Supabase
An open-source Firebase alternative: hosted Postgres with auth, storage and instant APIs.
The fastest way to get a real database, auth and APIs without running a backend — and it is just Postgres underneath, so you are not locked into something proprietary. My default backend for AI-built apps.
Supabase gives you a full Postgres database with auto-generated REST and realtime APIs, authentication, file storage and edge functions — all open source and built on standard, portable tech. For someone who can build a frontend with AI but stalls at "now I need a backend", it removes that wall.
Start with this
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js';
const supabase = createClient(URL, ANON_KEY);
// read
const { data } = await supabase.from('tools').select('*');
// write
await supabase.from('tools').insert({ name: 'anime.js', price: 'free' });The take, for AI builders
This pairs unusually well with AI coding: because it is plain Postgres with a clean JS client, agents generate correct queries and schema migrations reliably. Let it own auth and data so you can stay in the frontend. One honest caveat — read up on Row Level Security before you ship, because the easy path leaves tables open by default.
When to reach for it
✓ Good fit
- You need a real relational database, auth and APIs without managing servers
- You value not being locked in (it is just Postgres you can take elsewhere)
- AI-assisted projects where you want the agent to own the data layer
✕ Not for
- Ultra-simple sites that need no backend at all
- You require a document / NoSQL model that doesn't map cleanly to SQL
Alternatives
More mature realtime and mobile SDKs, but proprietary and document-based.
Reactive, TypeScript-native backend if you prefer functions over SQL.
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