Firebase evolved from Envolve, a startup founded in 2011 that provided an API for integrating online chat into websites. Developers were using Envolve's real-time architecture to sync app data beyond just chat. In 2011, Firebase was founded to focus on this real-time data synchronization, launching its first product - the Firebase Real-time Database - in 2012. This database synchronizes app data across devices in real-time and stores it in Firebase's cloud. In 2014, Firebase launched products for hosting, authentication, and other services, positioning itself as a mobile backend platform.