Question

I have an Android game and I want it to store data – say a high score for example – against each user on a server backend.

Here’s a list of outrageously demanding requirements! It’s unlikely any solution can meet all these demands, so I’ve changed/prioritised them:

1. Minimum/very easy server and client code
2. Free/cheap
3. Automatically scalable and no/little server maintenance
4. As secure as possible with minimum code
5. Seamless – no user action required to authorise/choose anything

I know about Parse, and that seems the easiest option but I’m concerned about the future cost and would prefer more control so I’d like some alternatives.

AWS seems a lot of effort, although it handles secure anonymous authentication fairly easily and well.

App Engine would be great if there was an easy way to secure requests without requiring the user to login or authorise app engine.

So… I want the seamlessness of Parse, the security of AWS, and the auto-scaling of App Engine. Also the ease of use/coding of Parse. Fingers Crossed. 🙂

Thanks

Answer 1

My advice: use Parse, but create enough abstraction/encapsulation in your models so that swapping Parse out for another service won’t be so painful. But seriously, I don’t think Parse will get expensive (or even not-free) until your app is seeing very high demand. Furthermore, the Parse guys seems pretty committed to openness: you can export your data as a CSV and they have a REST API so any type of program you write can access the data.

If you’re determined to roll your own, I’d recommend creating a Rails back-end with Heroku. Piggyback SSL is free, HTTP Basic Auth is really easy in Rails, and the entire stack will play nicely with whatever db you’d want to use (I’m assuming NoSQL since you want flexibility).