Supabase for Beginners

The Open-Source Alternative to Firebase
Learn Supabase without the complexity.
The Story Behind Supabase
In 2019, developers asked:
"Why is Firebase fast, but we don’t own our data?"
Firebase offered Auth, Realtime, Storage, and APIs — fast, but closed-source and hard to leave.
So Supabase was born: an open-source backend built on PostgreSQL, now powering apps from indie projects to startups.

What Is Supabase?
Supabase is like an open version of Firebase, powered by Postgres.
It gives you:
Managed Postgres database
Authentication (Magic links, Social logins, JWTs)
File storage
Auto-generated REST & GraphQL APIs
Realtime subscriptions

Key Examples

REST Example:

`GET /rest/v1/users
POST /rest/v1/users { "id": 1, "name": "John Doe" }

`
GraphQL Example:

query {
users {
id
name
}
}

Realtime Example:

supabase
.channel('messages')
.on('postgres_changes', { event: 'INSERT', table: 'messages' }, payload => {
console.log('New message:', payload.new)
})
.subscribe()

Why People Love Supabase
Open-source (self-host or use cloud)
Postgres power (SQL, functions, triggers, extensions)
No lock-in (migrate anytime)
All-in-one: Auth, Storage, Realtime, APIs
Developer-friendly with instant setup

When to Use Supabase
✅ You love SQL & Postgres
✅ You want Firebase speed without lock-in
✅ You need realtime or complex data handling
✅ You care about owning your data

Stick with Firebase if:
❌ You’re already deep in Google’s ecosystem
❌ You need advanced ML/analytics integrations
❌ You don’t need SQL/Postgres features

Getting Started in 5 Minutes
Go to supabase.com
Create a free project
Add a users table
Start querying with REST, GraphQL, or SQL

Bottom Line:
Supabase isn’t here to replace Firebase — it gives speed + control.
Start small, experiment, and see how powerful Postgres feels like Firebase.