Backend Strategy: Supabase & IAM

Building secure, scalable, and fast applications without the complex infrastructure headache. A plan for our small business.

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The Challenge: Focus & Security

Rapid Development

We need to ship new features and iterate quickly without getting bogged down in server management and boilerplate code.

Data Security

Ensuring our customer data is secure, and that users can only access the specific information they are authorized to see.

Cost Control

Finding a solution that scales affordably from a generous free tier to a predictable production price point.

What is Supabase?

Supabase is an open-source "Backend-as-a-Service." Think of it as a complete toolkit for building the backend of our applications, all centered around the highly reliable Postgres Database.

It provides all the core services we usually have to build and maintain ourselves, allowing our team to focus purely on the frontend experience and unique business logic.

Postgres DB

Robust, scalable, and 100% portable relational database.

Auth System

Handles user sign-ups, logins (email, social, magic links), and session management instantly.

Instant APIs

A REST and GraphQL API is automatically generated whenever we create a table.

Storage & Functions

Scalable file storage (images, documents) and serverless Edge Functions for custom code.

IAM: Identity and Access Management

IAM is crucial for a modern application. We need two things: **Authentication** (Is the user who they say they are?) and **Authorization** (What is the user allowed to do?).

Authentication (Auth)

Supabase handles this via its GoTrue service. When a user logs in, they get a unique security token (JWT).

  • Social Login integration (Google, GitHub, etc.)
  • Secure session management (JWTs)
  • Easy integration into our app's front-end

Authorization (RLS)

Supabase uses PostgreSQL's native Row Level Security (RLS) for authorization. This is the **most granular** form of security.

  • **RLS Policies:** SQL rules attached to tables (e.g., "Allow SELECT only if `user_id` matches `auth.uid()`").
  • **Data Isolation:** Users can *only* see or modify the data they own, even if they bypass the application code.
  • **Role-Based Access:** Easily define access for different roles (e.g., `admin`, `basic_user`).

Use Cases & The Business Impact

The Business Impact

  • **Velocity:** Instant APIs and built-in Auth cut down development time by weeks. We can prototype and ship faster.
  • **Guaranteed Security:** RLS enforces security rules at the database level, meaning it's impossible to accidentally expose data.
  • **Predictable Cost:** The Free tier is perfect for prototyping, and the Pro plan starts at just **$25/month**, offering a clear path to scale.

Use Case Example: Project Management App

  1. **Authentication:** User logs in with Google OAuth using Supabase Auth.
  2. **Authorization (RLS):**
    • **Tasks Table:** RLS policy says: `CREATE POLICY "User can only see their tasks" ON tasks FOR SELECT USING (user_id = auth.uid());`
    • **Admin Table:** RLS policy grants `admin` role members full SELECT access to all data.
  3. **Outcome:** No matter how a query is executed, a regular user can only retrieve tasks explicitly tied to their user ID, fulfilling our IAM and data privacy requirements automatically.

Next Steps for the Team

Let's move forward by creating our first Supabase project and setting up the core Auth and RLS policies on a prototype database.

Start a Prototype Project