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firebase-cli▌

supercent-io/skills-template · updated Apr 8, 2026

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$npx skills add https://github.com/supercent-io/skills-template --skill firebase-cli
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summary

Keyword: firebase · firebase deploy · firebase init · firebase emulators

skill.md

firebase-cli — Firebase Command Line Interface

Keyword: firebase · firebase deploy · firebase init · firebase emulators

The Firebase CLI (firebase-tools) manages your Firebase project from the terminal: deploy, emulate, import/export data, manage users, configure services, and automate CI/CD.

When to use this skill

  • Deploy Firebase Hosting, Cloud Functions, Firestore rules/indexes, Realtime Database rules, Cloud Storage rules, Remote Config, or Extensions
  • Set up a new Firebase project with firebase init
  • Run the Firebase Emulator Suite locally for development and testing
  • Manage preview/staging channels for Hosting
  • Import or export Firebase Authentication users in bulk
  • Distribute app builds to testers via App Distribution
  • Manage Firebase Extensions (install, configure, update, uninstall)
  • Deploy Next.js / Angular apps via Firebase App Hosting
  • Use Firebase CLI in CI/CD pipelines with service account credentials

Instructions

  1. Install the Firebase CLI: npm install -g firebase-tools
  2. Authenticate: firebase login (browser OAuth) or GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS for CI
  3. Initialize project: firebase init (creates firebase.json and .firebaserc)
  4. Deploy: firebase deploy or firebase deploy --only hosting,functions
  5. Run emulators: firebase emulators:start
  6. For detailed command reference, see references/commands.md
  7. For installation and setup scripts, see scripts/install.sh

CI/CD: Use GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS=/path/to/service-account.json firebase deploy instead of the deprecated --token / FIREBASE_TOKEN method.

Examples

Deploy everything

firebase deploy

Deploy only Hosting and Functions

firebase deploy --only hosting,functions

Run all emulators with data persistence

firebase emulators:start --import ./emulator-data --export-on-exit

Create a preview channel and deploy

firebase hosting:channel:create staging --expires 7d
firebase hosting:channel:deploy staging

Import users from JSON

firebase auth:import users.json --hash-algo=BCRYPT

Distribute Android build to testers

firebase appdistribution:distribute app-release.apk \
  --app "1:1234567890:android:abcd1234" \
  --release-notes "Sprint 42 build" \
  --groups "qa-team"

Quick Start

# Install
npm install -g firebase-tools

# Authenticate
firebase login

# Initialize project (interactive)
firebase init

# Deploy
firebase deploy

# Run emulators
firebase emulators:start

Installation

npm (recommended — all platforms)

npm install -g firebase-tools
firebase --version

Standalone binary (macOS/Linux — no Node.js required)

curl -sL firebase.tools | bash

CI/CD — service account authentication (recommended)

# Set environment variable pointing to service account JSON key
export GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS="/path/to/service-account-key.json"
firebase deploy --non-interactive

Via skill script

bash scripts/install.sh

Core Usage

Authentication

firebase login                          # OAuth browser login
firebase login --no-localhost           # Copy-paste code flow
firebase login:ci                       # Generate CI token (deprecated — use service account)
firebase login:list                     # List all authorized accounts
firebase login:use [email protected]     # Set default account
firebase logout                         # Sign out

Project Management

firebase init                    # Set up Firebase features in current directory
firebase use <project_id>        # Set active project
firebase use --add               # Add a project alias
firebase projects:list           # List all Firebase projects
firebase open hosting:site       # Open Firebase console in browser

Deployment

# Deploy everything
firebase deploy

# Deploy specific targets
firebase deploy --only hosting
firebase deploy --only functions
firebase deploy --only firestore
firebase deploy --only hosting,functions

# Deploy sub-targets
firebase deploy --only functions:myFunction
firebase deploy --only hosting:my-site
firebase deploy --only firestore:rules
firebase deploy --only firestore:indexes

# Exclude targets
firebase deploy --except functions

# With message
firebase deploy --message "v2.3.1 release"

Firebase Emulator Suite

# Start all configured emulators
firebase emulators:start

# Start specific emulators
firebase emulators:start --only auth,firestore,functions

# With data import/export
firebase emulators:start --import ./emulator-data --export-on-exit

# Run tests against emulators then shut down
firebase emulators:exec "npm test" --only firestore,auth

# Enable Functions debugger (Node.js inspector on port 9229)
firebase emulators:start --inspect-functions

Local Development Server

firebase serve                        # Hosting + HTTPS Functions
firebase serve --only hosting
firebase serve --port 5000

