RDS Supabase is a managed Supabase service provided by ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL. You can use it to quickly build backend services on ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL. It is ideal for scenarios such as early-stage solution validation (MVP), AI application development, and SaaS platforms.
Features
What is Supabase?
Supabase is an open source Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform that provides features similar to Firebase. Supabase is fully open source and supports self-hosting. The platform is built on PostgreSQL and provides core services such as a database, authentication, file storage, and real-time features. It is ideal for developers who need to quickly build an application backend.
Supabase provides a complete suite of backend features to build applications. You can use the entire suite or only specific components.
The core capabilities of Supabase include a database, authentication and authorization, object storage, edge functions, real-time messaging, vectors, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Core capabilities of RDS Supabase
The RDS Supabase service is built on the core capabilities of open source Supabase. It provides the main features of Supabase and is technically adapted for the ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL cloud-native foundation.
Database
It provides standard PostgreSQL capabilities and additional extensions. It also supports proprietary ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL extensions. For example, you can build AI applications using Supabase with the rds_ai extension.
It supports auto-generated Data APIs, including CRUD, RESTful, and GraphQL APIs.
Authentication
It provides a complete user management system that supports multiple authentication methods and can be integrated separately.
Object Storage Service
The object storage service connects directly to the RDS cold storage service, which is integrated with Alibaba Cloud OSS.
It is fully compatible with the Alibaba Cloud OSS protocol. This lets you seamlessly connect applications to Alibaba Cloud OSS.
It supports advanced features such as resumable uploads and storage compression.
Real-time messages (Realtime)
When data changes, the changes are synchronized in real-time to all connected clients.
It stores and synchronizes the status of all online users across all clients.
It supports channel subscription and broadcast features.
Vectors and AI
Vector service
It uses the built-in rds pgvector extension to store, index, and access embeddings.
Storing data with transactional data in the same database simplifies applications and improves performance.
API integration
It easily connects to any large language model (LLM) or embeddings API, such as Hugging Face and SageMaker.
AI assistant
It includes a built-in Alibaba Cloud Model Studio token to directly provide LLM services through Qwen.
Scenarios
Early-stage solution validation (MVP)
It helps entrepreneurs and independent developers release a usable version of their application as soon as possible to quickly enter the market.
After you design the prototype, you can simply configure the table schema to quickly generate backend services.
You can quickly integrate Supabase features such as authentication and message subscription to significantly improve product development efficiency.
Developing AI applications
RDS Supabase and PostgreSQL combine to provide a one-stop solution for AI application development.
ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL provides multi-modal data storage and retrieval capabilities based on rds pgvector.
RDS Supabase provides API operations for applications.
The rds_ai capability lets you quickly integrate model services from Alibaba Cloud Model Studio and PAI.
SaaS platforms
Using RDS Supabase, you can help business teams quickly develop internal platforms throughout their lifecycle. This helps enterprises achieve real-time monitoring of project data, collaborative management of content assets, and improved cross-departmental collaboration efficiency.
Prerequisites
If you use a Resource Access Management (RAM) user, you must grant the following permissions to the user. For more information about how to grant permissions, see Grant permissions to a RAM user.
AliyunRDSAIReadOnlyAccess or AliyunRDSAIFullAccess: Read-only access or management permissions for AI application development in ApsaraDB RDS.
AliyunVPCFullAccess: Permissions to manage Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs).
AliyunRDSFullAccess: Permissions to manage ApsaraDB RDS.
AliyunRAMReadOnlyAccess: Read-only access permissions for Resource Access Management (RAM). This includes permissions to view users, groups, and authorization information.
Billing
ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance fees
When you create an RDS Supabase project, you must create an ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance in the project. You are charged based on the RDS instance type and storage space. The billing method for the instance is the same as the one selected for the RDS Supabase project.
Internet NAT gateway fees and EIP fees
If you enable a public NAT when you create an RDS Supabase project, you are charged on a pay-as-you-go basis for Internet NAT gateway fees and EIP fees.
The General-purpose Supabase service platform is free of charge. You are charged only for the ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance, Internet NAT Gateway, and EIP if you use them.
Notes
Only major version PostgreSQL 17 and later are supported.
Do not delete or modify the database and its linked account that are automatically created by the RDS Supabase project. Otherwise, the project becomes unavailable.
Create an RDS Supabase project
Go to the ApsaraDB RDS console home page. In the navigation pane on the left, click AI Application Development.
Select a region at the top. On the RDS Supabase page, click Create Project.
In the dialog box that appears, configure the RDS Supabase parameters.
Parameter
Description
RDS Supabase Project Name
Enter a name for the RDS Supabase project as needed.
Region
The region where the RDS Supabase project is located.
Public NAT
Enables an Internet NAT gateway. You must enable an Internet NAT gateway when you need to use an external custom model that is accessed over the Internet in RAG Agent.
