Job Search Hub

Part A — create your free project (do this once, on any one device)

1. Go to console.firebase.google.com and sign in with any Google account (this is free — no credit card needed).
2. Click "Add project", give it any name (e.g. "my-job-search"), and click through the setup screens. You can turn off Google Analytics when asked — not needed here.
3. Once the project opens, in the left sidebar under Build, click Realtime Database.
   ⚠ Firebase offers two different databases with similar names — make sure you pick "Realtime Database", not "Firestore Database". This app needs Realtime Database specifically.
4. Click "Create Database". Pick any location, and choose "Start in locked mode" — it doesn't matter, because you're about to replace the rules anyway.
5. Still inside Realtime Database, click the "Rules" tab (next to "Data" near the top). Delete whatever's there and paste this in its place, then click "Publish":

   {
     "rules": {
       "sync": {
         "$code": {
           ".read": "$code.length >= 32",
           ".write": "$code.length >= 32"
         }
       }
     }
   }

   This means anyone who has your exact sync code (generated below) can read/write your synced data — not a real login, so treat the code like a password. Don't post it anywhere public.
6. Click the gear icon ⚙️ next to "Project Overview" (top left) → "Project settings". Scroll down to "Your apps".
   • If there's no app listed yet: click the </> (web) icon, give it any nickname, click "Register app" (skip "Firebase Hosting" — not needed).
   • Under "SDK setup and configuration", make sure "Config" is selected (not "npm" or "CDN") — that shows the actual config object.
7. Copy everything shown there, including the surrounding const firebaseConfig = { ... }; — no need to clean it up or reformat it, paste it exactly as shown into the box below.

Part B — connect this device (repeat on every device you want synced)

Step 2: is this your first device, or are you linking another one?