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Supabase

← All terms · Hosting, infrastructure, databases

An open-source alternative to Firebase that provides developers with a dedicated Postgres database, authentication, instant APIs, and edge functions.

What it is

Supabase provides a complete backend-as-a-service without sacrificing the power of a relational database. It spins up a full PostgreSQL database, wraps it in auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, and provides built-in user authentication and file storage, allowing developers to build full-stack apps rapidly without managing infrastructure.

When you would use it

You use Supabase when you want the rapid development speed of a Backend-as-a-Service, but demand the structural rigor, complex querying, and open-source nature of PostgreSQL.

Common operations

  • Serving as the primary database and authentication provider for a React or Next.js app.
  • Utilizing pgvector within Postgres to store and query AI embeddings natively.

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