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Google has heated up the app-building space, today rolling out a generative AI-powered end-to-end app platform that allows users to create custom apps in minutes.
Today at Google Cloud Next, the tech giant introduced the full-stack AI workspace Firebase Studio.
Devs and non-devs can use the cloud-based, Gemini-powered agentic development platform to build, launch, iterate on and monitor mobile and web apps, APIs, backends and frontends directly from their browsers. It is now available in preview to all users (you must have a Google account).
As of this posting, Firebase Studio was experiencing “exceptionally high demand,” so VentureBeat has not yet had the opportunity to test it out. However, early reaction has been largely positive.
“Google Just COOKED AGAIN! Firebase Studio beats Lovable and Bolt?” wrote one YouTube user offering up a tutorial video. “This could be a GAME CHANGER for developers who want to quickly prototype and build production-ready applications with AI assistance.”
“Feels like Cursor AI meets v0, but free. ?,” another posted to X.
Yet another user reacted: “? It’s like lovable+cursor+replit+bolt+windsurf all in one testing catalog.”
How users can create apps in minutes with Firebase Studio
Firebase Studio combines Google’s coding tools Genkit and Project IDX with specialized AI agents and Gemini assistance. It is built on the popular Code OSS project, making it look and feel familiar to many.
Users just need to open their browser to build an app in minutes, importing from existing repositories such as GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket or a local machine. The platform supports languages including Java, .NET, Node.js, Go and Python, and frameworks like Next.js, React, Angular, Vue.js, Android, Flutter and others.
Users can choose from more than 60 pre-built templates or use a prototyping agent that helps design an app (including UI, AI flows and API schema) through natural language, screenshots, mockups, drawing tools, screenshots, images and mockups—without the need for coding. The app can then be directly deployed to Firebase App Hosting, Cloud Run, or custom infrastructure.
Apps can be monitored in a Firebase console and refined and expanded in a coding workspace with a single click. Apps right can be previewed in a browser, and Firebase Studio features built-in runtime services and tools for emulation, testing, refactoring, debugging and code documentation.
Google says the platform greatly simplifies coding workflows. Gemini helps users write code and documentation, fix bugs, manage and resolve dependencies, write and run unit tests, and work with Docker containers, among other tasks. Users can customize and evolve different aspects of their apps, including model inference, agents, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), UX, business logic and others.
Google is also now granting early access to Gemini Code Assist agents in Firebase Studio for those in the Google Developer Program. For instance, a migration agent can help move code; a testing agent can simulate user interactions or run adversarial scenarios against AI models to identify and fix potentially dangerous outputs; and a code documentation agent can allow users to talk to code.
During preview, Firebase Studio is available with three workspaces for regular users, while Google Developer Program members can use up to 30 workspaces. Gemini Code Assist agents are on the waitlist.
