---
title: Quickstart
slug: docs/get-started/welcome
description: Release your App faster, reducing drastically your development effort by providing a flexible, scalable and easy-to-use backend platform.
image: https://www.back4app.com/_public/img/back4app-og.png
docTags:
createdAt: 2024-01-16T19:22:06.326Z
---
Back4app is a low-code backend platform that simplifies building modern applications. This guide will help you quickly set up Back4app and start saving data.
## Back4app Main Features
- Database (real-time capability)
- Cloud Code Functions
- APIs (GraphQL and REST)
- File Storage
- Authentication
- Web Deployment
- Push Notifications
## 5-minutes quick start
After creating your Back4app account and first app, go to your App Dashboard and get your App Keys under `App Settings -> Security & Keys`(check the image below). Note that you will always need two keys to connect with Back4app, the `Application ID`, and another key according to the `SDK` you will use.
### 1. Install and Configure the Parse SDK
To integrate the Parse SDK, follow these general steps:
**Install the Parse SDK:**
- **JavaScript / Node.js**: `npm install parse --save`
- **React Native**: `npm install parse @react-native-async-storage/async-storage --save`, then run `cd ios && pod install`
- **Flutter**: Add `parse_server_sdk_flutter` to `pubspec.yaml`
- **Android (Java):** Add your app's `build.gradle` inside `dependencies{}`:
:::CodeblockTabs
build.gradle
```java
implementation "com.github.parse-community.Parse-SDK-Android:parse:latest_version"
```
:::
- **iOS (Swift)**: Install CocoaPods `(sudo gem install cocoapods)` and add Parse to your `Podfile`
**Initialize the Parse SDK** with your Application ID and the appropriate key:
```javascript
Parse.initialize('YOUR_APPLICATION_ID', 'YOUR_JAVASCRIPT_KEY');
Parse.serverURL = 'https://parseapi.back4app.com/';
```
*The example above is for JavaScript/Node.js. Adjust accordingly for your platform.*
### 2. Save Data on Back4app
Create and save a sample object to confirm that the SDK is properly set up. Use the example below and adapt it to your programming language:
```javascript
async function saveNewPlayer() {
const player = new Parse.Object('Player');
player.set('name', 'Alex');
player.set('yearOfBirth', 1997);
player.set('emailContact', 'alex@email.com');
player.set('attributes', ['fast', 'good endurance']);
try {
const result = await player.save();
console.log('New object created with ID:', result.id);
} catch (error) {
console.error('Failed to save object:', error.message);
}
}
```
After saving, you can verify the data in the **App Dashboard** on Back4app.
### 3. Platform-Specific Setup
**JavaScript - React / Angular**
- **Install** the SDK: `npm install parse --save`
- **Initialize** with your App Keys and Back4app server URL.
**Flutter**
1. Add `parse_server_sdk_flutter` in your `pubspec.yaml:`
:::CodeblockTabs
pubspec.yaml
```yaml
dependencies:
parse_server_sdk_flutter: ^latest_version
```
:::
2\. **Initialize** Parse in `main.dart:`
```dart
await Parse().initialize('YOUR_APPLICATION_ID', 'https://parseapi.back4app.com', clientKey: 'YOUR_CLIENT_KEY');
```
**Android (Kotlin/Java)**
- **Include** the SDK in `build.gradle` and configure network permissions in `AndroidManifest.xml`
- **Initialize** in `App.kt:`
```kotlin
Parse.initialize(new Parse.Configuration.Builder(this)
.applicationId(getString(R.string.back4app_app_id))
.clientKey(getString(R.string.back4app_client_key))
.server(getString(R.string.back4app_server_url))
.build()
);
```
**iOS (Swift)**
1. Add `ParseSwift` to your project using CocoaPods.
2. Initialize Parse in `AppDelegate.swift:`
:::CodeblockTabs
AppDelegate.swift
```swift
let configuration = ParseClientConfiguration {
$0.applicationId = "YOUR_APPLICATION_ID"
$0.clientKey = "YOUR_CLIENT_KEY"
$0.server = "https://parseapi.back4app.com"
}
Parse.initialize(with: configuration)
```
:::
**PHP**
1. **Install the SDK** with Composer by creating a composer.json with:
:::CodeblockTabs
composer.json
```json
{
"require": {
"parse/php-sdk" : "1.6.*"
}
}
```
:::
Then, run `composer.install`.
2\. **Initialize** Parse in your PHP script:
```php
require 'vendor/autoload.php';
ParseClient::initialize('YOUR_APP_ID', 'YOUR_REST_KEY', 'YOUR_MASTER_KEY');
ParseClient::setServerURL('https://parseapi.back4app.com', '/');
```
3\. **Save Data** in PHP:
:::CodeblockTabs
composer.json
```php
$player = new ParseObject("Player");
$player->set("name", "Alex");
$player->set("yearOfBirth", 1997);
$player->set("emailContact", "alex@email.com");
$player->setArray("attributes", ["fast", "good endurance"]);
$player->save();
```
:::
**.NET (C#)**
1. **Install** Parse SDK through NuGet Package Manager in Visual Studio.
2. **Initialize** Parse in your application:
```csharp
ParseClient.Initialize(new ParseClient.Configuration {
ApplicationId = "YOUR_APP_ID",
Server = "https://parseapi.back4app.com",
ClientKey = "YOUR_CLIENT_KEY"
});
```
3\. **Save Data** in C#:
```csharp
var player = new ParseObject("Player")
{
["name"] = "Alex",
["yearOfBirth"] = 1997,
["emailContact"] = "alex@email.com",
["attributes"] = new List