Step by Step Guide to Building a Firebase Auth API Integration in Ruby

Introduction

Hey there, fellow Ruby developer! Ready to add some rock-solid authentication to your app? Look no further than Firebase Auth. It's like having a security guard for your application, but way cooler and doesn't need coffee breaks. In this guide, we'll walk through integrating Firebase Auth into your Ruby project. Trust me, your future self will thank you for this added layer of security.

Prerequisites

Before we dive in, make sure you've got:

• Ruby 2.6 or higher (because we're not savages)
• A Firebase project set up (if you haven't, hop over to the Firebase console and create one)
• Your favorite code editor (mine's VS Code, but hey, no judgment)

Oh, and don't forget to install these gems:

gem 'firebase_admin'
gem 'jwt'

Setting up the Firebase Admin SDK

First things first, let's get that Firebase Admin SDK up and running:

require 'firebase_admin'

Firebase::Admin.configure do |config|
  config.credentials = 'path/to/your/service-account-key.json'
end

Pro tip: Keep that service account key safe. It's like the keys to your castle!

Implementing User Authentication

Sign-up

Let's get those users on board:

def sign_up(email, password)
  Firebase::Auth.create_user(
    email: email,
    password: password
  )
end

Sign-in

Welcome back, user:

def sign_in(email, password)
  Firebase::Auth.sign_in_with_email_and_password(email, password)
end

Password Reset

Because we all forget sometimes:

def reset_password(email)
  Firebase::Auth.send_password_reset_email(email)
end

Managing User Sessions

Creating Custom Tokens

For those special snowflake sessions:

def create_custom_token(uid)
  Firebase::Auth.create_custom_token(uid)
end

Verifying ID Tokens

Trust, but verify:

def verify_id_token(token)
  Firebase::Auth.verify_id_token(token)
end

User Management Operations

Retrieving User Data

Get to know your users:

def get_user(uid)
  Firebase::Auth.get_user(uid)
end

Updating User Profiles

People change, and so do their profiles:

def update_user(uid, attributes)
  Firebase::Auth.update_user(uid, attributes)
end

Deleting Users

Sometimes, it's time to say goodbye:

def delete_user(uid)
  Firebase::Auth.delete_user(uid)
end

Implementing Role-based Access Control (RBAC)

Setting Custom Claims

Give your users some extra flair:

def set_custom_claims(uid, claims)
  Firebase::Auth.set_custom_user_claims(uid, claims)
end

Verifying User Roles

With great power comes great responsibility:

def verify_admin(token)
  claims = verify_id_token(token)
  claims['admin'] == true
end

Securing API Endpoints

Middleware for Token Verification

Keep those endpoints locked down:

class AuthMiddleware
  def initialize(app)
    @app = app
  end

  def call(env)
    begin
      token = extract_token(env)
      Firebase::Auth.verify_id_token(token)
      @app.call(env)
    rescue => e
      [401, {'Content-Type' => 'application/json'}, [{error: 'Unauthorized'}.to_json]]
    end
  end

  private

  def extract_token(env)
    # Extract token from Authorization header
  end
end

Testing the Integration

Don't forget to test! Here's a quick example using RSpec:

RSpec.describe AuthService do
  describe '#sign_up' do
    it 'creates a new user' do
      result = AuthService.sign_up('[email protected]', 'password123')
      expect(result).to have_key('localId')
    end
  end
end

Best Practices and Security Considerations

• Never, ever store tokens in local storage. Use secure, httpOnly cookies instead.
• Implement rate limiting to prevent brute-force attacks.
• Always handle errors gracefully. No one likes a crashy app!

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just leveled up your Ruby app with Firebase Auth. Remember, authentication is just the beginning. Keep exploring Firebase's other features to make your app even more awesome.

Now go forth and code securely, my friend! 🚀