Supabase

Supabase is a complete open-source backend-as-a-service platform built on PostgreSQL, offering developers a Firebase alternative with SQL power, real-time capabilities, and full data ownership. Founded in 2020, Supabase has quickly become one of the fastest-growing developer platforms, with over 1 million projects created and backing from Y Combinator, Coatue, and Felicis. Unlike proprietary alternatives, Supabase is built entirely on open-source tools—PostgreSQL for the database, PostgREST for auto-generated APIs, GoTrue for authentication, Realtime for subscriptions, and Kong for API gateway—giving developers the freedom to self-host or migrate without vendor lock-in.

What makes Supabase exceptional is how it combines enterprise-grade PostgreSQL with modern developer experience. You get instant REST and GraphQL APIs auto-generated from your database schema, real-time subscriptions that push changes to connected clients, built-in authentication with multiple providers, secure file storage with image transformations, and Edge Functions for serverless compute—all managed through an intuitive dashboard. Supabase doesn't hide PostgreSQL's power behind abstractions; instead, it embraces SQL with full database access, extensions, functions, and triggers. This means you can start quickly with the provided APIs while maintaining the flexibility to write complex queries, optimize indexes, and leverage PostgreSQL's rich ecosystem when needed.

PostgreSQL Database

Supabase provides fully-managed PostgreSQL databases with enterprise features:

• PostgreSQL Version: Latest stable PostgreSQL (currently 15.x)
• Storage: 500MB free, up to 8GB on Pro, unlimited on Team/Enterprise
• Database Size: Automatic storage expansion as needed
• Extensions: 50+ PostgreSQL extensions including PostGIS, pgvector, pg_cron, pgjwt
• Full SQL Access: Direct database connection with unrestricted SQL
• Row Level Security: PostgreSQL RLS for fine-grained access control
• Connection Pooling: PgBouncer for efficient connection management

Auto-Generated APIs

Instant REST and GraphQL APIs directly from your database schema:

• PostgREST: RESTful API automatically reflects your database structure
• GraphQL: Built-in GraphQL endpoint via pg_graphql extension
• CRUD Operations: Create, read, update, delete with query builders
• Complex Queries: Filtering, sorting, pagination, joins, aggregations
• Stored Procedures: Call PostgreSQL functions as API endpoints
• Client Libraries: Official SDKs for JavaScript, Python, Dart, Swift, Kotlin, C#

Real-time Subscriptions

Subscribe to database changes and broadcast custom events:

• Database Changes: Listen to INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE operations
• Table Subscriptions: Subscribe to specific tables or filtered rows
• Broadcast: Send messages between connected clients (chat, presence)
• Presence: Track who's online and share user state
• WebSocket: Efficient real-time connection with automatic reconnection
• Row Level Security: Real-time updates respect PostgreSQL RLS policies

Authentication and Authorization

Complete user management with multiple authentication providers:

• Email/Password: Traditional authentication with email confirmation
• Magic Links: Passwordless login via email links
• OAuth Providers: GitHub, Google, Apple, Azure, Twitter, Discord, and more
• Phone Auth: SMS-based authentication with Twilio integration
• SSO/SAML: Enterprise single sign-on (Enterprise plan)
• JWT Tokens: Secure tokens with customizable claims
• Row Level Security: Database-level authorization using PostgreSQL RLS
• Multi-Factor Auth: TOTP-based 2FA for enhanced security

Storage and File Management

S3-compatible object storage with built-in transformations:

• File Storage: 1GB free, 100GB on Pro, unlimited on Enterprise
• Buckets: Organize files with public or private access
• Image Transformations: Resize, crop, optimize images on-the-fly
• CDN: Global content delivery for fast file access
• Resumable Uploads: Handle large files with TUS protocol
• Access Control: RLS policies for file-level permissions
• Signed URLs: Temporary access to private files

Edge Functions

Serverless TypeScript/JavaScript functions running on Deno:

• Deno Runtime: Secure, fast, TypeScript-native execution
• Global Deployment: Functions run close to users for low latency
• Event Triggers: Execute on database events, webhooks, scheduled tasks
• Database Access: Direct connection to your Supabase database
• npm Packages: Use any npm package via CDN imports
• Invocations: 500K free, 2M on Pro, unlimited on Enterprise

Database Backups and Recovery

Automated backups with point-in-time recovery options:

• Daily Backups: Automatic daily snapshots on all paid plans
• Retention: 7 days on Pro, 30 days on Team, custom on Enterprise
• Point-in-Time Recovery: Restore to any moment (Pro and above)
• Manual Backups: On-demand snapshots before major changes
• Download Backups: Export your data anytime

Performance and Scalability

Scale from prototype to production with compute and database resources:

