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Should you use Userbase for your next static site?

During the winter 2020 Pointless Weekend, we built TrailBuddy (working app coming soon). Our team consisted of four developers, two project managers, two front-end developers, a digital-analyst, a UXer, and a designer. In about 48 hours, we took an idea from Jeremy Field’s head to a (mostly) working app. We broke up the project in two parts:. First, a back-end that crunches trail, weather, and soil data. That data is exposed via a GraphQL API for a web app to consume.

While developers built the API, I built a static front end using Next.js. Famously, static front-ends don’t have a database, or a concept of “users.” A bit of functionality I wanted to add was saving favorite trails. I didn’t want to be hacky about it, I needed some way to add users and a database. I knew it’d be hard for the developers to set this up as part of the API, they had their hands full with all the #soil-soil-soil-soil-soil (a slack channel dedicated solely to figuring out our soil data problem—those were plentiful.) I had been looking for an excuse to use Userbase, and this seemed like as good a time as any.

A textbook Userbase use case

“When would I use it?” The Usebase site lists these reasons:

  • If you want to build a web app without writing any backend code.
  • If you never want to see your users' data.
  • If you're tired of dealing with databases.
  • If you want to radically simplify your GDPR compliance.
  • And if you want to keep things really simple.

This was a perfect fit for my problem. I didn’t want to write any more backend code for this. I didn’t want to see our user’s data, I don’t care to know anyone’s favorite trails.* A nice bonus to not having users in our backend was not having to worry about keeping their data safe. We don’t have their data at all, it’s end-to-end encrypted by Userbase. We can offer a reasonable amount of privacy for free (well for the price of using Userbase: $49 a year.) I am not tired of dealing with databases, but I’d rather not. I don’t think anyone doesn’t want to simplify their GDPR compliance. Finally, given our tight timeline I wanted nothing more than to keep things really simple.

A sign up form that I didn't have to write a back-end for

Using Userbase

Userbase can be tried for free, so I set aside thirty minutes or so to do a quick proof of concept to make sure this would work out for us. I made an account and followed their Quickstart. Userbase is a fundamentally easy tool to use, but their quickstart is everything I’d want out of a quickstart:

  • Written in the most vanilla way possible (just HTML and vanilla JS). This means I can adapt it to my needs, in this case React using Next.js
  • Easy to follow, it does the most barebones tour of the functionality you can expect to get out of the SDK (software development kit.) In other words it is quick and it is a start
  • It has a live demo and code samples you can download and run yourself

It didn’t take long after that to integrate Userbase into our app with more help from their great docs. I debated whether to add code samples of what we did here, and I didn’t because any reader would be better off using the great quickstart and docs Userbase provides—they are that clear, and that good. Depending on your use case you’ll need to adapt the examples to your needs, for us the trickiest things were creating a top level authentication context to manage users in the app, and a custom hook to encapsulate all the logic for setting, updating, and deleting favourite trails in the app. Userbase’s SDK worked seamlessly for us.

A log in form that I didn't have to write a back-end for

Is Userbase for you?

Maybe. I am definitely a fan, so much so that this blog post probably reads like an advert. Userbase saved me a ton of time in this project. It reminded me of “The All Powerful Front End Developer” talk by Chris Coyer. I don’t fully subscribe to all the ideas in that talk, but it is nice to have “serverless” tools like Userbase, and all the new JAMstacky things. There are limits to the Userbase serverless experience in terms of scale, and control. Obviously relying on a third party for something always carries some (probably small) risk—it’s worth noting Usebase includes a note on their pricing page that says “You can host it yourself always under your control, or we can run it for you for a full serverless experience”—Still, I wouldn’t hesitate this to use in future projects.

One of the great things about Viget and Pointless Weekend is the opportunity to try new things. For me that was Next.js and Userbase for Trailbuddy. It doesn’t always work out (in fact this is my first pointless weekend where a risk hasn’t blown up in my face) but it is always fun. Getting to try out Userbase and beginning to think about how we may use it in the future made the weekend worthwhile for me, and it made my job on this project much more enjoyable.

*I will write a future post about privacy conscious analytics in TrailBuddy when I’ve figured that out. I am looking into Fathom Analytics for that.



