Firebase Admin SDK Server Integration

Overview

The Firebase Admin SDK provides privileged server-side access to Firebase services, bypassing security rules. It must be used exclusively in server environments (Server Components, API Routes, Server Actions).

Critical Security Pattern: server-only Package

MANDATORY: All Admin SDK files MUST import server-only to prevent client-side bundling.

// lib/firebase/admin.ts
import 'server-only'; // CRITICAL: First import, prevents client bundling

import { initializeApp, getApps, cert } from 'firebase-admin/app';

Why: Without server-only, service account credentials could leak into the client bundle, exposing your entire Firebase project.