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Supabase

Postgres + auth + storage as a service

Supabase wraps Postgres with auth, storage, realtime, and edge functions. It's my pick when I want a Postgres-backed BaaS without giving up SQL fluency.

3+years in production
20+projects shipped
advancedproficiency

My take

Why I use Supabase

Supabase gives me real Postgres with batteries: auth, storage, RLS, and realtime. It's the fastest path from idea to prod when the underlying database still matters.

Want the broader stack philosophy? Read about how Sri picks tools or browse engineering insights.

Honest assessment

Strengths & tradeoffs

No tool is perfect. Here's what shines and what to watch for.

Strengths

  • Real Postgres, not a proprietary store
  • Auth, storage, realtime, edge functions in one platform
  • Row-level security as a first-class concept
  • Generous free tier for early projects
  • Open source - self-hostable

Tradeoffs (honestly)

  • RLS policies require disciplined design
  • Realtime has historic scale limitations
  • Some SDKs are less polished than Firebase counterparts

Fit assessment

When to reach for Supabase

Pick the right tool for the job.

Best fits

MVPs and prototypes with auth needs

Apps needing Postgres + auth + storage in one

Realtime collaboration features

Side projects that might grow up

Not ideal for

Workloads needing custom Postgres extensions not yet supported

Teams with strong existing IAM requirements

Massive write throughput at sustained scale

Common use cases

MVP backendsAuth + storageRealtime appsPostgres BaaS

Resources

Learn more

Curated official docs, tutorials, and writing on Supabase.

Need help with Supabase?

Whether you're starting fresh or optimizing an existing implementation, I can help you get the most out of this technology. Read more in insights or get in touch.

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