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Firebase has announced a new optional upgrade called Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform, however, the new features already exist on the GCP Identity Platform.

As mentioned in the documentation here

Identity Platform serves as the backend for Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform and the features that are offered are identical.

I want to know:

  • What is the changes that occurred after the new upgrade has been released, and how can we benefit from it?
  • Should we now choose to work with only one of Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform and GCP Identity Platform?
  • What changes should be implemented if I want to migrate from GCP Identity Platform into Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform?
Alex Mamo
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AliOz
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2 Answers2

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  1. One of my favorite features that are implemented is that we are able to register blocking functions. If you read the docs, you'll see all the benefits.

  2. It's up to you to decide, but in my opinion, I would prefer to use the newest solution.

  3. As far as I noticed, none.

Once you migrate, you'll see in the Firebase console in the Authentication section on the top of the page, the following text:

Authentication with Identity Platform

And to answer your question:

What is the difference between Identity Platform and Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform?

The real benefit is that you can use all the other Firebase products.

Edit:

Besides the blocking functions, there are other new features present, that weren't before:

  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Sign in with OIDC
  • Sign in with SAML
  • Multi-tenancy
  • IAP integration
Alex Mamo
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  • Thank you Alex! I wonder if Registering blocking functions is the only new feature that wasn't implemented on GCP identity Platform. Do you have any information about it. Thanks in advance – AliOz Sep 09 '22 at 11:52
  • No, there are also other features available. So please check my updated answer. – Alex Mamo Sep 09 '22 at 11:58
  • Wasn't Multi-factor authentication an already existing feature on GCP Identity Platform? – AliOz Sep 09 '22 at 11:58
  • As I see in the "feature comparison table", no, it wasn't. – Alex Mamo Sep 09 '22 at 12:00
  • I am quite sure it was. Please check https://cloud.google.com/identity-platform/docs/web/mfa#signing_users_in_with_a_second_factor. – AliOz Sep 09 '22 at 12:01
  • And after implementing the new features, Firebase implemented an exact same documentation for Multi-factor Authentication https://firebase.google.com/docs/auth/web/multi-factor#signing_users_in_with_a_second_factor – AliOz Sep 09 '22 at 12:02
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    In that case, that table isn't updated. I just related to that. – Alex Mamo Sep 09 '22 at 12:04
  • You're very welcome, Ali. – Alex Mamo Sep 09 '22 at 12:06
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In addition to @Alex's answer, upgrading to Identity Platform also let's use disable sign-ups and account deletion from the Firebase client SDK. It's useful when you want to restrict certain users to your application as you'll have to use the Admin SDK to create/delete users.

This along with blocking function and other features were part of Identity Platform already and you were able to upgrade your Firebase project before as well just like in the answer linked above. Firebase just made it easier for you to upgrade and use those features now directly from Firebase console.

Should we now choose to work with only one of Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform and GCP Identity Platform

If you plan to use only E-Mail Password authentication, Google Accounts and do not require blocking functions or so. You can keep using Firebase Authentication only as you won't be charged for it. However, if you upgrade to Identity Platform, you only have 3000 DAU for free.

Dharmaraj
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    Yep, that's also a great feature. – Alex Mamo Sep 09 '22 at 12:08
  • So what I conclude here is that all the new features that are provided by Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform were part of GCP Identity Platform, however now Firebase just made it easier for us to access these features directly from Firebase Authentication? – AliOz Sep 09 '22 at 12:21
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    @AliOz yes, at least the user actions, blocking functions and logging (that have been added to Firebase console directly). Firebase essential uses the [Google Identity Toolkit APIs](https://developers.google.com/identity/toolkit/migrate-firebase#feature_differences) under the hood. – Dharmaraj Sep 09 '22 at 12:27
  • Source for 3k DAU? – azizj May 30 '23 at 19:26