Introduction: From Idea to App in Minutes

You have an app idea—a productivity tool, a niche social platform, maybe an MVP to pitch next week. Excitement fades fast when you think about backend setup: databases, authentication, APIs, and all the boilerplate. Traditionally, this meant wrestling with servers, security, and configuration before you could build anything unique.

Supabase flips that script. Think of it like ordering a pizza: pick your toppings (features), click 'order,' and your backend arrives hot and ready in minutes. No server admin. No mysterious config files. No wasted time.

With Supabase, you can:

• Spin up a PostgreSQL database instantly—no manual setup.
• Enable authentication (email, Google, GitHub, Apple, Azure AD, and more) with a few clicks—including Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for production security.
• Get auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs for every table.
• Subscribe to real-time updates for collaborative and live apps.
• Run custom Edge Functions for business logic and integrations.
• Manage everything visually in a web dashboard.
• Develop locally with database branching and preview environments.

Let's see how it works, step by step.

Step 1: Create Your Project

1. Sign up at supabase.com (email or GitHub).
2. Click 'New Project.'
3. Enter a project name, password, and pick a region.
4. Click 'Create project.'

Your backend is live in under a minute—no servers or credit card required. Prefer local development? Supabase has a CLI and Docker workflow, now with support for database branching and preview environments (covered later).

Step 2: Explore the Dashboard

The Supabase dashboard is your control center. Here, you can: