Firebase Cloud Function Push Notification Really Slow

Question

I have an iOS app that sends a time sensitive push notification from an event via Cloud Firestore-triggered function.

In my function, I do a simple get operation prior to sending out the push notification, and it gets delivered from 30 sec up to 1 min. Can anyone advise on improving the speed?

I've looked at the online documentation talking about setting a minimum # of instances to reduce a cold start. I've also looked at this SO answer. As someone that's new to this, I admittedly am having difficulty following and pinpointing my advised next step. Any help and guidance would be extremely appreciated.

  exports.pushNotification = functions.firestore.document('/users/{userId}').onUpdate((change, context) => {  
var recipientUid = context.params.userId;

return admin.firestore().collection('users').doc(recipientUid).get().then(doc => {
  const userData = doc.data();
  var fcmToken = userData.fcmToken;

      var message = {
        notification: {
          title: sendingTitle,
          body: sendingMessage
        },
        apns : {
          payload : {
            aps : {
              badge : 1,
              sound: "default"
            }
          }
        },
        token: fcmToken
      };

      admin.messaging().send(message)
      .then((response) => {

        console.log('Successfully sent push notification message:', response);
        return;
      })
      .catch((error) => {
        console.log('Error sending message:', error);
        return;
      });
    })
  });

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered May 27 '22 at 08:42

1

One possible cause is that you don't correctly manage the life cycle of your Cloud Function: as a matter of fact you are not returning the Promises chain, as shown below (see the comments in the code):

exports.pushNotification = functions.firestore.document('/users/{userId}').onUpdate((change, context) => {
    var recipientUid = context.params.userId;

    return admin.firestore().collection('users').doc(recipientUid).get()
        .then(doc => {
            const userData = doc.data();
            var fcmToken = userData.fcmToken;

            var message = { ... };

            return admin.messaging().send(message)   // !!! See the return here
        })    // And see also that we close the then block here
        .then((response) => {
            console.log('Successfully sent push notification message:', response);
            return;
        })
        .catch((error) => {
            console.log('Error sending message:', error);
            return;
        });
});

For more details on how to correctly manage the life cycle, I would suggest you watch the 3 videos about "JavaScript Promises" from the Firebase video series as well as read the following doc. Also, reading the doc on how to chain Promises will help.

answered May 27 '22 at 08:42

Renaud Tarnec

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thank you for the answer. i did try to deploy my function file with the stated adjustment, but i am receiving a syntax error around closing the block with "})". – Chris May 31 '22 at 22:15
I've double checked the code in the anwser and it looks correct. At which line, exactly, do you get the error? – Renaud Tarnec Jun 01 '22 at 17:08
the closing parentheses where you commented "and see also that we close the then block here" – Chris Jun 01 '22 at 18:12
The syntax is totally correct IMO. I guess that you replaced the value of `message` in my answer by a real object. – Renaud Tarnec Jun 01 '22 at 18:53
What happens if you replace the two `return;`s by `return null;`? It should not make any difference but just trying… – Renaud Tarnec Jun 01 '22 at 18:54
yes the value of message is what i had posted. i tried return null but i am receiving the same syntax error when deploying. – Chris Jun 01 '22 at 20:02
You can try to remove everything after this line ("and see also that we close the then block here"), it should work (the console logs will not be executed) – Renaud Tarnec Jun 01 '22 at 20:44
Which JavaScript linter are you using? – Renaud Tarnec Jun 01 '22 at 20:45
not sure how to check which javascript linter i am using, but it deployed after removing the console log blocks. after testing, still not any faster. :( – Chris Jun 01 '22 at 23:32
setting a minimum # of instances will clearly reduce the cold starts but has a price (approx 90$ a month) – Renaud Tarnec Jun 02 '22 at 04:43
yeah, that's disappointing to hear, but really appreciate your attention on this. – Chris Jun 02 '22 at 05:13

Firebase Cloud Function Push Notification Really Slow

1 Answers1