Parse Server with Back4App Quick Start

Overview

A quick start guide to setting up a Parse server hosted on Back4App

Sign up

1. Go to Back4App and choose a "Sign up" option. The following example shows the "Sign up with GitHub" flow. Make sure you're signed in to GitHub with the account you want to use with Back4App.
2. Authorize with GitHub
   
3. "Skip" or "Continue" through the "Welcome" flow.
   
4. Name your server app.
   

Dashboard

• "Cancel" or "Next" at "Onboarding" flow for a brief dashboard orientation.

Database

• There isn't any data to see yet, but this is where all your Parse user's and objects will be displayed.

App Settings

General

• This is where general info about your app is displayed.
• You'll reference the "Parse API Address" when configuring the Parse SDK in your Xcode project.

Security & Keys

• You'll reference the "Application ID" and "Client Key" when configuring the Parse SDK in your Xcode project.

Configure and initialize the Parse SDK in Xcode

1. Visit the Parse iOS Docs - Getting Started Tab and scroll down to the section titled "Initialise Parse SDK"

2. In the code snippet, tap the "Swift" button to toggle the snippet to show in Swift.

3. As the description mentions, you'll need to configure the Parse SDK in the application:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions: method of your app's AppDelegate.swift file. (This is a common place for initializing stuff in your app since this method is called very early in the app's lifecycle, right after your app initializes itself).

   • ⚠️ NOTE: The snippet shown in the Parse docs also includes the application:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions: method, however that method is already provided by default in the app delegate. So you only need to reference the part related to the configuration and initialization of Parse. Add that inside the application:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions: that already exists in the AppDelegate.

   let parseConfig = ParseClientConfiguration {
       $0.applicationId = "parseAppId"
       $0.clientKey = "parseClientKey"
       $0.server = "parseServerUrlString"
   }
   Parse.initialize(with: parseConfig)
   

   • You'll need to replace the parseAppId, parseClientKey and parseServerUrlString strings with the actual values from your Parse server found in the Dashboard - App Settings