Supabase
Supabase
A full Postgres backend, with pgvector for AI-powered search.
An open-source backend platform on Postgres, with pgvector for storing AI embeddings.
Overview
Supabase is a development platform built around the Postgres database, offering Firebase-like features based on open-source tools. A Supabase project comes with a database, user authentication, auto-generated APIs, file storage, serverless functions and an admin dashboard.
Supabase also has an AI toolkit for storing and searching vector embeddings, suited to chatbots that answer questions over documents. Data changes can be listened to in real time over websockets.
You can use the hosted version without installing anything, or self-host and develop locally with the Supabase CLI. The main repo is released under the Apache 2.0 license.
Highlights
Full Postgres
Each project is a real Postgres database, with SQL and extensions available.
Authentication and permissions
Built-in sign-up, sign-in and user session management.
Auto-generated APIs
Tables automatically get a REST API and GraphQL, plus realtime change listening.
File storage and Edge Functions
Manage files with database-based access control and write functions that run server-side.
AI and vector toolkit
Store embeddings and do similarity search to build RAG applications.
Hosted or self-hosted
Use the ready-made platform or run it yourself on your own infrastructure.
What it's for
Backend for apps and websites
Businesses building booking or sales apps use Supabase as the database and login without setting up their own server.
Data store for automation
n8n workflows write orders and leads into Supabase for querying and reporting.
RAG chatbot
Store documents and embeddings in Postgres so the chatbot finds relevant passages before answering.
Realtime dashboard
An order screen updates itself when new orders arrive thanks to the realtime feature.
How to use it
- 1
Choose how to use it
Sign up for the hosted version to use right away, or develop locally with the Supabase CLI.
- 2
Install the Supabase CLI in your project
Per the local development docs, the CLI can be installed as a dev dependency.
$npm install supabase --save-dev - 3
Initialize the project
Create the Supabase configuration in your project folder.
$npx supabase init - 4
Run the local stack
Start the database and Supabase services on your machine.
$npx supabase start - 5
Create tables and connect your application
Create tables in the dashboard, then use a client library such as supabase-js to read and write data.
Video guides
Getting Started with Supabase
Supabase
Supabase Full Course 2025 Become a Supabase Pro in 1.5 Hours
PedroTech
Learn Supabase (Firebase Alternative) – Full Tutorial for Beginners
freeCodeCamp.org
Real-world example
A spa chain with three branches wants its own booking system. The developer uses Supabase as the backend: an appointments table, a customers table, and login for staff and receptionists. The receptionist screen updates itself when a new appointment arrives thanks to realtime, while an n8n workflow reads data from Supabase to send customers a reminder before their appointment.
Tips & notes
Turn on Row Level Security
When calling the database directly from the client, set up row-level access policies to protect your data.
Develop locally first
Use the CLI to run the stack on your machine and try changes before applying them to the real environment.
Don't expose the local stack to the public network
The docs recommend binding to 127.0.0.1 if the machine is on an untrusted network.
Make use of Postgres
You can use Postgres views, functions and extensions instead of handling everything in the application.
FAQ
Is Supabase free?
The source code is under Apache 2.0 and can be self-hosted. Hosted version: see the pricing page on the official site.
How is Supabase different from Firebase?
Supabase is based on Postgres and open-source tools, and is not a 1-to-1 copy of Firebase.
Can it be self-hosted?
Yes. The official docs include guides for self-hosting and local development.
Can it be used for AI applications?
Yes. Supabase has an AI toolkit and vector embeddings for building semantic search and RAG chatbots.
Useful links
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