Cannot add node to Firebase through console

Question

I have a Firebase project with 2 mobile apps:

1. FriendlyChat example from Firebase/Google (messages) - created first
2. Grocery Items list (grocery-items) - trying to create second

You can see the messages node already there with some test messages inside.

But when I try to add a child to the appId node, I give it a name "grocery-items" and I click on ADD, but the node does not get added. It just disappears.

Why can't I add the grocery-items node?

Answer 1

The Firebase Database is a key-value store. It stores the values of keys at paths in the tree. But it only stores keys when they have an actual value. If there is no value for a key/path, it is immediately deleted.

So if you click the + button, then enter a key and click the Add button, it will delete the first key that you entered because it doesn't have a value.

What you instead should do depends on what you want to accomplish.

To add a single key/value pair:

• click the +
• enter a key/Name
• enter a Value
• click Add

If you want to add a JSON snippet/tree:

• click the +
• enter a key/Name
• click the + next to the (empty) Value
• enter a key/Name for the child
• enter a Value for the child
• click Add