ImportantIf you have already configured an Internet NAT gateway for the vSwitch in the RDS Supabase project network, do not select this parameter. You can check whether an Internet NAT gateway is enabled for the corresponding vSwitch in the NAT Gateway console.
If you enable an Internet NAT gateway, an EIP is automatically attached, and you are charged for NAT Gateway billing and EIP billing.
VPC
Select a virtual private cloud (VPC) for the RDS Supabase project.
If you have created a VPC that meets your network planning requirements, you can select it directly.
If you have not created a VPC that meets your network planning requirements, you can use the default VPC and vSwitch. For more information, see VPCs and vSwitches.
If the default VPC and vSwitch do not meet your requirements, create a VPC and a vSwitch first. For more information about how to create them, see VPCs and vSwitches.
Primary Zone and Network
Select a primary zone and a vSwitch.
Supabase Type
Only General-purpose is supported.
Dashboard Username
Dashboard Password
Set the password for the default user supabase.
RAG Agent
Enables RAG Agent.
RAG Agent has built-in models. When you use an external custom model that requires public network access, you must enable Public NAT for the agent.
Billing Method
Supports subscription and pay-as-you-go.
Engine
The database engine version of the ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance in the RDS Supabase project. Only PostgreSQL 17 is supported.
SLR Authorization
Authorization is required only for the first use and does not incur any fees. Click Go to Authorize to grant the service-linked roles (AliyunServiceRoleForRds and AliyunServiceRoleForRdsPgsqlOnEcs).
Product Series
Select the product series for the ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance in the RDS Supabase project.
Basic Edition: A single-node, read-only instance that is cost-effective and suitable for learning or testing. Fault recovery and restarts take a long time.
High-availability Edition: Has a primary node and a secondary node to provide high availability for read-only instances. It is suitable for production environments and meets the needs of more than 80% of user scenarios.
Category
Select the category for the ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance in the RDS Supabase project.
General-purpose: Dedicated memory and I/O, with shared CPU and storage. Offers a lower price and higher cost-effectiveness.
Dedicated: Dedicated memory, I/O, CPU, and storage. Provides superior and more stable performance.
NoteThe Basic series does not support the Dedicated category.
Specifications
Select the instance type for the ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance in the RDS Supabase project.
NoteFor supported instance types, refer to the information in the console. For more information about instance types, see ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance types.
Storage Space
Set the storage space for the ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance in the RDS Supabase project.
Database Password
Set the database password for the ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance in the RDS Supabase project.
After you confirm that the configuration is correct, click Purchase Now.
After the project is created, you can view it in the RDS Supabase list.
Log on to the Supabase console (Supabase Dashboard)
Go to the ApsaraDB RDS console home page. In the navigation pane on the left, click AI Application Development.
Select a region at the top. In the RDS Supabase list, find the target project and click Configure Whitelist in the Endpoint column.
NoteIf you have already configured a whitelist, you can click the public endpoint to go to the Supabase logon page.
On the Basic Information page that appears, go to the Whitelist Information section and click Add Whitelist Group to add the IP address of the target client to the whitelist.
In the Network Information section, click the public endpoint to go to the Supabase logon page.
For more information about how to use Supabase, see Getting Started | Supabase Docs.
NoteIf you log on from an ECS instance that is in the same VPC as the RDS Supabase project, use the internal endpoint.
In the Actions column, you can click View Details. On the Basic Information page that appears, you can view detailed information about the instance.
Delete an RDS Supabase project
Go to the ApsaraDB RDS console home page. In the navigation pane on the left, click AI Application Development.
Select a region at the top. In the RDS Supabase list, find the target project and click Delete.
In the message that appears, click OK.
ImportantDeleting an RDS Supabase project does not automatically delete the associated ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance or NAT Gateway. You must manually release the instance, delete the Internet NAT gateway, and release the EIP.
FAQ
References and APIs
RDS Supabase SDK User Guide: Describes how to obtain the Supabase URL and Supabase Key and how to use the RDS Supabase SDK in various programming languages.
Related APIs: For more information about Supabase APIs, see Supabase API Reference.
Appendix: Obtain a service API key
Method 1: Use the DescribeInstanceAuthInfo - Query authentication information for an RDS AI application instance API operation
The following steps use Chrome 139.0.7258.128 as an example.
Enable the Insecure origins treated as secure feature in your browser and add the endpoint of the RDS Supabase project to the feature's whitelist.
In Chrome, navigate to
chrome://flags/#allow-insecure-localhost.In the search box, enter Insecure origins treated as secure. Then, find the feature and enable it.
Add the endpoint of the RDS Supabase project, such as the public endpoint, to the whitelist of the Insecure origins treated as secure feature, and then restart the browser.
Obtain the service API key.
Click the
icon in the upper-right corner and select Command menu.
Click Get API keys. On the new page, click Copy service API key to obtain the service API key.