Most companies include the following essential elements:

• Social integration: Many apps focus on social media for business tasks, such as improving collaboration and gathering analytics. To improve usability, BaaS providers with social integration functionality allow you to link users to their social media profiles. Upon authenticating with these services, you can incorporate additional integrations, like social activity lists.
• Notifications: If your app must interact with users when it isn’t actively launched, built-in notifications allow you to alert them to app changes, news and updates.
• Search functionality: Modern apps tend to incorporate a content-discovery design that allows users to find context-appropriate content. But from a technology standpoint, a search function is still necessary.
• Mobile application management: Apps are designed to access many different data sets. For cybersecurity reasons, users shouldn’t always be able to access all of this information. The ability to manage an app’s functionality allows developers to disable specific functions based on user permissions, device types and more.

The pros and cons of BaaS

BaaS offers an abundance of benefits and a few drawbacks.

BaaS pros

BaaS offers the following advantages:

• BaaS streamlines app feature inclusion. BaaS eliminates the need for developers to construct their own backend services. Instead, they can embark on custom software development, using a ready-made series of features outfitted with standard and essential backend features. BaaS makes it much easier to add location services, user management features, push notifications and social network integrations to an app. The same goes for visual management and search functionality.
• BaaS allows seamless element connections. With BaaS, developers can connect front-end and backend mobile app elements more seamlessly and with fewer resource requirements.
• BaaS eliminates the need to build backend services. Building out backend services from scratch can be a lengthy, tedious process that introduces the potential for error. BaaS eliminates this possibility because you can use its backend instead of one you create from scratch.
• BaaS has a lower learning curve. With BaaS, you won’t have to worry about cross-platform development or learn new backend processing skills. This results in a lower learning curve and a shorter time to market.
• BaaS lets you focus on front-end development. Because BaaS comes with vital backend features, you’ll have more time and resources for front-end development. These tools also help you accommodate increased usage rates and demand without doing any complex backend work. You can focus on customer engagement by enhancing the visual side of your experience.
• BaaS allows for easy scalability. BaaS brings scalability to mobile apps; mobile app developers don’t have to worry about handling increased demand and server storage for traffic. [Related topic: How Cloud Computing Can Benefit Your Small Business]

BaaS cons

Despite the benefits of a comprehensive backend that can easily integrate with most front-end programming, the service has minor inherent flaws:

• BaaS may lock you into a vendor. Moving from one BaaS platform to another can be challenging. While many BaaS platforms say developers can deploy and migrate apps wherever they want, moving the code that connects front-end and backend elements to a new platform or provider is difficult. Developers must often recreate those connections.
• BaaS means you have less control over code. If you’re a stickler about correcting every line of code, you might struggle to feel a sense of control with BaaS. You’ll save tons of time on development, but you won’t be able to tweak every little thing.
• BaaS has the potential for code failures. Let’s say your BaaS code stops working shortly after you deploy it. In that case, you’ll need to bring in a server to pick up the slack. Doing so defeats the very purpose of BaaS: a cloud-based backend without the physical infrastructure. [Related: What Is a Cloud-Based Phone System?]

The best BaaS providers

BaaS providers vary widely by features, price and model. These are some of the best BaaS providers in different categories.

Cloud-hosted BaaS providers

Google Firebase

Google Firebase is a cloud-hosted comprehensive BaaS platform built on a foundation of data and analytics to deliver everything a business needs to build and manage an app from scratch. Firebase can integrate with a company’s existing tools and access countless extensions to streamline the development cycle. Developers can easily use this open-source platform to create extensions to assist with virtually any task. Firebase also provides tools to monitor software stability, engage with users, and test what works best with an audience.

AWS Amplify

With Amplify from Amazon Web Services (AWS), users get a full-stack development solution in a straightforward user interface that doesn’t require cloud expertise. Its extensive ecosystem provides access to over 200 AWS services and offers pay-as-you-go options to ensure you stay within your budget. AWS has curated popular individual services for Amplify and has an optimized continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) environment. That means you can easily develop, test and deploy new updates in just a few clicks.

Amplify was built to offer users a flexible experience. It allows multiple frameworks and coding languages to fit whatever works best for you. Whether your business requires you to work in Android, JavaScript or Gatsby, Amplify supports them all.

Self-hosted BaaS platforms

Supabase

As an open-source Firebase alternative, Supabase provides a self-hosted BaaS option to help anyone build enterprise-grade applications. It offers multiple service levels, allowing developers to customize a plan to meet various needs and budgets. 

Firebase has a vast application library built by its team of experts. Additionally, a thriving community brings a deep knowledge base and acts as an additional support network to help users with development questions or technical issues. 

Users have extensive control over building business apps or creating new systems or applications to suit their specific needs. They can create a more secure network or tailor a system to meet the rules and regulations of various governments or organizations.

Appwrite

Appwrite is another open-source BaaS platform. It offers multiple layers of functionality —  including authentication, storage and messaging — to help businesses build and scale at will.

Appwrite provides excellent migration functionality, allowing users to seamlessly transfer data to and from any environment. To mitigate security concerns, Appwrite includes safety features such as encrypted logins and the ability to create custom security protocols.

Although Appwrite’s library of first-party applications isn’t as vast as those of services like Supabase, it makes up for it with a thriving and responsive development community. The community’s knowledge base and the platform’s level of control make Appwrite a viable BaaS solution for organizations with coding experience.

MBaaS services

Backendless

Backendless provides a codeless platform that offers seamless API integrations and the ability to develop for multiple platforms simultaneously. It’s an appealing, low-to-no-coding option for any business. A responsive application design makes it easy to build applications that cater to users on any device.

With a wide range of uses and the ability to cater to multiple skill levels, Backendless is built to help developers consolidate and simplify their services through a new application’s development and deployment cycle.

Backendless also utilizes “app blueprints,” or templates, to help expedite development. The ability to choose from multiple use cases or designs gives developers a head start on their next application.

Oracle Mobile Hub

Specifically designed to develop enterprise-grade mobile applications, Oracle Mobile Hub is one of the more powerful mobile development services available. 

By focusing on mobile application development, Oracle Mobile Hub offers a powerful platform that’s fully optimized for mobile environments. A wide range of APIs, like push notifications, are available for both iOS and Android. 

Cloud-hosted solutions are available to store and access application data. Quality assurance capabilities allow you to provide user logins to test applications with real people, and a powerful dashboard gives you a one-window view of user data and application telemetry. 

With its powerful suite of functionality, Oracle Mobile Hub gives any business the tools it needs to build a powerful mobile application.

An efficient new approach to software development

BaaS is an affordable and efficient way to start and maintain application development. Designed to provide modular solutions to fit many business objectives, BaaS helps create a competitive edge. It allows you to deliver new software swiftly and frees up time and budgets to discover innovations that can help a business find new avenues of success.

Max Freedman contributed to this article.