Open-Source Databases · supabase

supabase-swift

Supabase-swift is the official Swift SDK for Supabase, enabling iOS and macOS developers to build apps that interact with Postgres databases, manage authentication, handle real-time updates, and invoke serverless functions. It abstracts away backend complexity through a unified client library covering database queries, file storage, edge functions, and WebSocket subscriptions.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/supabase/supabase-swift

1.3k

GitHub stars

254

Forks

Swift

Primary language

MIT

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-swift
Owner	supabase
Primary language	Swift
License	MIT — OSI-approved
Stars	1.3k
Forks	254
Open issues	16
Latest release	v2.50.0 (2026-07-06)
Last updated	2026-07-08
Source	https://github.com/supabase/supabase-swift

What supabase-swift is

A Swift Package Manager–compatible SDK providing type-safe bindings to Supabase's REST and WebSocket APIs, with support for PostgREST queries, PostgreSQL functions (pgvector), Auth flows (PKCE), Realtime subscriptions, Storage operations, and Edge Functions invocation across iOS 16+, macOS 13+, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS.

Quickstart

Get the supabase-swift source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/supabase/supabase-swift.git2cd supabase-swift3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

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

Best use cases

Native iOS/macOS Apps with Real-Time Collaboration

Build apps requiring instant synchronization of database changes across multiple clients (e.g., collaborative editing, live notifications, shared state). The Realtime library handles WebSocket subscriptions and change propagation natively.

Swift-First Startups and Indie Developers

Teams preferring to avoid backend infrastructure overhead can use Supabase as a managed PostgreSQL + auth + storage layer, reducing server-side code while retaining full API control through a single SDK.

Multi-Platform Swift Ecosystem Apps

Leverage uniform Swift code across iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS using a single SDK, minimizing platform-specific logic and accelerating cross-platform feature parity.

Implementation considerations

Client initialization requires hardcoding or securely injecting Supabase URL and publishable key; ensure keys are not committed to VCS and consider environment-based configuration.
Auth flows support PKCE and custom storage backends; review authentication requirements (session persistence, SSO, MFA) against Supabase Auth capabilities before implementation.
Realtime subscriptions use WebSocket; verify network stability, handle reconnection logic, and monitor connection resource consumption on long-lived apps.
Type safety depends on code generation or manual type definitions for database schema changes; establish a versioning and schema migration workflow to avoid runtime crashes.
The SDK allows modular inclusion (Auth, PostgREST, Realtime, Storage, Functions separately); assess dependency footprint and startup time impact for resource-constrained platforms (watchOS, visionOS).

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Strict Vendor Lock-In Concerns — The SDK is tightly coupled to Supabase's managed service. If you need portability to self-hosted PostgreSQL or other backends, you'll face re-architecting client code and authentication flows.
Offline-First or Sync-Heavy Workloads — The SDK does not advertise built-in conflict resolution, local-first synchronization, or advanced offline queuing. Applications requiring sophisticated sync semantics need additional libraries.
Enterprise Privacy/Data Residency Requirements — Supabase is primarily a cloud SaaS offering. If you need on-premises deployment, dedicated infrastructure, or non-standard data residency, custom deployment and support models require external review.
Legacy iOS Deployment Targets — Minimum iOS 16 requirement excludes apps supporting iOS 15 and earlier. Xcode 16.4+ and Swift 6.1+ are mandatory, forcing ongoing toolchain updates for CI/CD and development machines.

License & commercial use

Licensed under the MIT License (permissive, OSI-approved). Allows commercial use, modification, and distribution with proper attribution; no warranty or liability limitations in scope.

MIT License permits commercial use without restriction. However, the SDK is a client library for Supabase's managed backend service, which operates under separate commercial terms (Supabase pricing/SLAs). Verify Supabase's service-level terms and cost structure separately before production deployment.

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	Low
DEV.co fit	Good
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

The SDK communicates with Supabase endpoints over HTTPS. Auth flows support PKCE for mobile security. Credential handling (URL, API key) must be managed securely at app level; never embed keys in source code. Real-time subscriptions are authenticated using the same Auth context. No explicit mention of additional attack surface mitigations (e.g., certificate pinning, request signing, intrusion detection) in the provided data. Review Supabase's security documentation and any network interceptor mitigations separately.

Alternatives to consider

Firebase SDK for Swift

Google's managed backend with native Firestore, Authentication, Cloud Functions, and Storage. Trade-off: SQL queries less flexible than PostgreSQL, vendor lock-in to Google Cloud.

AWS Amplify for Swift

AWS's abstraction over AppSync (GraphQL), Cognito, Lambda, and S3. Better for existing AWS customers but adds operational complexity and GraphQL query overhead.

Custom REST + URLSession

Build your own networking layer atop a self-hosted or third-party PostgreSQL API. Offers maximum flexibility and no vendor lock-in, but requires substantial development and maintenance burden.

Software development agency

Build on supabase-swift with DEV.co software developers

Supabase-swift is ideal for Swift-first teams seeking a managed backend without infrastructure overhead. Assess whether your use cases align with PostgreSQL+REST+WebSocket architecture, and review Supabase's commercial terms separately. Contact us to discuss integration strategy, vendor lock-in mitigations, and long-term maintenance planning.

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supabase-swift FAQ

Can I use supabase-swift with self-hosted Supabase or non-Supabase PostgreSQL backends?

The SDK can point to any HTTP-compatible REST API by customizing the supabaseURL. However, authentication, realtime, and storage features are tightly integrated with Supabase's managed services. Self-hosting Supabase or adapting to other backends requires significant rework.

What is the minimum iOS version supported?

iOS 16.0 or later. Supabase does not support iOS 15 or earlier. The SDK also requires Xcode 16.4+ and Swift 6.1+.

Does the SDK support offline-first or local data synchronization?

Not explicitly. The SDK focuses on client–server synchronization through REST queries and WebSocket subscriptions. For offline-first workflows, you'll need additional libraries (e.g., SQLite, Realm) and custom sync logic.

How are authentication tokens refreshed and managed?

The Auth library handles session management and token refresh. Default storage uses Keychain (iOS/macOS); custom storage backends are supported via options. Review the Auth configuration guide for PKCE, MFA, and session lifecycle details.

Work with a software development agency

DEV.co is a software development agency delivering custom software development services to companies building on open source. Our software developers and web developers design, integrate, and ship production systems — spanning web development, APIs, AI, data, and cloud. If supabase-swift is part of your open-source databases roadmap, our team can implement, customize, migrate, and maintain it.

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