What is it?
What it is
Supabase is an open-source Firebase alternative providing PostgreSQL database, authentication, storage, real-time subscriptions, and edge functions.
Why it exists
Developers wanted Firebase's developer experience with the power and portability of PostgreSQL.
Who should use it
Full-stack developers building apps that need auth, database, storage, and real-time without managing infrastructure.
Who should avoid it
Teams requiring multi-region active-active at massive scale, or those locked into non-Postgres workflows.
How it works
A quick walkthrough in plain English
How Supabase powers your app
Step 1 of 4
A user signs in or loads data
Your frontend calls Supabase for auth, storage, or database rows.
Features
Advantages
- Postgres under the hood (portable, SQL)
- Generous free tier on cloud
- Full self-host option
- Great DX with client libraries
Disadvantages
- Self-hosting requires significant ops
- Some features cloud-only or cloud-first
- Vendor considerations for hosted tier
Installation
docker
git clone https://github.com/supabase/supabase cd supabase/docker cp .env.example .env docker compose up -d
native
npm install @supabase/supabase-js # Use hosted project at supabase.com or self-host
FAQ
Supabase vs Firebase?
Supabase uses PostgreSQL (SQL, portable). Firebase uses NoSQL (Firestore). Supabase is open-source and self-hostable.
Can I self-host Supabase?
Yes. Official Docker setup includes all services. Requires ops expertise for production.
What is Row Level Security?
Postgres RLS policies enforce per-user data access at the database level.
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