When you're dealing with hundreds of thousands of rows of data daily, every decision about your backend architecture matters. Recently, I made the move from Supabase to Xano -- not because Supabase was failing me, but because I needed something different.
Both platforms are built on Postgres. Both are incredibly powerful. But after spending months with each, I learned some things that might help you decide which direction to go.
Let me be clear upfront: this isn't a roast of Supabase. It's a fantastic platform that serves millions of developers well. This is about the specific lessons I learned during migration and why Xano ended up being the right fit for my particular needs.
Why I Made the Switch
The decision wasn't about one platform being "better" than the other. It was about control and understanding.
When you're processing massive amounts of data and building complex business logic, you need to see what's happening under the hood. You need to understand every step of your data flow, every transformation, every decision point.
That's where Xano's visual function stack changed everything for me.
What Did I Actually Learn?
1. Visual Business Logic Beats Code Comments Every Time
The Problem: In Supabase, my business logic lived in database functions, Edge Functions, and client-side code. When something broke at 2 AM, I was digging through multiple layers trying to understand the flow.
The Lesson: Xano's visual function builder isn't just a nice-to-have. For me, it's been living documentation that executes.
Every API endpoint shows you the exact flow: authentication → validation → database operations → transformations → response. No guessing. No hunting through files.
When I'm building complex data processing workflows that handle hundreds of thousands of rows, being able to see each step visually means I can optimize, debug, and maintain systems that would otherwise be black boxes.
Why This Matters: Documentation goes stale. Code comments lie. Visual workflows are always current because they are the logic.
2. The API Layer Should Be Your Control Center, Not an Afterthought
The Problem: With Supabase, I was essentially building my API layer in my frontend code. Row Level Security (RLS) handled permissions, but complex business logic still ended up scattered across the client.
The Lesson: Centralizing your API logic gives you unprecedented control over your data flow.
In Xano, every database interaction goes through a defined API endpoint or function. This means:
- I can see exactly how data flows in and out
- Business logic lives in one place
- I can modify behavior without touching client code
- Performance optimizations happen at the API layer
Why This Matters: When you're dealing with high-volume data operations, you need to control exactly how queries execute, how data gets transformed, and how responses get cached. The API layer becomes your command center.
3. Understanding Your Code Architecture Is Non-Negotiable at Scale
The Problem: As my Supabase project grew, I found myself with a web of database functions, triggers, and client-side logic that was increasingly hard to reason about.
The Lesson: Xano forces you to be intentional about architecture from day one.
Because everything is visual, you can't hide complexity. You can't just "add another function somewhere." Every piece of logic has to fit into the visual flow, which means you're constantly thinking about:
- Where does this logic belong?
- How does this connect to other operations?
- What happens if this step fails?
Why This Matters: Technical debt isn't just about messy code—it's about systems you can't understand. When you can visually trace every operation, you can confidently make changes without fear of breaking something three layers deep.
4. The IDE vs. Product Interface Debate Is Missing the Point
The Problem: I kept trying to decide whether to build logic in my IDE (traditional development) or in Xano's interface (no-code/low-code).
The Lesson: The best approach is hybrid, and the platform should make both feel natural.
With Xano, I can:
- Build complex logic visually for clarity
- Drop into custom code when I need specific control
- Use the API playground to test everything
- Export or modify functions when needed
It's not about choosing between "real development" and "visual development." It's about using the right tool for each piece of the puzzle.
Why This Matters: Dogma doesn't scale. Sometimes you need the precision of custom code. Sometimes you need the clarity of visual workflows. A good platform supports both without making you feel like you're compromising.
What About Performance and Scale?
Here's the thing about handling hundreds of thousands of rows daily: the platform architecture matters more than the interface you use to build on it.
Both Supabase and Xano run on Postgres. Both can handle serious scale. The difference is in how much control and visibility you have over your operations.
With Xano, I can see exactly how my queries are structured, how my data transformations work, and where my bottlenecks are. That visibility translates directly into better performance optimization.
The Real Takeaway
The migration taught me that understanding your system is more important than any specific technology choice.
Supabase is an excellent platform that prioritizes developer experience and rapid development. Xano prioritizes control and visibility. Neither approach is wrong—they're optimized for different needs.
If you're building quickly and need to ship fast, Supabase's approach might be perfect. If you're dealing with complex data operations and need deep control over your business logic, Xano's visual approach might be worth exploring.
Should You Migrate Too?
That depends on what you're optimizing for.
Stay with Supabase if:
- You love the developer experience
- Your logic is straightforward
- You prefer working primarily in code
- Real-time features are critical
Consider Xano if:
- You need deep visibility into your business logic
- You're dealing with complex data operations
- You want centralized API control
- You prefer visual system design
Both platforms are solving real problems for real developers. The question isn't which is "better". It's “what aligns with how you think about building systems?”
For me, Xano's visual approach to business logic and centralized API control made the migration worth it. Your mileage may vary.
What's your experience been with backend platforms? Have you found visual development tools helpful for understanding complex systems? Let me know in the comments.
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