supabase/apps/docs/content/guides/api/quickstart.mdx

---
title: 'Build an API route in less than 2 minutes.'
subtitle: 'Create your first API route by creating a table called `todos` to store tasks.'
breadcrumb: 'API Quickstart'
hideToc: true
---

Let's create our first REST route which we can query using `cURL` or the browser.

We'll create a database table called `todos` for storing tasks. This creates a corresponding API route `/rest/v1/todos` which can accept `GET`, `POST`, `PATCH`, & `DELETE` requests.

<StepHikeCompact>

  <StepHikeCompact.Step step={1}>
    <StepHikeCompact.Details title="Set up a Supabase project with a 'todos' table">

    [Create a new project](/dashboard) in the Supabase Dashboard.

    After your project is ready, create a table in your Supabase database. You can do this with either the Table interface or the [SQL Editor](/dashboard/project/_/sql).

    </StepHikeCompact.Details>

    <StepHikeCompact.Code>

      <Tabs
        scrollable
        size="small"
        type="underlined"
        defaultActiveId="sql"
        queryGroup="database-method"
      >
      <TabPanel id="sql" label="SQL">

      ```sql
      -- Create a table called "todos"
      -- with a column to store tasks.
      create table todos (
        id serial primary key,
        task text
      );
      ```

      </TabPanel>
      <TabPanel id="dashboard" label="Dashboard">

      1. Go to the [**Table editor**](/dashboard/project/_/editor) section in the Dashboard.
      2. Click **New Table** and create a table with the name `todos`.
      3. Click **Save**.
      4. Click **New Column** and create a column with the name `task` and type `text`.
      5. Click **Save**.

      </TabPanel>
      </Tabs>

    </StepHikeCompact.Code>

  </StepHikeCompact.Step>

  <StepHikeCompact.Step step={2}>
    <StepHikeCompact.Details title="Enable Data API access to Anon Role">

    Expose the `todos` table through the Data API so it can be queried over HTTP.

    For more control over which tables and functions are exposed, see [Expose specific tables and functions](/docs/guides/database/data-api#expose-specific-tables-and-functions-recommended).

    </StepHikeCompact.Details>

    <StepHikeCompact.Code>

      <Tabs
        scrollable
        size="small"
        type="underlined"
        defaultActiveId="sql"
        queryGroup="database-method"
      >
      <TabPanel id="sql" label="SQL">

      ```sql
      -- Allow read-only access for anonymous clients
      grant select on public.todos to anon;
      ```

      </TabPanel>
      <TabPanel id="dashboard" label="Dashboard">

      Go to [**Integrations > Data API > Settings**](/dashboard/project/_/integrations/data_api/settings). Under **Exposed schemas**, make sure `public` is included, then under **Exposed tables**, toggle on access for the `todos` table.

      </TabPanel>
      </Tabs>

    </StepHikeCompact.Code>

  </StepHikeCompact.Step>

  <StepHikeCompact.Step step={3}>

    <StepHikeCompact.Details title="Configure RLS">

    Turn on Row Level Security for this table and create the policies that control who can read and write rows.

    </StepHikeCompact.Details>

    <StepHikeCompact.Code>

      ```sql
      -- Turn on RLS
      alter table "todos"
      enable row level security;

      -- Allow anonymous access
      create policy "Allow public access"
        on todos
        for select
        to anon
        using (true);

      -- Allow authenticated users to read and modify todos
      create policy "Allow authenticated users to manage todos"
        on todos
        for all
        to authenticated
        using (true)
        with check (true);
      ```

    </StepHikeCompact.Code>

  </StepHikeCompact.Step>

  <StepHikeCompact.Step step={4}>
    <StepHikeCompact.Details title="Enable Data API access for authenticated and service roles">

    Now that RLS is in place, grant write access to the `authenticated` and `service_role` roles.

    </StepHikeCompact.Details>

    <StepHikeCompact.Code>

      ```sql
      -- Grant write access only after RLS and policies are in place
      grant select, insert, update, delete on public.todos to authenticated;
      grant select, insert, update, delete on public.todos to service_role;
      ```

    </StepHikeCompact.Code>

  </StepHikeCompact.Step>

  <StepHikeCompact.Step step={5}>
    <StepHikeCompact.Details title="Insert some dummy data">

    Now we can add some data to our table which we can access through our API.

    </StepHikeCompact.Details>

    <StepHikeCompact.Code>

      ```sql
      insert into todos (task)
      values
        ('Create tables'),
        ('Enable security'),
        ('Add data'),
        ('Fetch data from the API');
      ```

    </StepHikeCompact.Code>

  </StepHikeCompact.Step>

  <StepHikeCompact.Step step={6}>
    <StepHikeCompact.Details title="Fetch the data">

    Find your API URL and Keys in your Dashboard [API Settings](/dashboard/project/_/settings/api). You can now query your "todos" table by appending `/rest/v1/todos` to the API URL.

    Copy this block of code, substitute `<PROJECT_REF>` and `<PUBLISHABLE_KEY>`, then run it from a terminal.

    </StepHikeCompact.Details>
    <StepHikeCompact.Code>

      ```bash Terminal
      curl 'https://<PROJECT_REF>.supabase.co/rest/v1/todos' \
      -H "apikey: <PUBLISHABLE_KEY>"
      ```

    </StepHikeCompact.Code>

  </StepHikeCompact.Step>

</StepHikeCompact>

## Bonus

There are several options for accessing your data:

### Browser

You can query the route in your browser, by appending the `publishable` key as a query parameter:

`https://<PROJECT_REF>.supabase.co/rest/v1/todos?apikey=<PUBLISHABLE_KEY>`

### Curl

```
curl 'https://<PROJECT_REF>.supabase.co/rest/v1/todos?select=*' \
  -H "apikey: <PUBLISHABLE_KEY>" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <PUBLISHABLE_KEY>"
```

### Client libraries

We provide a number of [Client Libraries](https://github.com/supabase/supabase#client-libraries).

<Tabs
  scrollable
  size="small"
  type="underlined"
  defaultActiveId="js"
  queryGroup="language"
>
<TabPanel id="js" label="JavaScript">

```js
const { data, error } = await supabase.from('todos').select()
```

</TabPanel>
<$Show if="sdk:dart">
<TabPanel id="dart" label="Dart">

```dart
final data = await supabase.from('todos').select('*');
```

</TabPanel>
</$Show>
<$Show if="sdk:python">
<TabPanel id="python" label="Python">

```python
response = supabase.table('todos').select("*").execute()
```

</TabPanel>
</$Show>
<$Show if="sdk:swift">
<TabPanel id="swift" label="Swift">

```swift
let response = try await supabase.from("todos").select()
```

</TabPanel>
</$Show>
</Tabs>