BREAKING: Supabase MINOR π΄ Realtime latencyβworkarounds inside [01M4S5FT4GCZ8BWV2W1RB5WXNE]
Supabase Realtime experiencing elevated latency. Partial disruption affecting live subscriptions. Immediate workarounds and monitoring steps for indie hackers.
INCIDENT REPORT: Supabase Realtime Latency
Status: MINOR | Monitoring | Partial Disruption Time: Active (ongoing) Impact Level: Low to Medium
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WHAT'S DOWN & WHO IS AFFECTED
Supabase's Realtime API is experiencing elevated latency (25β300ms+ delays reported). This affects:
.on('*'), .on('INSERT'), etc.)supabase-js with realtime listenersYour REST API and standard database queries are unaffected. Only real-time change notifications are slow.
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IMMEDIATE WORKAROUNDS (DO THIS NOW)
1. Implement Polling as Fallback
Switch to short-interval polling for critical features:```javascript // Add this alongside your realtime listener const pollInterval = setInterval(async () => { const { data } = await supabase .from('your_table') .select('*') .gte('updated_at', lastCheck); processData(data); }, 2000); // 2-second fallback poll ```
2. Disable Realtime Temporarily
If realtime isn't critical, comment out subscriptions:```javascript // const subscription = supabase.on(...) // TEMP DISABLED ```
3. Use Direct REST API Instead
Replace realtime with REST polling for non-critical updates:```javascript const { data } = await supabase.from('table').select('*'); ```
4. Reduce Subscription Scope
Narrow your listeners to specific columns/conditions:```javascript // Instead of: .on('*') // Use: .on('INSERT', payload => ..., { event: 'INSERT', schema: 'public', table: 'your_table', filter: 'user_id=eq.123' }) ```
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HOW TO CHECK IF YOUR PROJECT IS AFFECTED
1. Check Supabase Status Page: https://status.supabase.com 2. Test Realtime Latency:
```javascript
const start = Date.now();
const subscription = supabase
.from('test_table')
.on('INSERT', payload => {
console.log(Latency: ${Date.now() - start}ms);
subscription.unsubscribe();
})
.subscribe();
// Insert a test record and measure response time ```
3. Check your database logs for delayed webhook triggers 4. Monitor user reports of slow real-time updates
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ALTERNATIVE TOOLS TO CONSIDER
If Realtime becomes unreliable for your use case:
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MONITOR RECOVERY
1. Watch Status Page: Updates every 5 minutes at https://status.supabase.com 2. Subscribe to Updates: Enable email alerts on the status page 3. Test Periodically: Run the latency test above every 10 minutes 4. Check Response Times: Monitor your app's realtime event latency in production 5. Twitter: @supabase announces major incidents
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NEXT STEPS
β Immediate: Implement polling fallback (5 min) β Short-term: Monitor status page (ongoing) β Evaluate: Whether realtime is critical for your MVP β Plan: Consider redundancy if realtime is core to your product
This is likely temporary. Supabase's realtime infrastructure is generally stable. Stay calm, implement the workarounds, and keep shipping.