• Compute: Micro (1GB RAM) to 16XL (256GB RAM)
• Connection Pooling: Handle thousands of concurrent connections
• Read Replicas: Horizontal scaling for read-heavy workloads (Enterprise)
• CDN: Global edge caching for static content
• Indexes: Automatic index recommendations for query optimization
• Auto-scaling: Compute resources scale with your needs (Team/Enterprise)

Database Extensions

Leverage PostgreSQL's rich extension ecosystem:

• PostGIS: Geospatial data and location-based queries
• pgvector: Vector embeddings for AI/ML applications
• pg_cron: Schedule database jobs and maintenance
• pgjwt: Generate and verify JWT tokens in SQL
• pg_stat_statements: Query performance monitoring
• uuid-ossp: Generate UUIDs for unique identifiers
• 50+ More: Full access to PostgreSQL extension library

Monitoring and Analytics

Comprehensive insights into your database and API performance:

• Dashboard: Real-time metrics for API requests, database queries, storage
• Query Analytics: Identify slow queries and optimization opportunities
• Connection Stats: Monitor active connections and connection pool usage
• API Logs: Detailed request/response logging for debugging
• Alerts: Custom alerts for resource usage and errors (Pro and above)
• Postgres Logs: Direct access to database logs

Security Features

Enterprise-grade security built into every layer:

• SSL/TLS: Encrypted connections by default
• Row Level Security: Database-enforced access control
• IP Restrictions: Whitelist allowed IP addresses (Pro and above)
• VPC: Private networking for enhanced security (Enterprise)
• SOC 2 Type II: Certified compliance for enterprise customers
• HIPAA: HIPAA-compliant hosting available (Enterprise)
• Security Advisories: Proactive vulnerability monitoring

Developer Tools and CLI

Powerful tools for local development and deployment:

• Supabase CLI: Manage projects from command line
• Local Development: Run Supabase locally with Docker
• Database Migrations: Version control for database schema
• Type Generation: Auto-generate TypeScript types from database
• Seed Data: Populate databases with test data
• Testing: Write tests against local Supabase instance

Integrations and Ecosystem

Connect with your favorite tools and frameworks:

• Frameworks: Next.js, Nuxt, SvelteKit, Flutter, React Native
• ORMs: Prisma, Drizzle, TypeORM compatibility
• CI/CD: GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Vercel, Netlify
• Observability: Sentry, LogRocket, DataDog integrations
• Auth Providers: 20+ OAuth providers out of the box
• Webhooks: Trigger external services on database events

Self-Hosting Option

Full control with the open-source self-hosted version:

• Docker Compose: Single-command deployment
• Kubernetes: Helm charts for production deployments
• AWS/GCP/Azure: Deploy on any cloud provider
• On-Premise: Run in your own data center
• License: Apache 2.0 open source
• Feature Parity: Most features available in self-hosted version

Pricing Tiers

Flexible plans from free hobby projects to enterprise scale:

• Free: 500MB database, 1GB storage, 2GB bandwidth, 500K Edge Function invocations, unlimited API requests
• Pro ($25/month): 8GB database, 100GB storage, 250GB bandwidth, 2M Edge Functions, daily backups, email support
• Team ($599/month): Includes Pro features plus collaboration tools, SOC 2 compliance, 30-day backups
• Enterprise (Custom): Dedicated resources, 99.99% SLA, VPC, HIPAA, SSO, priority support
• Compute Add-ons: Scale from Micro to 16XL based on performance needs

Documentation and Community

Extensive resources for learning and troubleshooting:

• Documentation: Comprehensive guides, API references, tutorials
• Examples: 100+ starter templates and example apps
• Video Courses: Free courses covering all Supabase features
• Discord Community: 50,000+ developers sharing knowledge
• GitHub Discussions: Feature requests and technical discussions
• Blog: Regular updates, case studies, and best practices
• Status Page: Real-time platform status and incident reports

Use Cases and Ideal For

Supabase excels across a wide range of application types:

• SaaS Applications: Full-stack auth, database, and API in one platform
• Mobile Apps: Real-time features with Flutter and React Native SDKs
• AI/ML Applications: pgvector for embeddings and semantic search
• Geospatial Apps: PostGIS for location-based services
• Real-time Dashboards: Live data updates with subscriptions
• Collaborative Tools: Presence and broadcast for multiplayer experiences

Ideal For

Supabase is perfect for developers who want Firebase's developer experience with PostgreSQL's power and flexibility. It's ideal for startups building MVPs quickly without sacrificing future scalability, teams migrating from Firebase seeking SQL capabilities and better pricing, developers who prefer open source and avoid vendor lock-in, applications requiring complex queries beyond NoSQL limitations, projects needing real-time features without WebSocket infrastructure management, and teams wanting full database access while maintaining modern API convenience. With its combination of instant APIs, real-time subscriptions, built-in auth, and PostgreSQL's proven reliability, Supabase delivers a complete backend platform that scales from hobby project to enterprise application—all while remaining open source and self-hostable.