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supabase/apps/docs/content/guides/local-development.mdx
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e357ec8f9f docs(cli): update local development workflow docs for pg-delta default diffing (#49280)
## I have read the
[CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/supabase/supabase/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md)
file.

YES

## What kind of change does this PR introduce?

Docs update.

## What is the current behavior?

Linear:
[CLI-1618](https://linear.app/supabase/issue/CLI-1618/update-cli-workflow-docs-for-pg-delta-default-diffing)

Four docs pages lag the shipped CLI behavior now that `pg-delta` is the
default diff engine for projects created by a recent `supabase init`:

- **CLI workflows** claims `db diff` compares `supabase/schemas/`
against migrations. Under `pg-delta`, declarative files are never the
`db diff` baseline (and `[db.migrations].schema_paths` no longer changes
it) — the declarative flow goes through `supabase db schema declarative
sync`. The cleanup guidance describes `migra`-era output.
- **Declarative database schemas** teaches the old `db diff -f` +
`schema_paths` flow throughout, and its known-caveats list is the
`migra` issue list.
- **Managing environments** still presents `--use-migra` as an
"experimental flag" for a "more concise" diff — inverted now.
- **Backup and restore (migrating within Supabase)** and the CLI
workflows guide both steer users to `db diff`/`db pull` with `--schema
auth,storage`. Under `pg-delta`, `--schema` layers an extra exclude
policy on top of the Supabase profile: it can only narrow a diff, never
re-include managed schemas, and managed-schema selections can even fail
closed (e.g. `--schema auth` when a trigger function lives in `public`).
Unfiltered diffs are the supported path.

## What is the new behavior?

All claims verified against the CLI source at current `develop` —
including supabase/cli#6300, which upgraded the engine to
`@supabase/pg-delta` 1.0.0-alpha.46 — against the pinned pg-delta
package source (profile rules, format defaults, coverage doc), and
against a live dogfood run of the documented workflows on `develop`
`38f31b4` (two OSS corpus projects, warm shadow cache).

- **`cli-workflows.mdx`**: adds a "Which diff engine you're on" note
(`pg-delta` for new `supabase init` projects, `migra` for existing ones
until they opt in by adding `[experimental.pgdelta] enabled = true`;
per-run fallbacks `--use-migra` on `db diff` / `--diff-engine migra` on
`db pull`); corrects `db pull` and `db diff` mechanics (shadow built
from migrations vs. live database; the baseline history record is
offered, not unconditional); switches the declarative flow to `supabase
db schema declarative sync`; reworks the cleanup section around pg-delta
output (uppercase keywords at max width 180, `format_options`, per-unit
migration files with numeric segment suffixes, the `-- pg-delta:
transaction=false` directive on genuinely non-transactional files,
engine-neutral grant/revoke review guidance, coverage warnings +
`--strict-coverage`); documents what pg-delta captures in managed
schemas (user triggers, RLS policies on `auth` tables and on
`storage.objects`/`storage.buckets`/`realtime.messages`) versus what it
doesn't; adds key-command rows for the declarative commands and
troubleshooting entries (`db pull` non-zero exit when in sync, the
`schema_paths` warning, `PGDELTA_DEBUG=1` bundles under
`supabase/.temp/pgdelta/v2/debug/`).
- **`declarative-database-schemas.mdx`**: swaps `db diff -f` for `db
schema declarative sync -f` throughout; replaces
lexicographic/`schema_paths` ordering guidance with automatic dependency
ordering and the `generate` export layout (`_cluster/`, reserved
`_custom/`); bootstraps from production via `db schema declarative
generate --linked` (explicit target + `--overwrite` in scripts) and
refreshes via `db pull --declarative`; rewrites known caveats for
pg-delta (DML including storage buckets, untracked object kinds + the
`_custom/` escape hatch, managed schemas, extension-managed objects, and
the two gates when adopting an existing schema tree:
`[experimental.webhooks]` for `pg_net` migrations and declaring the
tree's extensions) keeping the `migra` workflow and issue list under a
legacy section for projects that haven't enabled it.
- **`managing-environments.mdx`**: frames the verbose grant sample as
legacy-engine output, notes that generated migrations can include grant
statements on any engine, describes `--use-migra` as a single-run
fallback, and adds a `db diff --strict-coverage` CI step.
- **`backup-restore.mdx`**: replaces `db diff --linked --schema
auth,storage` with a plain `db diff --linked` on `pg-delta` (keeping the
`--schema auth,storage` form for the legacy engine) and explains what
the engine includes (user triggers on managed tables, user RLS policies
on `auth`, `storage.objects`/`storage.buckets`/`realtime.messages`) and
what must be recreated manually.
- **New `diff-engines.mdx` page** (from #49889): the single home for how
the engine is selected, a behavior matrix for `pg-delta` versus `migra`,
the per-command fallback flags, a procedure for switching an existing
project (the first `db pull` after enabling may write a catch-up
migration), and how to go back with `enabled = false`. Registered in
navigation. A shared `diff_engine_check` partial replaces the inline
engine parentheticals across seven pages, and a
`managed_schemas_diff_capture` partial carries the managed-schema
capture rules.
- **CLI reference (`cli_v1_commands.yaml`, `cli_v1_config.yaml`)**: `db
pull`, `db schema declarative sync`/`generate` flags and descriptions,
`experimental.pgdelta.*` and `db.migrations.schema_paths` config keys,
and the `db diff` description updated to describe both engines. Note
that `cli_v1_commands.yaml` is generated from the CLI repo;
[supabase/cli#6557](https://github.com/supabase/cli/pull/6557) carries
the matching `db pull` example and overlay text so the next publish
keeps it.
- **`examples/prompts/declarative-database-schema.md`**: rewritten for
the `db schema declarative sync` flow, with the `[experimental.pgdelta]`
prerequisite.

