Most applications writing for mobile platforms need some sort of integration with web services. Unfortunately, most times backend infrastructure becomes an oversight and the app ends up suffering in the long run. Using cloud infrastructure technologies like Parse can help you get from concept to App Store insertion in no time. Parse's simple API, extendable Cloud Code feature and Push notification API let you focus on your app while getting a scalable backend solution.

1. Scalable Cloud Apps
That Won't Keep You Up At
Night
Aaron Douglas @astralbodies Twitter/ADN
Red Arrow Labs - Milwaukee, WI
Friday, March 8, 13

2. So you have an app
(or an idea)
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3. You want people to
download and use it.
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4. Most apps need to
integrate with
something.
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5. Because integration
(collaboration) is
interesting
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6. Interesting apps =
MOAR MONEY
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7. Why should I use the
“Cloud”?
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8. Scalability &
Infrastructure
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9. Cross Platform
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10. Our App Idea
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11. • Conference App
• Speakers
• Sessions
• Map
• Comments & Notes
• Photos
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12. Why not iCloud?
• Still a hot mess with Core Data
• iOS and Mac only
• Hard to debug
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13. Options
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14. We’re Going to Use
Parse
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15. What Parse Provides
• Data storage - RESTful API & Native SDKs
• Queries
• ACLs / Users
• Cloud Code & Push Notifications
• File Storage
• In-App Purchases
• GeoPoints & Spatial Queries
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16. Friday, March 8, 13

17. Add To Your Project
$ vi Podfile
pod 'Parse'
$ pod install
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18. Friday, March 8, 13

