supabase: A Firebase alternative: a Postgres-based backend platform

Supabase is a platform that provides a dedicated Postgres database to support the development of web, mobile, and AI applications. Its core value lies in reimagining Firebase's features as enterprise-grade open-source tools. It can be used immediately as a hosted platform without installation, or self-hosted locally for development.

It offers a single package that includes a database, authentication, auto-generated APIs, real-time subscriptions, functions, file storage, and an AI vector/embedding toolkit. It automatically generates REST APIs via PostgREST and GraphQL APIs via pg_graphql, while handling JWT authentication and session management based on GoTrue. The Realtime server uses WebSockets to deliver database changes to clients instantly.

Rather than a 1:1 mapping to Firebase, it focuses on a developer experience built around the open-source ecosystem. It actively leverages existing tools with open licenses such as MIT and Apache 2.0 (e.g., Envoy, PostgREST), and if such tools do not exist, it builds and open-sources them in-house. It is released under the Apache-2.0 license and is structured to evolve alongside the community.

It provides official client libraries for major languages such as JavaScript, Flutter, Swift, and Python, and also supports community libraries for C#, Go, and Java. Each sub-library is implemented independently, allowing developers to selectively use only the features they need. It is suitable for developers who require backend infrastructure built on the stability and scalability of Postgres.