In this AWS article, we will be discussing in detail the Amazon Web Services’ most widely popular tool for mobile devices, Mobile Hub in AWS. You will be able to learn what is a mobile hub in AWS, AWS AppSync, AWS Cognito, AWS Amplify, and much more information in this in-depth article.
The topics to be discussed are:
- What is AWS Mobile Hub?
- What is AWS AppSync?
- What is AWS Amplify?
- AWS Mobile Hub vs Amplify: Which one is better?
- Where can I find reliable AWS Mobile Hub documentation?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Keep reading to find out more information about these amazing AWS services.
What Is AWS Mobile Hub?
AWS MobileHub is an amalgamation of different yet powerful AWS services for mobile app deployment and configuration. The tools included in Mobile Hub enable developers to build, test, configure, and develop cloud-based mobile applications.
These tools are put together as a package for users and developers so that they can access it easily through the console. The console allows developers to select their needed tools and features for the mobile applications and easily integrate them into the code.
Not only that, Mobile Hub in AWS offers additional benefits to developers with extra tools. Some of the tools can be used by users to build back-end mobile application services, track application analysis, set up push notifications, deliver relevant content, manage end-user storage and access, and accomplish so much more.
Which Native Services Does AWS Mobile Hub Use?
AWS MobileHub uses a large variety of resources and tools in the backend of the process. Developers working with Mobile Hub in AWS can opt for and use features of Amazon Simple Storage Service, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon Simple Notification Service, Amazon Mobile Analytics AWS, and more.
Which Operating System Does AWS Mobile Hub Support?
The Mobile Hub in AWS can support and work with a variety of mobile operating systems. Developers can provide resources for application projects in iOS Swift, iOS Objective-C, or Android operating systems.
A developer is free to choose any number of projects to work on and implement AWS features on them. The console enables users to integrate features into the mobile application code and even test the features with a quick-start app. This enables Mobile Hub to test the application and monitor it for wide use.
Few features for Mobile Hub are not free such as the Amazon Mobile Analytics, AWS Lambda, and Amazon Simple Storage Service. Developers must pay to use some features in the Mobile Hub console.
What Is AWS AppSync?
AWS AppSync is a completely managed GraphQL API layer from Amazon Web Services which allows users to develop GraphQL APIs without any extra effort. AWS AppSync handles all resolution and parsing of requests.
It also performs the function of gathering all the data from the backend and connecting with AWS services such as HTTP APIs, AWS Lambda, and SQL and NoSQL data stores.
AWS AppSync allows developers to define the layout of the GraphQL API on the interface and attach resolver functions to every defined type of request. Not only that but AWS AppSync can provide users a much easier method of attaching every resolver function to the data source.
AWS AppSync supports databases and data sources from Amazon DynamoDB tables, AWS Lambda functions, Amazon Elasticsearch and RDS databases, as well as other HTTP endpoints.
All in all, AWS AppSync is a service that focuses on GraphQL API. This is why, it is understandable that mobile applications and services benefitting from GraphQL APIs would be a much better fit for AWS AppSync.
What Is AWS Amplify?
AWS Amplify is a considerably new Amazon product that has adopted the best from the previous AWS Amazon Mobile Hub services.
It is a full package of tools and features that enable frontend and backend, mobile application developers, to build amazing full-stack applications on AWS. The AWS Amplify features give developers the freedom and flexibility to utilize the wide range of AWS features for all kinds of cases.
AWS Amplify does not restrict developers with set features, yet it enables them to connect with and configure a web application or mobile application within a few minutes. Users can also build a visually attractive web frontend user interface as well as manage the content of the app without using the AWS Console.
Ever since its launch in November 2017, AWS Amplify has been allowing users to manage the backend of the web and mobile applications with its fantastic features.
The AWS Amplify CLI (command-line interface) has made it easier for developers to maintain app backends and integrate them into iOS, React Native, Android, and web applications.
The AWS Amplify library has grown from its React initial beginning to include Angular, Vue, and Ionic. These launches have brought the community together and allowed AWS Amplify to develop into a fully open-source client framework.
AWS Mobile Hub vs Amplify: Which One Is Better?
AWS MobileHub is an excellent tool that allows you to configure and add to your mobile applications. Configurations offered include data warehousing, backend logic, push notifications, content delivery, user authentication, and mobile analytics.
Aside from building an application on Mobile Hub, you can also test your applications for a real mobile device and check your analytics to gauge your application usage. All of this is made possible from a single console jam-packed with fantastic features.
Mobile Hub has been replaced by AWS Amplify as the prime Amazon mobile application development service in 2021-2022. More new features were added to the original Mobile Hub to make for a faster way to develop, deploy, and manage cloud-based web and mobile applications.
The main differences between the AWS MobileHub and AWS Amplify are:
| AWS Mobile Hub | AWS Amplify |
| The provisioning of the backend of mobile applications could be much more difficult to manage in AWS MobileHub. Similarly, developers found the maintenance of the mobile backend much difficult in the previous interface. | The provisioning and maintenance of mobile backend has been made easier and smoother using the AWS Amplify CLI. |
| Another issue with AWS MobileHub was secure hosting and continuous deployment of web and mobile applications. | AWS Amplify solved the problem of secure hosting and continuous deployment of mobile and web applications through AWS Amplify Console. It allows all tools to be integrated into a single platform for the developer’s convenience. |
| AWS MobileHub was a generally free and available platform. Users only paid for the underlying AWS services included. | AWS Amplify offers a free tier of services but there is a specific limit to its use. |
AWS mobile hub pricing
The beauty of Mobile Hub is its free, but you will incur charges for the AWS Services you will provision to deploy your applications.
