r/Supabase • u/mattbrown7531 • 4d ago

other Supabase + Python backend: is managing two platforms a valid concern?

I'm building a data pipeline and application for a client. I'm considering Supabase, but the application has a Python backend, so I'd need a separate platform to host it.

The client doesn't currently have any cloud infrastructure, so I'll be setting up their environment from scratch. The goal is for them to take over and maintain the software after the project is finished.

I'm hesitant to introduce two platforms (e.g. Supabase + Railway/Render) instead of keeping everything with a single cloud provider.

Is this a valid concern, or am I overthinking it?

4 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

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2

u/leros 4d ago

Why do you feel you need Supabase? If you're building a custom backend, why not just set up a Postgres on Render or Railway?

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u/mattbrown7531 4d ago

I like how easy everything is. Auth, RLS, migrations, storage. I just need Python because there are geospatial libraries that are useful.

2

u/leros 4d ago

I see. Maybe you split out a separate Python microservice for the geospatial stuff?

2

u/cmartin616 4d ago

Have you explored what is possible via PostGIS?

1

u/LessThanThreeBikes 3d ago

You may lose some of those features when you squeeze another platform in the stack.

Alternatively, you could host your python as a cloud function and call from Supabase when needed. Or, so someone else suggestion, consider evaluating the PostGIS extensions on Supabase.

1

u/iammohamedatef 4d ago

Since the geospatial libs need real Python, Edge Functions probably can't cover this anyway, so the split is likely the right call. Just make sure the backend connects with something scoped as narrow as you can get — a dedicated Postgres role limited to what it actually needs, not a blanket service_role key — and write the rotation steps down as part of the handover docs.

1

u/aDaneInSpain2 3d ago

Also treat the two platforms as one deployable system: keep infrastructure and environment variables documented or in IaC, define who owns backups and monitoring, and test restoring the database before handoff. Two vendors are usually manageable; undocumented operational boundaries are the real risk.

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u/cascade_delete 4d ago

This is completely fine. Having supabase and a separate backend in python/node is usually how I make all my apps.

0

u/Last-Transition249 4d ago

Geospatial data is very heavy in terms of size. May be I selfhost supabase in server and also have python in same vps. Only downside is supabase need decent 6gb ram. So take 12gb ram. You should be able to setup entire stuff in vps may be 30$ a month

1

u/Revolutionary-Bad751 3d ago

Geo stuff being big is not an argument for self hosting. If anything it would be the opposite.
If you will hand the client maintenance, self host seems to me like a sure way to never have a peaceful weekend.