  • Code
  • Front-end Engineering

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2017 Best WordPress Themes for Boutiques

Boutique Boutique offers you full means to create a tremendous on-line retailer. It’s trendy design and completely different layouts and limitless potentialities will aid you to place your merchandise in focus, It’s also fully responsive and you won’t worry how your prospects reach your store (It really works fantastic with both desktops and smartphones) Boutique […]

The post 2017 Best WordPress Themes for Boutiques appeared first on WP Theme Designer.




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An Exercise Program for the Fat Web

When I wrote about App-pocalypse Now in 2014, I implied the future still belonged to the web. And it does. But it's also true that the web has changed a lot in the last 10 years, much less the last 20 or 30.

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While





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Read More at 5 Incredible Free Tools For Designers That You Need To Try




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The congressional Brain Injury Task Force, co-chaired by Reps. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.), spoke to hundreds of people gathered at the Rayburn House Office Building. One area of focus was the development of a national traumatic brain injury registry, a vital step for getting a handle on how best to manage this difficult-to-treat condition.




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There will be Purple Hearts awarded to troops injured during the Jan. 8 Iranian missile barrage on the al-Asad airbase in Iraq, a defense official told Military Times.




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Own This Extensive Font Library Worth $4265 for Just $29

High-quality fonts can be really expensive and are often the most costly tool a designer needs, so when a massive saving like this comes along it’s hard to let it pass by! This brand new bundle contains 16 hand-picked typefaces, containing hundreds of individual fonts, chosen specifically for their quality and versatility. These fonts are […]

The post Own This Extensive Font Library Worth $4265 for Just $29 appeared first on Spoon Graphics.




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The post Affinity Airbrush Shading Brushes for Premium Members appeared first on Spoon Graphics.




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All The Vintage Logo Template Designs You Could Ever Wish For!

Creating vintage style designs for company brands, T-shirts, packaging designs, book covers, window signs, and countless other graphic design project scenarios has never been easier with this huge bundle of 200 editable logo templates from Heritage Type Co. Logo Templates are ready-made designs that can be easily customised to quickly create stunning badges and emblems […]

The post All The Vintage Logo Template Designs You Could Ever Wish For! appeared first on Spoon Graphics.




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The post ColorWash Faded Photoshop Actions for Premium Members appeared first on Spoon Graphics.




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Troops to receive Purple Hearts for injuries during Iranian missile barrage on al-Asad airbase in Iraq

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How to use social proof for gaining credibility and boosting conversions

The internet has given many web companies the chance to rise and meet new audiences. The challenge for these companies is the competition to grow the customer base and build the companies’ credibility. One of the ways to do that is to use social proof as a marketing tool. Many people make decisions regarding a […]




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Benefits of Approval Studio Proofing Tool for Designers and Creative Teams

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How to personalize the mobile experience for app users

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Tips for Working Remotely and Enjoying It!

With the coronavirus spreading and employers telling employees work from home if possible, there are scores of people getting their first taste of working remotely. Depending on your experience and discipline levels, this could be a welcomed change or a complete culture shock. The amount of freedom your find yourself in can be similar the […]

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9 Best Laptops for Photography

You enjoy photographing in the field, whether its landscapes or events.  When it comes to viewing your captured images, polishing them up and showing to people, you need a laptop to make this possible, especially when you are far from home or office.  But you are not a techie and Cores make your head spin! How do you decide on Continue Reading

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  • Cameras & Equipment
  • laptops for photography

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6 Must Have Developer Tools and Services for Your Projects in 2019

This is it! Your one-stop shop for developer tools and resources. Designed to save you time and money, streamline project workflows, boost productivity, or all the above, Choosing the right tool for the job is never easy for several reasons. There’s a huge number to choose among, you have to know what to look for, […]

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The post Save time by using these builders for portfolio websites and pages appeared first on WebAppers.




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10 Top Cyber Monday Deals for Web Designers

Whether you’re skipping Black Friday to concentrate on Cyber Monday or planning for a shopping spree during both days doesn’t matter. The subject here is Cyber Monday Deals, and there are some great ones indeed. Some Cyber Monday deals expire at midnight on Monday December 2nd, others are valid a day or two longer, and […]

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“Needle in a haystack” search problem? Check 15 of the very best WordPress themes for 2020

Having too many WordPress themes to choose among is of course better than having too few. But there are times when searching for what you really need is like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack. If you’ve been looking for a top-of-the-line multipurpose theme you will probably find it right here. We’ve listed […]

The post “Needle in a haystack” search problem? Check 15 of the very best WordPress themes for 2020 appeared first on WebAppers.




