Get started with the Bird extension on Firebase
Firebase Extension
·
Jun 1, 2021
Key Takeaways
The Bird | Firebase Extension allows developers to send messages and notifications across SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger, Google Business Messages, Telegram, LINE, Viber, and more—directly from Firestore document writes.
When a new document is added to the configured Firestore collection, the extension converts it into a readable message payload and sends it via Bird’s Conversations API, then updates the document with delivery status.
This extension removes the need for a backend integration with Bird’s API, enabling teams to ship messaging features faster with minimal code.
Firebase’s real-time and scalable infrastructure pairs with Bird’s global connectivity, ensuring reliable message delivery anywhere in the world.
A sample use case demonstrates how restaurants can automate SMS notifications to customers waiting for tables—only requiring a Firestore write.
Setup requires only a Bird API key and an SMS (or other channel) ID; configuration is done through Firebase’s extension installation wizard.
Developers define the Firestore collection the extension listens to—every new document becomes a message trigger.
After sending, the extension enriches the Firestore document with delivery data, status, and error messages if applicable.
Security best practices are essential: Firestore rules must tightly restrict read/write access to prevent abuse or unauthorized message sending.
Cloud Functions logs allow developers to inspect message failures, extension execution errors, and delivery outcomes.
The extension works seamlessly with the broader Bird ecosystem, enabling future enhancements like AI-based flows, image recognition, or CRM automation.
This integration creates a foundation for richer experiences, such as enabling customers to reply with keywords, building restaurant queue features, or connecting to external APIs via Flow Builder.
Q&A Highlights
What does the Bird Firebase extension do?
It listens to changes in a Firestore collection and sends messages through Bird’s Conversations API whenever a new document is added.
Which channels can the extension send messages through?
SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Business Messages, Telegram, LINE, Viber, and any other Bird-supported channels.
Do I need a backend server to send messages?
No. The extension handles all API interactions—messaging becomes as simple as writing a document to Firestore.
What information is required from my Bird account?
You’ll need your Bird API key and a channel ID (e.g., for SMS).
How do I install the extension?
Through the Firebase console → Extensions → Install “Send Messages with Bird,” and then configure your API key and collection name.
How does the extension know when to send a message?
It monitors the specified Firestore collection and triggers whenever a new document is created.
What does the message document format look like?
A simple JSON containing the destination, channel ID, and message text (or payload for other channels).
What happens after a message is sent?
The extension updates the Firestore document with delivery metadata like delivery.state, timestamps, and error details (if any).
How can I check for errors?
Errors appear in the updated Firestore document and also in the Cloud Functions logs within Firebase.
How do I secure my Firestore collection?
Use Firestore security rules to restrict read/write access only to authorized users or service accounts.
Can I use this extension for more advanced workflows?
Yes — you can pair it with Flow Builder, external APIs, or machine-learning tools like Google Vision to build interactive, automated experiences.
What’s a real-world example of using this extension?
A restaurant queue system that sends SMS notifications when a table is ready — triggered simply by adding a Firestore document.
Firebase allows you to quickly develop and deploy high-quality apps, paired with extended functionalities that enable you to continuously optimize and scale your app. Firebase also hosts pre-packaged, open-source extensions to help you automate common development tasks.
Today, we are excited to discuss the Bird | Firebase extension.
Send message and notifications with Bird
Example use case: restaurant queue notifications
When I heard that my colleagues worked on creating a Firebase extension that would allow you to easily integrate message sending in your app, I had to take it for a spin and build something with it.
Note: You can find the Bird extension on Firebase here.
To bring the extension into context, we will consider a small example app for managing a queue at a restaurant.
The restaurant owner or host can register customers on the web UI or the customers can register themselves. When their table is ready, with just a click of a button from a restaurant employee, a notification will be sent to the customer to return to the restaurant.
While there are many ways to build a system for notifying users, the best solutions alleviate as much work as possible for the customers. This helps businesses provide their customers an excellent experience.
That is why we will utilize the new Bird | Firebase extension to ensure customers are notified through an SMS. This way, customers can enjoy their waiting time and not stress about missing out, while also making it easier for restaurant staff to manage the queue.
While this example sends a SMS notification, within the extension you can use whichever channel your customer prefers (WhatsApp, Google’s Business Messages, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Line, Viber, etc.) so you can adapt the notification to the customer's preferences.
How to get set up
How to send messages
The experience for you and your customers
Get started with the Bird Firebase extension
Now, you no longer require a direct backend API integration to interact with the Bird API.
You can streamline the implementation via the Firebase extension and make sending notifications as simple as document write operations — no matter the communication channel you want to use.
This is only scratching the surface of what you can do with the extension and our API.
We offer many channels and we also have an incredibly powerful visual editor in Flow Builder that allows you to create even more dynamic experiences. For advanced use cases, you can even integrate Flow Builder with external APIs like Google Vision API and Cloud Functions to add AI-powered image recognition to your customer interactions. With Flow Builder, you can also automate CRM workflows like creating leads and cases in Salesforce directly from customer interactions.
Following the use case above, Flow Builder would allow you to add a reply feature to the notifications sent, which enables the customer to reply with a keyword or phrase to cancel their reservation. But that’s for a future article! 🙂
If you have any other use cases that you would be interested in, our solution engineers are here to help you. Please contact our team and let us know!
