Ask HN: Useful Frameworks/Approaches for Simple Number-Tracking Webapp?
I need to a build a webapp that allows any number of web-based clients (on smartphones) to increment/decrement a number. Each client's current number should be stored on a server so another app can read the list of current numbers and visualize the results in real time.
I haven't done much in the webapp space so am looking for tech suggestions on ways to about this.
I figure I could certainly do PHP/MySQL, but I want an ajax feel to the app (no page reloads). I've noticed options like Firebase/Meteor/Derby and am wondering if that might be a good way to go---avoid the DB all together. Are there other options I should be looking at?
Thanks for any help. [meteor dev] Meteor + Mongo may be a good choice for you. The leaderboard example at http://www.meteor.com/examples/leaderboard already has a lot of what you need. The trick is figuring out how to identify each client: whether you have users log in or just assign a unique ID to each client. Seconding Matt's suggestion of Meteor. I haven't played with it very much since it first came out, but even at its very earliest versions (from which it has progressed amazingly) I would have suggested it as a perfect fit. It doesn't "bypass the database" like the GP asked for, but then neither does Firebase really, as it just moves it to the cloud. Ajax feel is client-side, and have no implications on how the actual storage is implemented (server-side). With specification only given the above, I'm sceptical on whether you'd need a database in the first place -you can eg. write directly to a file without any hassle.