Isala Piyarisi

We chose Firebase for our authentication solution because it’s cost-effective and offers extensive customization options. One standout feature we built is a guest mode that lets users seamlessly try the app without signing up. When they're ready to commit, all user data is effortlessly transferred. Additionally, Firebase plays a key role in our per-user encryption system. By enabling encryption keys to be embedded within user tokens, Firebase ensures we can only access those keys when provided by the user. This allowed us to implement a highly secure encryption method with relative ease.

We built the Enki backend four times, starting with Rust, then Go, followed by Python, and finally back to Rust. The decision to return to Rust was driven by two key factors: exceptional support from libSQL, our primary database, and the unparalleled developer experience. With Rust, if it passes the compiler, there's a 99% chance it won’t break in production.

We use Gemini via AI Studio to power the development of both our backend and iOS app! Plus, our chat feature is driven by Gemini 2.0 Flash, delivering seamless performance. Gemini stands out for its best-in-class price-to-performance ratio and simplicity, making it a game-changer for our workflow.