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Supabase : PostgreSQL & RLS

Supabase is an open source project with a Postgres database, Authentication, instant APIs, Edge Functions, Realtime subscriptions, Storage, and Vector embeddings.

Infrastructure to innovate and scale with ease with Supabase.

Introduction

Supabase is an open-source alternative to Firebase. It’s a suite of backend development tools that helps developers quickly build applications. This blog post will focus on three key aspects of Supabase: its PostgreSQL database, its authentication, and its real-time storage.

PostgreSQL Database

The PostgreSQL database is at the heart of Supabase. It’s powerful, scalable, and uses standard SQL, making it easy for developers to use. In addition to this, Supabase provides a graphical user interface for managing and interacting with your database, greatly simplifying the development process.

Authentication

Authentication is another key feature of Supabase. It offers secure authentication and role-based permissions right out of the box. This means that you don’t have to build your own authentication system, which can be a complex and time-consuming task.

Real-Time Storage

Finally, Supabase provides real-time storage. This means that you can synchronize data in real time between your users. It’s an incredibly useful feature for applications that require instant data updates, like chat applications or multiplayer games.

Client Libraries

Supabase offers several SDKs for different platforms and languages, including:

  • JavaScript SDK
  • Dart & Flutter SDK
  • .NET SDK
  • Go SDK
  • Python SDK
  • Ruby SDK
  • Swift SDK

Row Level Security in PostgreSQL

Row Level Security (RLS) is an additional feature provided by PostgreSQL that adds another layer of security to your database. RLS allows you to define policies that determine whether a user can select, update, insert, or delete a row. These policies can be based on the user’s role, or the contents of the row itself.

This powerful feature allows for fine-grained control over data access, ensuring that users only have access to the data they are permitted to see or modify. This is particularly useful in multi-user applications where users have different roles and permissions.

In the context of Supabase, using RLS can greatly enhance the security of your application by ensuring that users can only interact with the data they have access to. It’s another reason why Supabase’s use of PostgreSQL provides a strong foundation for secure, scalable applications.

Conclusion

Supabase is a powerful tool for developers looking to quickly build robust applications. With its PostgreSQL database, built-in authentication, and real-time storage, it offers a complete suite of backend development tools. If you’re looking for an alternative to Firebase, Supabase is certainly worth considering.