20 Things You Didn’t Know about Supabase
What do you know about a company called Supabase? If you’re into this sort of thing, you might know that at its core, it is a back-end relational database system similar to the more widely known Firebase. However, that may be the only thing you know about the company. Since it might be in your best interest to know more about Supabase for business purposes, you’ll probably want to know as much as possible. Below are 20 things about the company that might help you get to know them better.
1. It only takes two minutes to get started
Supabase claims that you can get started by setting up a backend in two minutes or less. As a matter of fact, they claim to be one of the fastest services of their type in existence. It would seem that many customers also agree, as there are numerous people out there already using the service and couldn’t be happier. According to the company, you can build an entire website from start to finish in less than one weekend. For most small business owners, as well as those in app development, it’s really something to think about starting a project like this on a Saturday morning and being completely done and ready to go before Monday rolls around. That’s enough to get almost anybody’s attention.
2. You can use their services for instant authentication
Authentication is an absolute must these days, especially when you consider the fact that somebody is always trying to hack into a system in order to get the personal information of clients, customers and anybody else that they can get their hands on. Authentication is built into everything that Supabase does. It uses a three-tier security system complete with required login information and password protection. Everything is also encrypted, so information that is stored can be kept safe until it’s needed again.
3. Everything can be operated in real time
One of the things that truly sets them apart is that everything can be operated in real time. You’re not looking at reports that were relevant a week ago, or even a few days ago. Instead, you are looking at information that is pertinent right now, in this instant. That gives everyone from business owners to app developers an opportunity to tweak what they’re doing on their end in order to maximize their efforts, thereby maximizing the potential for profits.
4. You’ll soon be able to work offline
The company is working on systems that will allow you to do the majority of your work offline in the very near future. Right now, you have to be online and utilize their servers in order to get your work done, but they are trying to change that in order to make things more convenient for all of their users. It’s a real plus for individuals who want to work when they have a sketchy internet connection. Eventually, you’ll be able to download whatever you need to work on beforehand and then store your completed work to be uploaded at a later time.
5. The system works with all types of files
There are few things more frustrating than working with a system that only accepts certain types of files. For example, imagine trying to work on a comprehensive website or app, only to find out that the only types of files that are accepted or those involving text. Obviously, you want the project that you’re developing to be engaging for the people who will ultimately see it. Therefore, you need to have access to video and audio files as well. More importantly, you have to be able to integrate those types of files into the finished project. People are far less likely to pay attention to something if it is nothing but one long block of text. You need to have the audio and video files incorporated into the project as well. Here, you can incorporate anything you need with relative ease.
6. It’s designed for large files so they won’t slow you down
In addition to accepting all kinds of files, the system can be used for extremely large files without taking forever to upload. In fact, the system was built for large files. If you have a great deal of information that you need to upload in order to create your finished project, it would be hard to beat the types of performance that you’re likely to get with Supabase. That is especially true if you’re trying to build something with a very tight window within which you have to work.
7. You can also integrate your own coding
Another thing that makes it user-friendly is that you can integrate your own coding, even if that coding is at the custom level. With a lot of these types of services, you are relegated to using the coding that they already have on file, which may or may not work for the project that you’re trying to develop. Here, you can write your own coding and then have it supported through the system as if they had written it themselves.
8. The service has its own built-in web crawler
You probably already know how important it is to stay at the top of the page for Google rankings. The people at Supabase know that it’s important, too. As such, they have their own built-in web crawler which helps you stay relevant as opposed to getting shuffled all the way to the bottom of the page. You can even enjoy real-time analytics that tell you whether or not Google has seen your webpage or if you need to make some changes in order to get better rankings.
9. They offer all the support you need
As previously mentioned, they claim that you can get started in less than two minutes and that you can build an entire app over the course of a single weekend. The thing is, it’s a fast service, even for people that don’t have a lot of experience with this type of thing. That’s what really sets them apart from virtually everybody else out there. Speed is important, but it doesn’t get you anywhere if you don’t have the support you need to create a finished product. Even if you don’t have a lot of experience with website building or app development, you can create a solid finished product with Supabase. Whenever you need help, they have someone on staff that will gladly guide you through the process.
