Supabase
Supabase is an open-source Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) that provides a PostgreSQL database, authentication, file storage, real-time subscriptions, and edge functions — positioned as an open-source alternative to Firebase.
In depth
Supabase gives you: - PostgreSQL database with full SQL access - Auth (email, OAuth, magic links, phone) - Row Level Security for multi-tenant SaaS - Realtime subscriptions (WebSocket-based) - Storage (S3-compatible file uploads) - Edge Functions (serverless Deno functions) - Auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs
Why we use Supabase for MVPs: - Real SQL — no proprietary query language - RLS for multi-tenancy built into the database - Open source — no vendor lock-in, self-hostable - Generous free tier, $25/month Pro plan - Excellent Next.js integration
Supabase vs Firebase: Supabase uses PostgreSQL (relational), Firebase uses Firestore (NoSQL). For most SaaS, marketplaces, and apps with relationships between data — PostgreSQL wins.
Real example
A SaaS startup uses Supabase for Postgres, auth, and RLS — scaling from 0 to 50K users on the $25/month plan.
Tools & calculators
Related terms
API (Application Programming Interface)
An API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate with each other — like a contract defining how one piece of software can request data or actions from another.
Row Level Security (RLS)
Row Level Security (RLS) is a PostgreSQL feature that controls which rows in a database table a user can read, insert, update, or delete — enforced at the database level, not the application layer.
React Native
React Native is an open-source framework by Meta that lets developers build native mobile apps for iOS and Android using JavaScript and React — sharing one codebase across both platforms.
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