Hosting Commands

# Preview channels
firebase hosting:channel:create staging --expires 7d
firebase hosting:channel:deploy staging
firebase hosting:channel:list
firebase hosting:channel:open staging
firebase hosting:channel:delete staging --force
firebase hosting:clone my-app:live my-app-staging:staging

# Multi-site management
firebase hosting:sites:list
firebase hosting:sites:create new-site-id
firebase hosting:disable --site my-old-site

Cloud Functions Commands

firebase functions:list                           # List deployed functions
firebase functions:log                            # View logs
firebase functions:log --only myFunction          # Filter by function name
firebase functions:delete myFunction              # Delete a function
firebase functions:shell                          # Local interactive shell

# Secrets (2nd gen — replaces functions:config)
firebase functions:secrets:set MY_SECRET
firebase functions:secrets:get MY_SECRET
firebase functions:secrets:prune

# Config (1st gen only)
firebase functions:config:set api.key="VALUE"
firebase functions:config:get

Firestore Commands

firebase firestore:delete /collection/doc --recursive
firebase firestore:indexes
firebase firestore:rules:get

Realtime Database Commands

firebase database:get /path --pretty
firebase database:set /path data.json
firebase database:push /messages --data '{"text":"Hello"}'
firebase database:update /users/uid --data '{"name":"New Name"}'
firebase database:remove /path --confirm
firebase database:profile --duration 30

Auth Import / Export

# Export all users
firebase auth:export users.json

# Import users (BCRYPT hashes)
firebase auth:import users.json --hash-algo=BCRYPT

# Import users (SCRYPT hashes — Firebase default)
firebase auth:import users.json \
  --hash-algo=SCRYPT \
  --hash-key=<base64-key> \
  --salt-separator=<base64-separator> \
  --rounds=8 \
  --mem-cost=8

Remote Config

firebase remoteconfig:get
firebase remoteconfig:get --output config.json
firebase remoteconfig:versions:list --limit 20
firebase remoteconfig:rollback --version-number 5

App Distribution

# Distribute Android APK
firebase appdistribution:distribute app.apk \
  --app APP_ID \
  --release-notes "Bug fixes and improvements" \
  --testers "[email protected]" \
  --groups "qa-team,beta-users"

# Manage testers
firebase appdistribution:testers:add [email protected] --group-alias qa-team
firebase appdistribution:testers:remove [email protected]
firebase appdistribution:groups:list

Extensions

firebase ext:list
firebase ext:info firebase/delete-user-data
firebase ext:install firebase/delete-user-data
firebase ext:configure delete-user-data
firebase ext:update delete-user-data
firebase ext:uninstall delete-user-data
firebase ext:export

App Hosting (Next.js / Angular)

firebase init apphosting
firebase apphosting:backends:create --location us-central1
firebase apphosting:backends:list
firebase deploy --only apphosting
firebase apphosting:rollouts:create BACKEND_ID --git-branch main

Deploy Targets (multi-site / multi-instance)

# Apply target name to a resource
firebase target:apply hosting prod-site my-app-prod
firebase target:apply storage prod-bucket my-app-bucket
firebase target:apply database default my-app-db

# Use target in deploy
firebase deploy --only hosting:prod-site

# Clear targets
firebase target:clear hosting prod-site

Best practices

  1. Use service accounts for CI/CD: Set GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS instead of --token (deprecated).
  2. Use --only in deploy: Never deploy everything blindly in production — always scope with --only.
  3. Emulators for development: Always run emulators:start locally before deploying; use --import/--export-on-exit for persistence.
  4. Preview channels before production: Use hosting:channel:deploy for staging reviews before firebase deploy --only hosting.
  5. Secrets over functions:config: For Cloud Functions 2nd gen, use functions:secrets:set (Secret Manager) instead of deprecated functions:config:set.
  6. --non-interactive in scripts: Always add --non-interactive in automated scripts to avoid hanging on prompts.
  7. .firebaserc in VCS: Commit .firebaserc (project aliases) but add secrets and service account keys to .gitignore.
  8. --debug for troubleshooting: Run any failing command with --debug for verbose output.

Troubleshooting

Issue Solution
command not found: firebase Run npm install -g firebase-tools; check npm bin -g is in PATH
Authentication error in CI Set GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS to ser
how to use firebase-cli

How to use firebase-cli on Cursor

AI-first code editor with Composer

1

Prerequisites

Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:

  • ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
  • ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with node --version)
  • ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add firebase-cli
2

Execute installation command

Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:

$npx skills add https://github.com/supercent-io/skills-template --skill firebase-cli

The skills CLI fetches firebase-cli from GitHub repository supercent-io/skills-template and configures it for Cursor.

