Self-hosted PostgreSQL vs Supabase Comparison

# Self-hosted PostgreSQL - WAL archiving + PITR setup (postgresql.conf)
wal_level = replica
archive_mode = on
archive_command = 'test ! -f /var/backups/pg_wal_archive/%f && cp %p /var/backups/pg_wal_archive/%f'
max_wal_senders = 3

# Take a base backup (pg_basebackup)
pg_basebackup -D /var/backups/base -Ft -z -P -U replicator -h localhost

# PITR: recover to a specific point in time (recovery.signal + postgresql.conf)
# 1) Extract the base backup into the restore directory
# 2) Add the following lines to postgresql.conf, create the recovery.signal file
restore_command = 'cp /var/backups/pg_wal_archive/%f %p'
recovery_target_time = '2026-09-23 09:00:00+03'

# pg_hba.conf - connections only from the application server
host    appdb    app_user    10.0.0.5/32    scram-sha-256

-- SQL (psql): Extension setup (full freedom - specific to self-hosting)
CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS vector;
CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS postgis;
CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS pg_cron;

# Connection pooling (PgBouncer, pgbouncer.ini)
[databases]
appdb = host=127.0.0.1 port=5432 dbname=appdb
[pgbouncer]
pool_mode = transaction
max_client_conn = 500
default_pool_size = 25

-- SQL (Supabase SQL Editor): 1) Create the table and enable RLS (the Data API requires this)
create table public.notes (
  id uuid default gen_random_uuid() primary key,
  user_id uuid references auth.users not null,
  content text not null,
  created_at timestamptz default now()
);
alter table public.notes enable row level security;

create policy "kullanicilar kendi notlarini okur"
  on public.notes for select
  using (auth.uid() = user_id);

create policy "kullanicilar kendi notlarini yazar"
  on public.notes for insert
  with check (auth.uid() = user_id);

// 2) Query with supabase-js (RLS is applied automatically)
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js'

const supabase = createClient(
  process.env.SUPABASE_URL!,
  process.env.SUPABASE_ANON_KEY!
)

const { data: notes, error } = await supabase
  .from('notes')
  .select('id, content, created_at')
  .order('created_at', { ascending: false })

// 3) Postgres client connection strings (official "Endpoints and IP versions" table)
// Direct connection (persistent backend, pg_dump, migration):
// postgresql://postgres:[YOUR-PASSWORD]@db.[PROJECT-REF].supabase.co:5432/postgres
// Dedicated pooler (transaction mode only, paid plans):
// postgresql://postgres:[YOUR-PASSWORD]@db.[PROJECT-REF].supabase.co:6543/postgres
// Building the string by hand: copy it from the Dashboard > Connect screen (the shared pooler host can't be derived from the region).