Parse Server Tutorial with iOS

Bonus: Parse Dashboard

Only a few days after releasing push notifications for the Parse Server, the team at Parse also opened up the very useful dashboard. It can be used locally or in the cloud.

To install it locally, you need to clone the GitHub repository on your machine. Enter this into Terminal:

$ git clone https://github.com/ParsePlatform/parse-dashboard.git
$ cd parse-dashboard
$ npm install

In the Parse-Dashboard subfolder, edit parse-dashboard-config.json. Add your IDs, keys, URLs and names as shown below:

{
  "apps": [
    {
      "serverURL": "https://afternoon-harbor-27828.herokuapp.com/parse",
      "appId": "APPLICATION_ID",
      "masterKey": "APPLICATION_MASTER",
      "appName": "Heroku.com Tutorial App"
    },
    {
      "serverURL": "http://localhost:1337/parse",
      "appId": "APPLICATION_ID",
      "masterKey": "APPLICATION_MASTER",
      "appName": "Local Tutorial App"
    }
  ]
}

Run this command in the Parse Dashboard directory from Terminal:

$ npm run dashboard

Next, copy and paste http://localhost:4040 into your browser, and you’ll see your app in the dashboard! For your apps on Parse.com, you currently have full run of the place, including the data browser, Parse config and API console. Your cloud code and logs as there too.

For apps on the Parse Server, only the data browser and API console are available.

Where to go From Here?

You can download the finished project here. You’ll need to replace the applicationId and the server url with your own to make it all work right.

To expand on what you’ve done in this Parse server tutorial, you could:

• Explore Parse dashboard’s full potential by setting up a full version of the Parse Server.
• Explore the extended capabilities of using a push adapter for other push providers that use the default APN.
• Look into and compare other Parse alternatives such as Firebase or CloudKit, but beware that these alternatives lack some features covered in this Parse server tutorial.

Now you know that even without the full services of Parse.com, using the Parse SDK along with Parse Server is a great backend solution that could easily replace developing a backend on your own.

There’s certainly a lot to talk about though, so bring your thoughts, questions and findings to the forums and let’s make some magic happen. I look forward to connecting with you!

Parse.com is dead, long live the Parse Server!