Files
supabase/apps/docs/content/guides/database/secure-data.mdx
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Copple af9cd546a1 docs: Update secure data guide for publishable keys and access paths (#45084)
## Summary
- Reframe client-side guidance around publishable keys instead of anon
keys
- Clarify the three data access paths: Data API, Edge Functions, and
direct database connections
- Add explicit note that the Data API can be disabled when only using
Edge Functions or direct connections
- Split the frontend guidance into its own section for clearer scanning

## Testing
- Not run (not requested)

<!-- This is an auto-generated comment: release notes by coderabbit.ai
-->

## Summary by CodeRabbit

* **Documentation**
* Updated security guide with clarified data-access approaches and best
practices for secure configuration.
* Enhanced guidance on key usage and Row Level Security (RLS)
recommendations.
  * Added references for disabling data access in specific scenarios.

<!-- end of auto-generated comment: release notes by coderabbit.ai -->
2026-04-21 12:10:45 +01:00

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---
id: 'securing-your-data'
title: 'Securing your data'
---
Supabase helps you control access to your data. With access policies, you can protect sensitive data and make sure users only access what they're allowed to see.
## Connecting your app securely
Supabase gives you several ways to access your data. Each option has a different security model:
### Data API
Use Supabase client libraries, REST, or GraphQL with a publishable key. Protect exposed tables with [Row Level Security](/docs/guides/database/postgres/row-level-security) (RLS) and grant only the privileges each role needs.
### Edge Functions
Put custom server-side logic between your client and database with [Edge Functions](/docs/guides/functions). You can use secrets, service role keys, or database connection strings inside the function, and you can [disable the Data API](/docs/guides/database/data-api#disable-the-data-api-completely) if your app only accesses data this way.
### Direct database connections
Connect to Postgres with a connection string from trusted servers, workers, or tools. Keep database credentials secret and use the right [connection method](/docs/guides/database/connecting-to-postgres) for your environment. You can [disable the Data API](/docs/guides/database/data-api#disable-the-data-api-completely) if your app only uses direct connections.
## Frontend access
For frontend apps, the Data API is the usual choice. You can keep your data secure while accessing it from the frontend, so long as you:
- Turn on [Row Level Security](/docs/guides/database/postgres/row-level-security) (RLS) for your tables and properly configure your access policies to grant the least privileges necessary for your app to function
- Use your Supabase **publishable key** when you create a Supabase client
Your publishable key is safe to expose with RLS enabled, because row access permission is checked against your access policies and the user's [JSON Web Token (JWT)](/docs/learn/auth-deep-dive/auth-deep-dive-jwts). The JWT is automatically sent by the Supabase client libraries if the user is logged in using Supabase Auth.
Older projects may also show an `anon` key. Treat it like a publishable key: it can identify your project, but it is not a secret and must be paired with RLS and least-privilege grants.
<Admonition type="danger" label="Never expose your service role key on the frontend">
Unlike your publishable key, your **service role key** is **never** safe to expose because it bypasses RLS. Only use your service role key on the backend. Treat it as a secret (for example, import it as a sensitive environment variable instead of hardcoding it).
</Admonition>
## More information
Supabase and Postgres provide you with multiple ways to manage security, including but not limited to Row Level Security. See the Access and Security pages for more information:
- [Row Level Security](/docs/guides/database/postgres/row-level-security)
- [Column Level Security](/docs/guides/database/postgres/column-level-security)
- [Data API](/docs/guides/database/data-api)
- [Managing Postgres roles](/docs/guides/database/postgres/roles)
- [Managing secrets with Vault](/docs/guides/database/vault)