## Additional context

The first draft was written against pg-delta 1.0.0-alpha.42.
supabase/cli#6300 (engine upgrade to alpha.46) then changed two
documented behaviors, both reflected here: generated SQL now defaults to
uppercase pretty-printed keywords, and user RLS policies on
`storage.objects`/`storage.buckets`/`realtime.messages` are included via
the engine's `SUPABASE_USER_POLICY_SURFACES` allowlist. A follow-up
dogfood run on `develop` `38f31b4` then falsified three more claims
(pg-delta emits no grant noise, `_schema_changes`/`_after_enum_values`
multi-file names, directive on every split file), all corrected in the
last commit.

**Update (Sep 14 to 17):**
[#49889](https://github.com/supabase/supabase/pull/49889) and
[#50220](https://github.com/supabase/supabase/pull/50220) were merged
into this branch, so this PR now carries the full stack. #50220
corrected the `schema_paths` warning wording (the CLI warns only when
the setting lists paths), added `auth` RLS policies to the
managed-schema partial, and described the migra initial pull accurately
(the `pg_dump` skips managed schemas and the migra diff pass that
follows appends the trigger and policy changes). It also reframed
`pg-delta` as the default for every project ahead of supabase/cli#6391.
That plan changed: no breaking default flip before Select, so
[#50332](https://github.com/supabase/supabase/pull/50332) restores the
opt-in framing (`pg-delta` requires `[experimental.pgdelta] enabled =
true`, which `supabase init` writes for new projects) and also resolves
the four CodeRabbit findings from the latest review round.

Two claims are pending confirmation from the owning teams: that
branching runs every migration in a transaction and ignores the `--
pg-delta: transaction=false` directive, and the `--db-url`
pooler-versus-direct connection advice, which currently disagrees with
the CLI's own `db pull` docs.

Stale spots found in the CLI repo's own docs while verifying (out of
scope here, worth follow-ups): four `SIDE_EFFECTS.md` files still claim
lowercase output, `docs/supabase/db/diff.md` still lists `migra`-era
"known failure cases" that alpha.46 fully models, the `supabase init`
template's commented `format_options` example shows `maxWidth: 80`
against an actual default of 180, and the CLI upgrade recipe appends
`--experimental` even when the config already enables pg-delta.

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

https://claude.ai/code/session_01SUuaVmXLRbV6tZjzhka3cp

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

* **Documentation**
* Clarified `pg-delta` and legacy `migra` behavior, configuration, and
switching guidance.
* Expanded declarative schema workflows, including synchronization,
migration generation, baselines, deployment, and legacy-engine support.
* Documented managed schemas, permissions, extensions, transaction
handling, dependency ordering, and troubleshooting.
* Added guidance for strict coverage checks, output directories,
non-interactive workflows, and declarative pull modes.
* Added a dedicated diff engines guide and updated CLI navigation,
backup and restore, branching, deployment, and CI documentation.
<!-- end of auto-generated comment: release notes by coderabbit.ai -->

---------

Co-authored-by: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: Wen Bo Xie <wenbox323@gmail.com>
2026-09-21 12:07:10 +02:00