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Need Help Choosing the Right Plugin for Your Website? Check These Options

WordPress is an ideal platform for building your own portfolio, blog, or eCommerce site. It’s packed with all the basic tools you need to build a professional-looking site. Plus, it has tools that can take your web-building skills to an even higher level. Get even more impressive results or add features to a website that […]

The post Need Help Choosing the Right Plugin for Your Website? Check These Options appeared first on WebAppers.




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Unforgettable Road Trips in the UK-A new of enjoying your next travel

Scenic Road Trips in the UK that are Worth Capturing by Camera Some people like hiking. Some people like cycling. But, after chatting with online car dealership Carspring, it seems you can have just as much fun exploring your next trip in the complete, climate-controlled comfort of your car. Here we go through the most unforgettable road trips in England, Scotland and Wales. Drives that offer driving heaven, stunning scenery and plenty of fun along the way. All you need is the right company and you are all set to enjoy! England: Road from Glastonbury to Cheddar Gorge – Check out the route here. This route gives you a proper feel of medieval England. Begin deep in England’s spiritual realm on the outskirts of the hallowed town on Glastonbury (Therefore avoid at a certain summer weekend). Start at the Tor on the edge of town, where hippies will tell you ... Read more

The post Unforgettable Road Trips in the UK-A new of enjoying your next travel appeared first on Digital Photography Tutorials.




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Tips for Digitizing and Organizing Old Photos

Technology continues to transform the world at a mind-numbing pace. Every year it seems, new technologies emerge that put our traditional ways of doing things to shame. Some of these methods are inherently superior, such as the movement toward digital media. While you might not be able to physically feel it in the palms of your hands, having digital media can ensure that you never lose pictures, photos and other forms of media. Most people have old photos laying around that they’d like to ensure last forever, but they haven’t taken the time to digitize and organize them. We’ll review some tips on how to digitize and organize your old photos so that they stand the test of time. Procure a Capture Solution There are a few different ways in which you can begin the process of digitizing your old photos. The first solution is through the use of a ... Read more

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Capture that Precious Moment: How to Create a Calm Mood for the Infant

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  • Tips and Tricks
  • How to Create a Calm Mood for the Infant

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25 Best Freelance Tools to Enhance Your Business for Free

Freelancing can be a tough gig, but there is no better time than a new year to begin building (or rebuilding) a fantastic new business where you can do what you love. Being successful has a lot to do with your drive and passion, but depends largely on your efficiency, workflow and presentation. In this […]


The post 25 Best Freelance Tools to Enhance Your Business for Free appeared first on Web Designer Wall.




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Easy CSS Animation With Transition & Transforms

Recently, I walked you through how to create a simple landing page that used a couple different CSS animation techniques. “Animation” is a loose term, in web design usually referring to anything that involves movement. CSS transitions are one tool we are given to manipulate elements on state changes or mouse events, and when combines […]


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Cell Phones for Seniors: Stay Independent, Stay Safe

GPS is a must in any cell phone for seniors. It’ll help them get their bearings when they’re lost via GPS navigation and maps and it’ll help you (or emergency services). Cell Phones for Seniors



  • Senior Phones and Plans
  • senior cell phone plans

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What is Our Land For?

By Jill Richardson OtherWords Should we graze it, log it, drill it, and mine it? Or should we preserve it, study it, recreate in it, and revere it? The Trump administration accidentally released documents showing that they intentionally underestimated the … Continue reading




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Harbingers: Florence, Forest Fires, and the Future

By John Atcheson Common Dreams If past is prologue, the media will soon move on, leaving the greatest threat humanity has ever faced virtually uncovered Climate change catastrophe is upon us. We see it in the record-breaking floods from storms … Continue reading





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Web Design & CRO – A Checklist for Designers

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Is Zero UI The Key Factor For The Future Of Interfaces?

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Photos and other images are used in different fields, so those who know how to work with high-resolution mockups are in demand as professionals. It is useful to be able to take photos, draw, edit...