Google Cloud

2 years ago when I started using cloud service, specifically google’s, I didn’t really know about the difference between services, blindly following tutorials. Heck, even now I don’t really have a clue as well (too many cloud services, especially AWS!).

Just today I found out that google cloud function for Node.js 8 will be deprecated and everyone is asked to update to version 10, which also requires Blaze plan, which means giving google a credit card number. That sucks. I didn’t know until today that I can actually make google function with python. I should’ve used this 2 months ago if I knew Blaze plan would be required…

Google Function with Firebase Admin in python

1. In one folder, create requirements.txt and main.py
2. Login with gcloud auth login
3. Deploy function with gcloud functions deploy firebase_test --runtime python37 --trigger-http
4. Add allUsers by adding members from google cloud console

requirements.txt

Flask==1.0.2
firebase-admin

main.py

import firebase_admin
from firebase_admin import db
import flask

firebase_admin.initialize_app(options={
    'databaseURL': 'https://<path>.firebaseio.com',
})

root_ref = db.reference('ref')

def firebase_test(request):
    name = root_ref.child("name").get()
    if not name:
        return 'Resource not found', 404
    return flask.jsonify({"name":name})

For Firebase Auth, I need to check this.

Google App Engine

Dialogflow’s inline fulfillment will also be required to use Node.js 10 I suppose (I think it only allows javascript). Also, without Blaze plan outbound request (request to server other than google) is not possible. I didn’t remember that I was actually making outbound request in Dialogflow’s fulfillment. I thought it wasn’t working and finally I just noticed that 2 years ago I actually used Google App Engine for the fulfillment, which apparently allows outbound request.

Sending Email

1. Google App Engine: 100 email per day, or use Mailjet (free for 6000 email per month)
2. Google Function: Using gmail only for 500 email per day, or use nodemailer with Blaze plan