Also, the good news is there are many AWS services that give you free usage up to a certain limit.
How to use mobile hub console in AWS
As we all are aware that AWS Mobile is now Amplified with AWS Amplify, so let’s check out the console how it looks.
1. Log in to AWS Console, search for AWS Amplify, and navigate to the page.
2. Make a choice if you would like to build an app from scratch using Amplify Studio or you have the code ready in git then just go ahead with Amplify hosting and deploy the app.
3. Just give the name of the app and confirm, the staging deployment is done.
4. Build the app from the scratch, as shown below with the New app dropdown. Build an app from scratch or host it from your git repo.
AWS mobile hub vs appsync (Amplify vs Appsync)
Both of them are very closely related even though they are different that solving the different purposes of customers in the AWS ecosystem. Let’s see how they are the same or different.
| Amplify | Appsync |
| This provides a framework for developing the front end. | This is the tool to build GraphqlAPI that can talk to Amplify. |
| It is the tool that’s used to create apps for mobile and web | This tool is used to create graphql endpoints and resolvers. |
AWS mobile hub vs firebase (Amplify Vs Firebase)
Let’s try to jot down a few differences between these two apps.
| Amplify | Firebase |
| App in AWS Environment | App in Google Cloud |
| Amplify looks a bit complicated compared to Firebase | Firebase is simple as compared to Amplify |
| This is an application hosting service and for the backend, we can use Appsync. Appsync gives the power of using GraphQL | This gives an overall package of hosting applications and databases as well. We also get the option to write APIs as well. |
Where Can I Find Reliable AWS Mobile Hub Documentation?
Most of the documentation for Mobile Hub has been moved to the AWS Amplify platform to accommodate the new changes in the system. If you have been looking for reliable tutorials for Mobile Hub or AWS Amplify, you will be able to find those in the official AWS documentation here.
This link will take you to explore the updated Mobile Hub, AWS Amplify, and work with cloud-powered web and mobile applications using a single console.
If you have been a user of Mobile Hub for the past years, you can use this tool here which will guide you to migrate your data from the Mobile Hub containers to AWS Amplify.
What is AWS Device Farm?
AWS Device Farm is a service by Amazon that lets developers test web and mobile applications and improve their quality.
This process is accomplished by testing the applications across a range of browsers and mobile devices without the need of provisioning and maintaining any testing structure.
By running tests on multiple devices and browsers, you can run tests simultaneously to speed up test execution and create logs to identify the problems in your structure.
Can AWS host Mobile App?
Amazon Web Services offer a large variety of tools and services to accommodate mobile and web application development.
Development and end-to-end solutions are provided by Amazon for iOS, Android, React Native and Javascript applications.
AWS ensures that developers can use the tools available to develop, test, monitor, and deliver exceptional cloud-based applications.
What is AWS Cognito?
AWS Cognito is an access-control tool for developers’ web and mobile applications. It enables a user to quickly and easily add user sign-in, sign-up, and other control options.
The most amazing benefit of this service is that it supports millions of users and their sign-in capabilities with social identity providers such as Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the use of AWS mobile hub push notifications?
It helps to engage the users through push notifications like email or SMS. It gives an understanding of how users use the app.
Q: AWS mobile hub tutorial
We have tried out best to give an overview of Amplify, for further details you can refer to AWS Documentation here.
Q: AWS mobile hub starter
Mobile hub starter is the combined package provided by AWS to build and deploy the mobile-based application.
Q: Can you use AWS on your phone?
No, we cannot use ASW on phones but we can monitor our environment through the mobile app.
Do check out the below comparison with AWS.
- AWS Vs Azure
- What Is DynamoDB
- AWS Vs Bluehost
- AWS Vs Google Cloud
- AWS Direct Connect
- AWS Redshift Vs Snowflake
- What is AWS Dynamodb
- AWS Direct Connect Gateway
- What Is AWS Storage Gateway
Conclusion
We hope that the article has allowed you to learn more about AWS Mobile Hub, AWS Device Farm, AWS AppSync, AWS Amplify, and even AWS Cognito. The article has covered everything related to the Mobile Hub in AWS.
- What is AWS AppSync?
- What is AWS Amplify?
- Where can I find reliable AWS Mobile Hub documentation?
- Frequently Asked Questions
We hope that after reading this article you are now able to understand Mobile Hub, AWS Amplify, and AWS AppSync more clearly.
I am an Amazon Web Services Professional, having more than 11 years of experience in AWS and other technologies. Extensively working in various AWS tools like S3, Lambda, API, Kinesis, Load Balancers, EKS, ECS, and many more. Working as a Solution Architect and Technology Lead for Architecting and implementing the same for different clients. He provides expert solutions around the world and especially in countries like the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Check out the complete profile on About us.