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---
title: Local Development & CLI
subtitle: Learn how to develop locally and use the Supabase CLI
---
To develop your applications using the locally running Supabase stack, you'll need to install the [Supabase CLI](#cli) and a container runtime.
<Admonition type="note">
A container manager compatible with Docker APIs is a prerequisite:
- [Docker Desktop](https://docs.docker.com/desktop/) (macOS, Windows, Linux) - preferred option
- [Rancher Desktop](https://rancherdesktop.io/) (macOS, Windows, Linux)
- [Podman](https://podman.io/) (macOS, Windows, Linux)
- [OrbStack](https://orbstack.dev/) (macOS)
</Admonition>
## Quickstart
<Admonition type="note">
Pick an install method and use the same tab in every step below. **Homebrew** gives you a global `supabase` command. **npm, pnpm, and yarn** install the CLI into your project as a dev dependency, so you run it through your package runner (`npx supabase`, `pnpm supabase`, or `yarn supabase`). See [Install and run the CLI](/docs/guides/local-development/cli/getting-started) for details.
</Admonition>
1. Install the Supabase CLI:
<Tabs scrollable size="small" type="underlined" defaultActiveId="npm" queryGroup="package-manager"><TabPanel id="npm" label="npm">
```sh
npm install supabase --save-dev
```
</TabPanel><TabPanel id="yarn" label="yarn">
```sh
NODE_OPTIONS=--no-experimental-fetch yarn add supabase --dev
```
</TabPanel><TabPanel id="pnpm" label="pnpm">
```sh
pnpm add supabase --save-dev --allow-build=supabase
```
<Admonition type="note">
The `--allow-build=supabase` flag is required on pnpm version 10 or higher. If you're using an older version of pnpm, omit this flag.
</Admonition>
</TabPanel><TabPanel id="brew" label="brew">
```sh
brew install supabase/tap/supabase
```
</TabPanel></Tabs>
2. In your repo, initialize the local Supabase project:
<Tabs scrollable size="small" type="underlined" defaultActiveId="npm" queryGroup="package-manager"><TabPanel id="npm" label="npm">
```sh
npx supabase init
```
</TabPanel><TabPanel id="yarn" label="yarn">
```sh
yarn supabase init
```
</TabPanel><TabPanel id="pnpm" label="pnpm">
```sh
pnpm supabase init
```
</TabPanel><TabPanel id="brew" label="brew">
```sh
supabase init
```
</TabPanel>
</Tabs>
3. Start the local Supabase stack:
<Tabs scrollable size="small" type="underlined" defaultActiveId="npm" queryGroup="package-manager"><TabPanel id="npm" label="npm">
```sh
npx supabase start
```
</TabPanel><TabPanel id="yarn" label="yarn">
```sh
yarn supabase start
```
</TabPanel><TabPanel id="pnpm" label="pnpm">
```sh
pnpm supabase start
```
</TabPanel><TabPanel id="brew" label="brew">
```sh
supabase start
```
</TabPanel>
</Tabs>
4. View your local Supabase instance at [http://localhost:54323](http://localhost:54323).
<Admonition type="caution">
If your local development machine is connected to an untrusted public network, you should create a separate Docker network and bind to 127.0.0.1 before starting the local development stack. This restricts network access to only your localhost machine.
```sh
docker network create -o 'com.docker.network.bridge.host_binding_ipv4=127.0.0.1' local-network
npx supabase start --network-id local-network
```
You should never expose your local development stack publicly.
</Admonition>
## Local development
Local development with Supabase allows you to work on your projects in a self-contained environment on your local machine. Working locally has several advantages:
1. Faster development: You can make changes and see results instantly without waiting for remote deployments.
2. Offline work: You can continue development even without an internet connection.
3. Cost-effective: Local development is free and doesn't consume your project's quota.
4. Enhanced privacy: Sensitive data remains on your local machine during development.
5. Safe testing: You can experiment with different configurations and features without affecting your production environment.
Once set up, you can initialize a new Supabase project, start the local stack, and begin developing your application using local Supabase services. This includes access to a local Postgres database, Auth, Storage, and other Supabase features.
## CLI
The Supabase CLI is a tool that enables developers to run Supabase services locally and manage hosted projects directly from the terminal. It provides a suite of commands for various tasks, including:
- Setting up and managing local development environments
- Generating TypeScript types for your database schema
- Handling [database migrations](/docs/guides/local-development/database-migrations) and [declarative database schemas](/docs/guides/local-development/declarative-database-schemas)
- Managing environment variables and secrets
- Deploying your project to the Supabase platform
With the CLI, you can streamline your development workflow, automate repetitive tasks, and maintain consistency across different environments. It's an essential tool for both local development and CI/CD pipelines.
See the [CLI Getting Started guide](/docs/guides/local-development/cli/getting-started) for more information.