10. You can build everything right on the dashboard
One of the things that makes their service so unique is that you can build everything directly from the dashboard. You don’t have to go through the time and hassle required to constantly click on different areas of their site in order to build specific parts of your product. Instead, you can simply stay on the homepage and build everything you need to build while viewing your dashboard. You even have the opportunity to watch your own product coming to fruition in real time.
11. It’s like Firebase, with one major difference
Google has Firebase, the service that Supabase is most frequently compared to. That said, there is one major difference that sets these two services apart. Supabase is made to be an Open Source service. In other words, anyone and everyone has access to it. With Firebase, you have to pay for its subscription to get access to the overwhelming majority of their services, even if you only want to play around with it long enough to see whether or not it’s for you. That is not the case with Supabase. In fact, you can play around with it as much as you like without spending a single penny.
12. Investors are taking the company seriously
One of the biggest signs of any startup’s future success is whether or not investors take them seriously. You could definitely say that they are doing exactly that with Supabase. The company only recently completed its Series A fundraising and during that time, they raised more than 30 million dollars. Obviously, other people that are in the know are taking notice of what they’re doing. More importantly, they are supporting their efforts.
13. There are paid options available
Even though Supabase is an Open Source service, there are paid options available. It’s one of the ways that the company maintains its own sustainability. If you decide to create a finished project that involves a lot of integrated audio and video files or you’re doing something that incorporates more information than usual, you can opt for one of their paid plans. Rest assured, they’re not out to charge you an exorbitant amount of money. In fact, they have a sliding fee that starts at just $25 a month. Depending on how in-depth your finished project is, the fee will be tied directly to the effort needed to help manage it. The company does this because it’s virtually impossible to maintain long-term sustainability when relying on fundraising alone. Of course, there are other options available to you if you don’t want to spend the money, as evidenced below.
14. You can also skip the need to pay and launch everything yourself
Regardless of how involved your finished product is, you can skip the need to pay a monthly service and launch everything yourself. However, that means that you will be completely on your own and without the support of the experts at Supabase. If you’re comfortable with that, you can launch as many big projects as you want without spending a dime. That said, it might end up costing you a lot more in the long run when compared to simply paying the fee and getting some much-needed support from people that specialize in this type of thing.
15. The company doesn’t have a central office
It might surprise you to know that the company does not have a central office. To date, they have 24 employees who are scattered all across the globe. The company’s CEO has even commented that they have no plans to build a central office because the system that they currently have works well. It’s one of the first companies in existence to be built on the premise that a central office isn’t required, thereby allowing people from distant geographic locations to work for the same company, all from the comfort of their own homes. It also saves the company a ton of money in overhead costs.
16. The company believes in giving its employees the freedom to do their best work
To that end, the company believes in allowing its employees to have the freedom they need to do their best work, meaning that they allow them to work from home on a schedule that best fits their needs. This company has never been particularly stringent on requirements regarding working hours and the like, believing instead that by giving employees their own freedom to work when it suits them best, that they will then in turn get the best work from them. So far, it seems to be paying off quite well.
17. Their system allows you to import date with ease
There are few things more time consuming than importing endless amounts of pre-existing data. Fortunately, Supabase allows you to do exactly that in a matter of minutes. In fact, you can typically dump all the data at once instead of sorting meticulously through it all.
18. The service grows with you
The web crawler helps you get better ranking with Google and the database incorporates an autonomous function that allows you to have full product support, even in the midst of changes. If you need something that can keep up with you, you’ve come to the right place.
19. You can incorporate new data quickly and easily
Incorporating brand new data is just as easy as dumping all of your pre-existing data. It takes only minutes and you are on your way.
20. Eventually, the company will also migrate into hosting
Supabase plans to move into web hosting fairly soon. Once they do, they will truly serve as a one-stop-shop for everything you need. Whether you’re building a website or creating a brand new app, they can provide all of the benefits associated with hosting, meaning you have one less thing to worry about.
