Open source object storage with S3 compatibility. Row Level Security, PostgreSQL integration and self-hostable alternative to proprietary solutions.
Supabase Storage combines the simplicity of object storage with the power of PostgreSQL. Open source, self-hostable and with granular Row Level Security for maximum control over your data.
Granular access control at file level
Standard S3 API for easy migration
Complete control through self-hosting
PostgreSQL Row Level Security für Files
Native PostgreSQL Integration und Triggers
On-the-fly Bildbearbeitung und Optimierung
Automatische CDN-Verteilung für Performance
Open source storage for modern apps
Rapid prototypes with open source stack
Data protection compliant solutions with self-hosting
Row Level Security for secure tenant separation
Open source Firebase alternative
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Everything you need to know about implementing Supabase Storage for open-source object storage
Supabase Storage implements Row Level Security (RLS) through PostgreSQL policies that control file access at the individual file level. Unlike traditional bucket-based permissions, RLS allows you to create sophisticated access rules based on user roles, file ownership, organization membership, or any other criteria stored in your database.
RLS policies are written in SQL and can reference user authentication state, database relationships, and custom logic. For example, you can ensure users only access files they uploaded, team members can access shared project files, or admins can access all files while restricting others based on their subscription level or permissions.
The security model integrates seamlessly with Supabase Auth, automatically passing user context to storage policies. This eliminates the need for separate authentication systems and ensures consistent security across your application, making it particularly powerful for multi-tenant SaaS applications where data isolation is critical.
Self-hosting Supabase Storage provides complete control over your data, infrastructure, and costs. You can deploy on your own servers, private cloud, or on-premises infrastructure while maintaining full compatibility with the Supabase ecosystem. This is particularly valuable for organizations with strict data residency requirements or security compliance needs.
Cost advantages include elimination of per-GB storage fees and bandwidth charges, making it economical for high-volume applications. You can optimize infrastructure specifically for your workload, implement custom caching strategies, and integrate with existing backup and monitoring systems without vendor limitations.
Open-source benefits include transparency in security implementations, ability to audit all code, customization of features for specific needs, and freedom from vendor lock-in. The self-hosted version includes all enterprise features without licensing restrictions, making it an attractive option for startups and enterprises alike.
Supabase Storage is built on PostgreSQL, storing file metadata directly in database tables that can be queried, joined, and manipulated using standard SQL. This integration allows powerful features like file search based on custom metadata, complex queries across files and related data, and database triggers that respond to file upload/delete events.
Real-time subscriptions work with storage operations, enabling instant notifications when files are uploaded, modified, or deleted. Your application can subscribe to file changes and update UI elements automatically, making it perfect for collaborative applications, real-time dashboards, or live content management systems.
Database integration enables sophisticated features like file versioning through database triggers, automatic thumbnail generation via PostgreSQL functions, and integration with full-text search for document content. You can also implement complex file organization through database relationships and use PostgreSQL's JSON capabilities for rich file metadata.
Supabase Storage provides on-the-fly image transformations including resize, crop, rotate, format conversion, and quality optimization through URL parameters. These transformations are performed at the edge for optimal performance, with automatic caching to ensure fast subsequent requests without reprocessing.
CDN integration through Cloudflare ensures global content delivery with automatic image optimization based on device and browser capabilities. WebP and AVIF format conversion happens automatically for supported browsers, while maintaining backward compatibility with traditional formats for older clients.
Advanced features include smart cropping that preserves important image areas, automatic thumbnail generation for video files, and progressive JPEG optimization for improved perceived loading speed. The transformation pipeline is fully customizable and can be extended with custom processing functions for specialized use cases.
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