How to authenticate a Python script on Google AppEngine to use Google Firebase?

Question

Google has provided nice examples for Node.js, Android and iOS authentication of clients to connect to Firebase to use Firebase Realtime Databases - but how does one connect via Python from a Google AppEngine app to a Firebase Realtime Database and authenticate properly?

Answer 1

Here are the steps we took to get this working.

(1) First you need a Firebase Secret. After you have a project in Firebase, then click Settings. Then click Database and choose to create a secret.

Copy your secret. It will go into your code later.

(2) You need your firebase URL. It will have the format like this: https://.firebaseio.com Copy this too.

(3) Get a Firebase REST API for Python. We used this one: https://github.com/benletchford/python-firebase-gae Navigate to above your lib directory and run this command which will place the firebase code into your lib directory:

git clone http://github.com/benletchford/python-firebase-gae lib/firebase

(4) In your "main.py" file (or whatever you are using) add this code:

from google.appengine.ext import vendor
vendor.add('lib')

from firebase.wrapper import Firebase

FIREBASE_SECRET = 'YOUR SECRET FROM PREVIOUS STEPS'
FIREBASE_URL = 'https://[…].firebaseio.com/'

(5) Add this code to the MainHandler (assuming you are using AppEngine):

class MainHandler(webapp2.RequestHandler):
    def get(self):
        fb = Firebase(FIREBASE_URL + 'users.json', FIREBASE_SECRET)

        new_user_key = fb.post({
            "job_title": "web developer",
            "name": "john smith",
        })
        self.response.write(new_user_key)
        self.response.write('<br />')

        new_user_key = fb.post({
            "job_title": "wizard",
            "name": "harry potter",
        })
        self.response.write(new_user_key)
        self.response.write('<br />')

        fb = Firebase(FIREBASE_URL + 'users/%s.json' % (new_user_key['name'], ), FIREBASE_SECRET)
        fb.patch({
            "job_title": "super wizard",
            "foo": "bar",
        })

        fb = Firebase(FIREBASE_URL + 'users.json', FIREBASE_SECRET)
        self.response.write(fb.get())
        self.response.write('<br />')

Now when you navigate to your Firebase Realtime Database, you should see entries for Harry Potter as a user and others.