Creating a web server database for use with an Android application

Question

I have experience creating Android applications, but now I would like to start creating applications that interact with some kind of web database to push and pull data.

What type of database must be configured on the remote server to interact with my application? As far as I understand, I need a database on a remote server and some kind of service that my Android application can work with?

What can I read, what will find out how it works and how can I start?

Answer 1

The simplest (and often the most flexible) combination, in my opinion, is PHP and MySQL. PHP as a scripting language that is called (via http) from the application, and handles all access to the database. MySQL as a database. PostgreSQL is also an option for the database, of course. And if you have access to .NET, JSP or something like that, this is also an option. But the web server with Apache, PHP and MySQL is free, powerful and easy to maintain, and most / many web hosts have them.

How it works (which is the same no matter which web servers / servers you selected): - The database is installed on the server - You have a website (on the web server) that has access to the database (this will be the case with a typical solution for web hotels) - You place your scripts (f.ex. PHP) in the web area - Web scripts for accessing the database, with functions for receiving and / or storing information - In your application httpclient or something similar to send HTTP GET or POST requests to PHP scripts, sending information or requesting information and and both

It is also quite possible to write a database access code directly in your application (it is very simple in Java and C # compared to languages ​​like C og C ++). However, most hosts do not allow remote access to their database servers, so you will most likely have to configure the database server yourself. In addition, direct access to the database server is a security risk, and I would not recommend it.

As for what you can read, there are many, many tutorials, hauts and case studies on the net. Search for "php access mysql databse", f.ex., for ideas on how to write php scripts that process a database transaction (s). If you have a more detailed explanation, I can point you to something more specific.

Answer 2

I highly recommend adding a web service layer between your application and the database using, for example, JSON or XML. Exposing a database is directly related to a security risk and is rarely on the go.