3

Select Cursor when prompted

The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:

◆ Which agents do you want to install to?
│
│ ── Universal (.agents/skills) ── always included ────
│ • Amp
│ • Antigravity
│ • Cline
│ • Codex
│ ●Cursor(selected)
│ • Cursor
│ • Windsurf
4

Verify installation

Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:

.cursor/skills/firebase-cli

Reload or restart Cursor to activate firebase-cli. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /firebase-cli) or your agent's skill management interface.

⚠

Security & Verification Notice

We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.

Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.

Additional Resources

›View source code on GitHub›Skills CLI documentation›Learn more about Cursor›What are agent skills?

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Use Cases▌

User Story & Requirements Generation

Create detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs

Example

Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios

✓

Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage

Competitive Analysis

Research competitors, compare features, identify gaps

Example

Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities

✓

Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days

Roadmap Prioritization

Evaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs

Example

Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale

✓

Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster

Stakeholder Communication

Draft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations

Example

Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement

✓

Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead

Implementation Guide▌

Prerequisites

  • ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client
  • ›Access to product documentation and roadmap tools (Jira, Notion, etc.)
  • ›Understanding of product management frameworks (RICE, Jobs-to-be-Done, etc.)
  • ›Stakeholder contact information and communication channels

Time Estimate

30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements

Installation Steps

  1. 1.Install product management skill
  2. 2.Start with user story generation for known feature
  3. 3.Progress to competitive analysis: research 2-3 competitors
  4. 4.Use for roadmap prioritization: apply RICE/ICE scoring
  5. 5.Draft stakeholder communications and refine based on feedback
  6. 6.Build template library for recurring PM tasks
  7. 7.Share effective prompts with product team

Common Pitfalls

  • ⚠Not validating competitive research—verify facts before sharing
  • ⚠Accepting user stories without involving engineering team
  • ⚠Over-relying on frameworks without qualitative judgment
  • ⚠Not customizing outputs to company culture and communication style
  • ⚠Skipping stakeholder validation of generated requirements

Best Practices▌

✓ Do

  • +Validate research and competitive analysis with real data
  • +Collaborate with engineering when generating technical requirements
  • +Customize frameworks and templates to your company context
  • +Use skill for first drafts, refine with stakeholder input
  • +Document successful prompt patterns for PM tasks
  • +Combine AI efficiency with human judgment and intuition

✗ Don't

  • −Don't publish competitive analysis without fact-checking
  • −Don't finalize user stories without engineering review
  • −Don't make prioritization decisions solely on AI scoring
  • −Don't skip customer validation of generated requirements
  • −Don't ignore company-specific context and culture

💡 Pro Tips

  • ★Provide context: company goals, constraints, customer feedback
  • ★Ask for alternatives: 'Show 3 ways to prioritize this roadmap'
  • ★Request stakeholder-specific formatting: 'Executive summary vs. engineering spec'
  • ★Use skill for 70% generation + 30% customization to company needs

When to Use This▌

✓ Use When

Use for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work.

✗ Avoid When

Avoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed.

Learning Path▌

  1. 1Basic: user stories, feature specs, status updates
  2. 2Intermediate: competitive analysis, prioritization frameworks, PRDs
  3. 3Advanced: product strategy, go-to-market planning, OKR setting
  4. 4Expert: product vision, market positioning, business model innovation

Discussion

Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)
  • No comments yet — start the thread.
general reviews

Ratings

4.8★★★★★33 reviews
  • ★★★★★Dhruvi Jain· Dec 20, 2024

    Registry listing for firebase-cli matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.

  • ★★★★★Dev Khan· Dec 20, 2024

    firebase-cli reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.

  • ★★★★★James Desai· Dec 8, 2024

    firebase-cli has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.

  • ★★★★★Arjun Zhang· Dec 8, 2024

    Useful defaults in firebase-cli — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.

  • ★★★★★Sakura Tandon· Dec 4, 2024

    firebase-cli is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.

  • ★★★★★James Patel· Nov 27, 2024

    I recommend firebase-cli for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.

  • ★★★★★Nikhil Tandon· Nov 23, 2024

    Keeps context tight: firebase-cli is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.

  • ★★★★★Oshnikdeep· Nov 11, 2024

    Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: firebase-cli is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.

  • ★★★★★James Rao· Nov 11, 2024

    We added firebase-cli from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.

  • ★★★★★Dev Garcia· Oct 18, 2024

    Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: firebase-cli is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.

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