19. Friday, March 8, 13

20. AppDelegate.m
#import <Parse/Parse.h>
...
[Parse setApplicationId:@"3lZSGBNTs03wQigx2apDHwUv6ZczMVaIib8nUz"
clientKey:@"rstZrElVxBiB5tzsWn10QK9AfrRR0GkQQj16Hj"];
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21. Objects
• Session
• Schedule
• Speaker
• Attendee Notes
• Attendee Schedule
• ... and on and on
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22. PFObject
• Key-Value pairs
• Schema-less
• JSON data types: NSString, NSNumber,
NSDate, NSData, NSArray, NSDictionary
• Associations - 1:1, 1:N, N:N
• objectId, updatedAt, createdAt
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23. PFObject
PFObject *speaker = [PFObject objectWithClassName:@"Speaker"];
[speaker setObject:@"Marty" forKey:@"firstName"];
[speaker setObject:@"McFly" forKey:@"lastName"];
[speaker setObject:@"Hill Valley, CA" forKey:@"location"];
NSLog(@"Object ID before save: %@", speaker.objectId);
[speaker save]; // MAGIC HAPPENS HERE
NSLog(@"Object ID after save: %@", speaker.objectId);
2013-03-03 16:19:08.923 CocoaConfParse[4803:c07] Object ID before save: (null)
2013-03-03 16:19:09.468 CocoaConfParse[4803:c07] Object ID after save: 6iXsTrvWd0
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24. Back on Parse.com...
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25. Refresh
[speaker refresh];
[speaker refresh:&error];
[speaker refreshInBackgroundWithBlock:^(PFObject *object, NSError
*error) {
// Code
}];
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26. Removing Data
[speaker removeObjectForKey:@"favoriteStarWarsCharacter"];
[speaker deleteInBackground];
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27. Relationships
PFObject *session = [PFObject
objectWithoutDataWithClassName:@"Session"
objectId:@"6iXsTrvWd0"];
[sessionComment setObject:session forKey:@"session"];
PFObject *session = [sessionComment objectForKey:@"session"];
[session fetchIfNeededInBackgroundWithBlock:^(PFObject *object,
NSError *error) {
NSString *title = [post objectForKey:@"title"];
}];
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28. Query by ID
PFQuery *query = [PFQuery queryWithClassName:@"Speaker"];
PFObject *object = [query getObjectWithId:@"jFgtbb2aCb"];
NSLog(@"Name: %@ %@",
object[@"firstName"],
object[@"lastName"]);
2013-03-03 17:08:52.484 CocoaConfParse[6892:c07] Name: Marty McFly
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29. Querying
PFQuery *query = [PFQuery queryWithClassName:@"Speaker"];
[query whereKey:@"lastName" equalTo:@"McFly"];
query.cachePolicy = kPFCachePolicyNetworkElseCache;
PFObject *object = [query getFirstObject];
NSLog(@"Name: %@ %@",
object[@"firstName"],
object[@"lastName"]);
2013-03-03 17:08:52.484 CocoaConfParse[6892:c07] Name: Marty McFly
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30. Queries
• NSPredicate
• 1000 records max (100 default)
• Relational queries
• Cache policies
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31. Asynchronous
PFObject *speaker = ...;
[speaker save];
[speaker saveEventually];
[speaker saveInBackground];
[speaker saveInBackgroundWithBlock:
^(BOOL succeeded, NSError *error){}];
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32. Users
[PFUser enableAutomaticUser];
PFUser *currentUser = [PFUser currentUser];
[currentUser setObject:[NSDate date] forKey:@"lastLaunched"];
[currentUser saveInBackground];
PFUser *user = [PFUser user];
user.username = @"martymcfly";
user.password = @"awesomesauce";
[user signUpInBackgroundWithBlock:^(BOOL succeeded, NSError
*error) {
}];
[PFUser logInWithUsernameInBackground:@"martymcfly"
password:@"awesomesauce" block:^(PFUser *user, NSError *error) {
}];
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33. ACLs
PFObject *feedback =
[PFObject objectWithClassName:@"SessionFeedback"];
[feedback setObject:@"I enjoyed it." forKey:@"comment"];
feedback.ACL = [PFACL ACLWithUser:[PFUser currentUser]];
[feedback saveInBackground];
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34. Built-In Views
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35. App Structure
• Where does Parse start & end?
• Service Layers
• Parse everywhere
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36. Data Transfer Objects
• Map PFObject to some object in your code
• Parse is contract/schema-free
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37. Push Notifications
• Still requires APN setup
• Simplifies addressing & registration
• Cross platform (Android & iOS)
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38. Push Registration
- (void)application:(UIApplication *)application
didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken:(NSData
*)deviceToken
{
// Store the deviceToken in the current
// Installation and save it to Parse.
PFInstallation *currentInstallation =
[PFInstallation currentInstallation];
[currentInstallation setDeviceTokenFromData:deviceToken];
[currentInstallation saveInBackground];
}
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39. Channels
PFInstallation *currentInstallation = [PFInstallation
currentInstallation];
[currentInstallation addUniqueObject:@"Speakers"
forKey:@"channels"];
[currentInstallation saveInBackground];
PFPush *push = [[PFPush alloc] init];
[push setChannel:@"Speakers"];
[push setMessage:@"Thanks for all the fish!"];
[push sendPushInBackground];
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40. In-App Purchases
• Wraps StoreKit
• Receipt verification
• Asset download
• PFProductTableViewController
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41. What about server-side
calls?
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42. • Create new speakers & sessions
• Attendees register preferences
• Push notifications when session changes
• Welcome emails
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43. Cloud Code lets you
deploy server-side code
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44. Cloud Code
• RESTful API
• JavaScript Language
• Triggers & Validation
• Modules
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45. Installing the CL Tool
$ curl -s https://www.parse.com/downloads/cloud_code/
installer.sh | sudo /bin/bash
$ parse new CocoaConfCloudCode
Email: astralbodies@gmail.com
Password:
1:CocoaConf
Select an App:1
$ cd CocoaConfCloudCode
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46. $ vi cloud/sessions.js
Parse.Cloud.define("numberOfSpeakers", function(request,
response) {
var query = new Parse.Query("Speaker");
query.find({
success: function(results) {
response.success(results.count);
},
error: function() {
response.error("Speaker lookup failed");
}
});
});
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47. $ parse deploy
$ curl -X POST
-H "X-Parse-Application-Id: MN28ox..."
-H "X-Parse-REST-API-Key: RItKo..."
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d '{}'
https://api.parse.com/1/functions/numberOfSpeakers
{
"result": 1
}
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48. Friday, March 8, 13

49. Modules
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50. Cloud Code
• Still in its infancy
• No scheduled events
• Take a look at iron.io
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51. Cost
• Free (1 million API requests / Pushes / 1GB)
• $199/month (15mil / 5mil / 10GB)
• Enterprise >$199
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52. Portability
• Import
• Export
• Service layer to abstract
• Never really want to lock into a technology
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53. Code
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54. Questions?
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