Open-Source Databases · supabase

supabase

Supabase is an open-source Firebase alternative that provides a managed Postgres database with built-in authentication, REST/GraphQL APIs, real-time subscriptions, file storage, and edge functions. It can be used as a hosted service or self-hosted, making it suitable for teams wanting Postgres-backed applications without Firebase lock-in.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/supabase/supabase

105.9k

GitHub stars

13k

Forks

TypeScript

Primary language

Apache-2.0

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	supabase/supabase
Owner	supabase
Primary language	TypeScript
License	Apache-2.0 — OSI-approved
Stars	105.9k
Forks	13k
Open issues	1.1k
Latest release	v1.26.05 (2026-05-07)
Last updated	2026-07-08
Source	https://github.com/supabase/supabase

What supabase is

Supabase composes open-source components (Postgres, PostgREST, GoTrue, Realtime, pg_graphql, Kong) into a unified platform, exposing database changes via websockets and auto-generating REST/GraphQL APIs. It includes vector/embedding support via pgvector and is accessible via modular client libraries (JS, Flutter, Swift, Python, etc.).

Quickstart

Get the supabase source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/supabase/supabase.git2cd supabase3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

Postgres-first web and mobile applications

Teams building web, mobile, or AI applications that want a relational database as the source of truth with auto-generated APIs and real-time capabilities. Ideal when you want to avoid vendor lock-in to Firebase or other proprietary platforms.

Real-time collaborative and event-driven apps

Applications requiring live data synchronization (chat, notifications, dashboards) benefit from Supabase's websocket-based real-time subscriptions and Postgres replication polling.

AI/ML applications with embeddings

Projects using vector embeddings and pgvector for semantic search or RAG workloads leverage Supabase's vector toolkit and direct Postgres integration without additional infrastructure.

Implementation considerations

Clarify whether you'll use Supabase's hosted cloud service (managed, minimal ops) or self-host (full control, higher operational responsibility for Postgres, Realtime, and all microservices).
Design Postgres schema early with proper row-level security (RLS) policies; Supabase's API security relies heavily on database-level permissions.
Plan real-time subscription topology carefully; excessive websocket subscriptions can create scaling bottlenecks at the Realtime Elixir server layer.
Test GraphQL schema generation from your Postgres structure; pg_graphql auto-exposure may require tuning views or roles to expose only intended APIs.
Evaluate cost structure if using hosted Supabase; billing is typically per database compute, storage, and egress; self-hosting shifts costs to your infrastructure.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Strict document-oriented data model required — If your data is inherently hierarchical or document-based without relational structure, a document database may be more natural than forcing normalization into Postgres.
Sub-millisecond latency globally distributed reads — Supabase is Postgres-backed; geographically distributed read-heavy workloads may experience higher latency than specialized distributed databases or caching layers.
Extreme complexity in custom authentication flows — GoTrue handles standard auth well, but highly specialized or legacy authentication schemes may require substantial customization or a dedicated auth service.
Zero DevOps overhead requirement — Self-hosting Supabase requires managing Postgres, Realtime, PostgREST, and supporting services; fully managed service reduces operational burden but ties you to Supabase's hosted platform.

License & commercial use

Apache License 2.0 (Apache-2.0). A permissive OSI-approved license that allows commercial use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions. Licensee must retain license headers and provide notice of changes.

Apache-2.0 explicitly permits commercial use. You may deploy Supabase (self-hosted or integrate components) in production commercial applications. Ensure compliance: retain license headers, disclose modifications if distributing derivative code, and review Supabase's hosted service terms separately (distinct from the open-source license).

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Active
Documentation	Strong
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	Moderate
DEV.co fit	Strong
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

Supabase's security posture depends on proper configuration. Key considerations: (1) Postgres row-level security (RLS) policies must be carefully designed; misconfiguration can expose unintended data. (2) GoTrue JWT tokens are signed; ensure secret management is sound, especially in self-hosted setups. (3) PostgREST directly exposes Postgres; API surface is determined by your schema and RLS rules—validate your permission model. (4) Realtime broadcasts changes over websockets; ensure subscription authorization is enforced at the row level. (5) Self-hosting introduces operational security burden: keep Postgres and all microservices patched and monitor logs for intrusions. (6) Vendor-managed Supabase cloud shifts some burden to Supabase's infrastructure hardening; review their security audit reports and incident disclosure practices.

Alternatives to consider

Firebase (Google)

Managed, fully hosted, multi-database option (Firestore, Realtime Database). Tighter Google Cloud integration but vendor lock-in, limited relational querying, and higher egress costs.

AWS RDS + Cognito + AppSync

AWS-native stack with Postgres RDS, Cognito for auth, AppSync for GraphQL. More granular control and AWS ecosystem integration but higher complexity and operational overhead.

Hasura

Instant GraphQL API over Postgres/other databases. Lighter-weight than Supabase (no auth, storage, or edge functions built-in) but simpler to deploy and integrate with existing auth systems.

Software development agency

Build on supabase with DEV.co software developers

Our engineers can help you prototype, assess self-hosting vs. cloud trade-offs, and design secure authentication and API layers. Contact us to discuss your Postgres-first application needs.

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supabase FAQ

Can I self-host Supabase?

Yes. Supabase provides self-hosting guides and Docker Compose examples. You manage Postgres, Realtime, PostgREST, and other microservices. Requires more operational effort than the hosted cloud service.

Is real-time subscription scalable?

Realtime polls Postgres replication and broadcasts changes via websockets. Scaling is possible but may hit Realtime server bottlenecks at high subscriber counts. Monitor Realtime component performance and consider multi-instance deployments in self-hosted setups.

What's the licensing cost for commercial use?

Apache-2.0 allows free commercial use of the open-source software. Supabase's hosted cloud service has separate commercial pricing (compute, storage, egress). Self-hosting has no Supabase licensing fee but requires your infrastructure investment.

How does Supabase handle schema changes?

Schema migrations are your responsibility via Postgres tools (SQL, migration runners). REST/GraphQL APIs and Realtime subscriptions adapt automatically to schema changes, but coordinate migrations carefully to avoid breaking client expectations.

Software development & web development with DEV.co

Adopting supabase is usually one piece of a larger software development effort. As a software development agency, DEV.co provides software development services and web development expertise — pairing senior software developers and web developers with your team to design, build, and operate open-source databases software in production.

Ready to evaluate Supabase for your team?

Our engineers can help you prototype, assess self-hosting vs. cloud trade-offs, and design secure authentication and API layers. Contact us to discuss your Postgres-first application needs.

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