Local Push Notifications and Firebase Notifications. Choose the most suitable for your Flutter application.
Tags: firebase, flutter, mobile
Published: 2024-01-13 23:02:47

## Introduction
Push notifications are essential for engaging users and keeping them informed about updates or events within a mobile application. For instance, if you want your app to notify users of a specific holiday or promos on your app or notify users who haven’t been active for a while. There are two main types of push notifications: local push notifications and Firebase notifications. In this document, we'll explore the technical aspects of both drawing conclusion on the right choice to choose for your application.

## Local Push Notifications
**Overview**
Local push notifications are notifications generated and scheduled directly on the user's device without relying on a backend server. These notifications are triggered by the application itself, and the delivery is managed locally on the device. Without internet access, local pus notifications’ processes still take place.

## Technical Implementation
1.** Notification API**
Local push notifications are often implemented using platform-specific APIs. For example, on iOS, the UNNotificationRequest class can be used, while on Android, the NotificationManager class is commonly employed.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/arpoyhdrnn7cjqz0tbn3.png)
The fig. above shows a method that when called or accessed pushes notifications to users provided local push notification plugin is initialized in the root app in flutter for android.

## 2. Handling Notifications
Developers need to implement handlers to respond to user interactions with local push notifications. This includes opening specific views or performing actions within the app when a notification is tapped.

## Firebase Notifications
**Overview**
Firebase notifications leverage the Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) service to deliver messages to devices. These notifications are sent from a server (in this case, Firebase) and can be targeted to specific devices or user segments.

## Technical Implementation
**1. Firebase Cloud Messaging**
Integrating Firebase Notifications involves configuring the FCM SDK in your mobile app and handling the registration of devices to receive notifications.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/n28ggozj35ciwmjz0qw2.png)

## WHICH ONE IS BEST FOR YOUR APPLICATION?
Whether to use local push notifications or Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) depends on your specific requirements and use case. Let's consider some factors for each option:
Local Push Notifications:
•	Offline Availability: Local notifications work even if the user is offline because they are scheduled and triggered by the local device.
•	Simplicity: Local notifications are generally simpler to implement since they don't require a server infrastructure.
•	Customization: You have more control over the appearance and behavior of local notifications on the device.
•	Resource Consumption: Local notifications consume fewer resources compared to remote notifications, as they don't involve network requests.
Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM):
•	Remote Delivery: Since it is a cloud service, FCM allows you to send notifications remotely from a server, making it suitable for scenarios where notifications are triggered by events on a server.
•	Multi-platform Support: FCM can be used to send notifications to both Android and iOS devices, making it suitable for cross-platform applications.
•	Rich Notifications: FCM allows you to send rich notifications containing images, buttons, etc.
•	Targeting: FCM provides advanced targeting options, allowing you to send notifications to specific devices or groups of devices.
**Considerations:**
If your notification logic is purely based on client-side events and doesn't rely on a server or backend, local notifications might be sufficient.
If you need to notify users based on server-side events, such as updates to their accounts or new content availability, FCM might be more suitable.
For a combination of both local and remote notifications, you can implement logic to choose the appropriate notification type based on the event source (client or server).

## Conclusion:
Local push notifications and Firebase notifications serve different purposes. Local notifications are suitable for scenarios where server interaction is not necessary, while Firebase notifications offer a robust solution for server-initiated communication. Developers should choose the approach that aligns with their app's requirements and user engagement strategy.

## Query for you:
Provided there is a use case scenario, an exercise routine app which has to send notifications to all users who have been inactive for more than a month, what push notifications is more suitable for deployment?