Debugging GCP Cloud Functions with Real-time Feedback for Frontend Users
I'm upgrading from an older version and Could someone explain Currently developing a web application that integrates with Google Cloud Functions (GCF) to handle backend logic, particularly for processing user inputs and returning results..... I've noticed that the interaction isn't as smooth as I hoped; there's a delay in receiving feedback from the Cloud Function, and it isn't clear to users whether their input is being processed. Initially, I set up the Cloud Function with the following `index.js` code: ```javascript exports.processInput = (req, res) => { const userInput = req.body.input; // Simulating some processing time setTimeout(() => { res.status(200).send({ message: `Processed: ${userInput}` }); }, 3000); // Delay for 3 seconds }; ``` The function is triggered by a POST request from the frontend, where I use Axios to call this function: ```javascript axios.post('https://your-cloud-function-url', { input: userInput }) .then(response => { console.log(response.data.message); }) .catch(error => { console.error('Error:', error); }); ``` To improve user experience, I'm considering implementing a loading spinner while the function processes the input. However, I would also like to provide real-time feedback, perhaps by using WebSockets or Server-Sent Events (SSE). This way, users can see the progress instead of just waiting in silence. I've tried adding a simple loading state in React, but it doesn't really solve the problem of feedback: ```javascript const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false); const handleSubmit = async () => { setLoading(true); try { const response = await axios.post('https://your-cloud-function-url', { input: userInput }); console.log(response.data.message); } catch (error) { console.error('Error:', error); } finally { setLoading(false); } }; ``` While this works, it still leaves users waiting without knowing when processing will finish. Considering the use of Pub/Sub to push messages back to the frontend seems like a potential solution, but I'm unfamiliar with implementing that. How can I leverage GCP features to create a more interactive user experience, providing timely feedback during the Cloud Function's execution? Any best practices or libraries you could recommend for handling such scenarios? The project is a desktop app built with Javascript. Am I missing something obvious? What's the correct way to implement this?