Should you use Google’s NEW Firebase Studio for vibe coding (Full Demo)

Firebase Studio vs. Lovable: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Key Concepts:

• Firebase Studio: Google's free AI coding tool integrated with Firebase, aimed at prototyping and building applications.
• Lovable: A low-code/no-code platform for building applications with AI assistance.
• Gemini: Google's AI model used for code generation in Firebase Studio.
• Firebase: Google's backend-as-a-service platform.
• Superbase: An open-source alternative to Firebase.
• React, Next.js, Vue.js: JavaScript frameworks for building user interfaces.
• TypeScript: A superset of JavaScript that adds static typing.
• API Key: A code used to authenticate and authorize access to an API.
• IDE: Integrated Development Environment, a software application that provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for software development.
• LLM: Large Language Model, a type of artificial intelligence model.
• ARR: Annual Recurring Revenue.
• Oauth: An open standard for access delegation, commonly used as a way for Internet users to grant websites or applications access to their information on other websites but without giving them the passwords.

Firebase Studio Overview

• Free and New: Firebase Studio is a completely free product launched recently (less than two weeks before the recording).
• Templates: Offers project templates (React, Next.js, Flutter, etc.) with pre-built best practices.
  • Example: React app template with a counter.
• Target Audience: Geared towards more technical users with some coding knowledge.
• IDE-like Interface: Presents a code editor view with files and code, which can be overwhelming for beginners.
• Gemini Integration: Uses Google's Gemini model for generative code.
  • Requires a Gemini API key for access to more advanced models like Gemini Pro 2.5.
• Firebase Integration: Tightly integrated with the Firebase ecosystem, allowing one-click deployments to Firebase hosting, Google Cloud, and other Google services.
• App Prototyping Agent: Offers a text-based interaction for prototyping apps, similar to Lovable or Bolt.
  • Uses prompts to generate app prototypes.
  • Example: "A tipping calculator app to help calculate a tip on a bill amongst friends."
• Feedback System: Includes a feedback ticketing system for feature requests and bug reports.

Side-by-Side Comparison: Firebase Studio vs. Lovable

• Prompt: "A budgeting app that aggregates all transactions across financial institutions and displays daily, weekly, monthly spending as well as net worth."
• Firebase Studio:
  • Generates a plan for the app (called "FINRA").
  • Shows code generation in real-time.
  • Produces a basic HTML UI with limited styling.
  • Surfaces errors and prompts the user to fix them.
  • Example error: "React does not recognize the default active prop on a DOM element."
  • Struggled with more complex prompts like adding user sign-in.
• Lovable:
  • Hides code by default, focusing on the user interface.
  • Generates a cleaner UI with animations.
  • Successfully implemented user sign-in with Superbase integration.
  • Allows connecting to a real database with a few clicks.
  • Example: Implemented a sign-in/register flow with email confirmation.
• UI/UX: Lovable's UI is considered more visually appealing and user-friendly than Firebase Studio's.
• User Authentication: Lovable can easily set up user authentication with Superbase, including registration and sign-in flows.
• Image Integration: Lovable can integrate images based on screenshots provided by the user.
  • Example: Using a screenshot of the Stripe landing page to influence the app's design.

Firebase Studio: Strengths and Weaknesses

• Strengths:
  • Free.
  • Tight integration with the Google ecosystem (Firebase, Google Cloud).
  • Potential for future improvement with better models (Gemini 2.5 Pro).
• Weaknesses:
  • Steep learning curve for non-developers.
  • Can be overwhelming with its IDE-like interface.
  • Prone to errors and "death loops" of repeated errors.
  • UI generated is basic and lacks styling.
  • Currently in alpha/preview stage, with potential for breaking changes.

Target Audience for Firebase Studio

• Experienced developers who are already heavily invested in the Google ecosystem and Firebase.
• Developers who want one-click deployments to Google Cloud.
• Middle to experienced developers who are familiar with the Google ecosystem.

Future Potential of Firebase Studio

• Expected to become a major competitor to tools like Cursor and Windsurf.
• Likely to use more advanced AI models in the future.
• Will bring more users into the Firebase ecosystem.

Conclusion

Firebase Studio is a promising but currently immature AI coding tool. While it offers tight integration with the Google ecosystem and is completely free, it is best suited for experienced developers already familiar with Firebase and Google Cloud. Lovable, on the other hand, provides a more user-friendly experience and is better suited for non-technical users who want to quickly prototype and build applications. The speaker is bullish on the future of Firebase Studio, expecting it to improve significantly as Google invests further in its AI models and features.