# Supabase Alpha April 2020

[Supabase](https://yomu.fyi/company/supabase) · Paul Copplestone · May 1, 2020

**Type:** Announcement

## Summary

The April 2020 alpha release of Supabase introduces developer tools designed to make Postgres as straightforward to use as Firebase. Users can configure a Postgres instance in less than two minutes and execute database queries directly from the dashboard interface. The platform provides auto-generated RESTful APIs along with auto-updating documentation created through database schema introspection. Development work also encompasses realtime listeners for database change subscriptions, query performance analysis tools, and connectors that route realtime updates to queues or webhooks. Supabase is not yet production ready, storing only GitHub usernames and emails while running for free under Digital Ocean's startup program.

## Context

Database interfaces are often difficult to use, and developers lack tools that make managing Postgres as straightforward and integrated as Firebase.

## Approach / What changed

Supabase builds rapid Postgres provisioning, a dashboard for running and analyzing queries, schema-introspecting auto-generated RESTful APIs, auto-updating documentation, and realtime change listeners and connectors.

## Takeaways

- Supabase introspects the Postgres schema to automatically generate and maintain RESTful APIs and accompanying documentation.
- The platform provisions Postgres databases in under two minutes and includes dashboard tools to execute and analyze queries.
- The April 2020 release is an early alpha not ready for production, offered for free through Digital Ocean startup program funding.

**Tags:** [Developer Experience](https://yomu.fyi/topic/developer-experience), [Open Source](https://yomu.fyi/topic/open-source), [Postgres](https://yomu.fyi/topic/postgres), [REST APIs](https://yomu.fyi/topic/rest-api)

[Read original post](https://supabase.com/blog/supabase-alpha-april-2020)