Building Backend Muscle Into Low-Code Apps with Supabase
Sep 17, 2025
The Backend Bottleneck in Low-Code
Low-code tools like FlutterFlow and Retool promise speed, but when it comes to backend needs, authentication, storage, complex queries, teams often hit a wall. Spinning up traditional backend infrastructure can slow down prototyping and stretch thin dev resources. That’s the gap Stackdrop set out to bridge.
The Stackdrop Approach
At Stackdrop, we build internal tools and product-facing apps with speed and flexibility. Our clients range from early-stage startups to large ops teams, and while frontends may vary, one theme is constant: they need a backend that just works.
That’s why Supabase has become a core part of our tech stack. It gives our developers a full backend, Postgres database, authentication, File storage, and Serverless functions, while staying true to the low-code ethos of speed and simplicity.
Why Supabase?
Supabase works across all the platforms we use, from Retool and FlutterFlow to custom backends in Python.
Depending on the project, we either connect directly to its SQL database or use its API-first interface for more frontend-friendly integrations.
It gives us:
A fast setup with instant projects and data browser
Built-in SQL database with structured querying
Auth, storage, and edge functions out of the box
Optional self-hosting for compliance-heavy clients
It’s the backend we’d want to build, but don’t have to.
Real-World Application: Supabase + FlutterFlow
In one of our client projects built with FlutterFlow, we used Supabase for nearly everything backend-related:
Auth handled securely and seamlessly
Storage for media files
Structured data via PostgreSQL
Business logic through Supabase Functions
FlutterFlow connects to Supabase via native integrations using API keys. Basic queries bind directly to tables, while more advanced needs, like cross-table filtering, tap into Supabase’s RPC feature, which lets us run stored procedures (database functions) right from the frontend.
For more dynamic workflows, we use Supabase Functions as lightweight serverless logic, triggered by custom actions in FlutterFlow. This dual approach keeps things flexible and powerful, no backend spinning required.
What About Retool?
On the Retool side, our use of Supabase is more straightforward: direct SQL queries against the Supabase-hosted Postgres DB. It’s reliable, fast, and benefits from all the hosting and observability built into Supabase.
This dual-use approach, API-based for FlutterFlow, SQL-based for Retool, gives our team the flexibility to use the same backend differently depending on the tool.
Supabase Functions: Lightweight Power for Custom Logic
Supabase Functions are developer-friendly serverless functions, similar to AWS Lambda, but built right into the Supabase ecosystem. They let us:
Run serverless logic on-demand
Handle custom workflows and API-like behavior
Avoid spinning up separate servers or services
They’re fast to deploy and easy to maintain, ideal for low-code projects that need just enough backend logic without complexity.
Outcome: Faster, Cleaner, More Scalable Builds
With Supabase, we’ve:
Saved hours on backend setup and auth handling
Enabled full-stack builds with minimal friction
Supported scalable, production-ready features from day one
Given our developers backend freedom without backend weight
It helped us stay fast without sacrificing power, exactly what our clients hire us for.
Final Thoughts
Supabase isn't just a database. It’s an all-in-one backend that empowers teams to move fast, especially in low-code environments that demand flexibility and production-readiness.
For Stackdrop, it’s a key part of how we deliver quality without compromise.
We’re always exploring new ways to combine powerful infrastructure with rapid development, and Supabase continues to help us bridge that gap.