Creating a Multi-Tenant Architecture with Supabase and Next.js

In today's fast-paced development environment, creating applications that serve multiple customers efficiently is paramount. Multi-tenant architecture is a design pattern where a single instance of an application serves multiple tenants or clients, allowing for resource optimization and simplified maintenance. This article will guide you on how to create a multi-tenant architecture using Supabase, an open-source backend as a service, and Next.js, a popular React framework for server-side rendering.

Understanding Multi-Tenant Architecture

What is Multi-Tenant Architecture?

Multi-tenant architecture refers to a single software instance that serves multiple users (or tenants). Each tenant's data is isolated and remains invisible to others, ensuring privacy and security. This architecture is particularly useful for SaaS (Software as a Service) applications, as it allows developers to manage a single application while supporting numerous clients.

Use Cases

• SaaS Products: Applications like CRM or project management tools that cater to multiple businesses.
• E-commerce Platforms: Online stores that can host several brands or retailers under one roof.
• Content Management Systems: Platforms allowing multiple users to manage their content without interfering with others.

Setting Up Your Development Environment

Before diving into code, ensure you have the following tools installed:

• Node.js: The runtime for executing JavaScript on the server-side.
• npm or Yarn: Package managers for managing dependencies.
• Supabase Account: Sign up at Supabase.io and create a new project.
• Next.js: We'll use this framework for our frontend.

Initializing a Next.js Project

Start by creating a new Next.js application. Open your terminal and run the following command:

npx create-next-app multi-tenant-app
cd multi-tenant-app

Installing Required Packages

Next, install the Supabase client library:

npm install @supabase/supabase-js

Designing the Multi-Tenant Structure

Database Setup in Supabase

1. Create a New Table: In your Supabase dashboard, create a new table called tenants. This table will store information about each tenant.

sql CREATE TABLE tenants ( id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY, name VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, email VARCHAR(255) UNIQUE NOT NULL );

1. Create a Data Table: Let’s say we want to store user data for each tenant. Create a users table with a foreign key referencing the tenants table.

sql CREATE TABLE users ( id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY, tenant_id INTEGER REFERENCES tenants(id), name VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, email VARCHAR(255) UNIQUE NOT NULL );

Environment Variables

For security, store your Supabase URL and API key in an .env.local file:

NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL=your_supabase_url
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=your_anon_key

Building the Application

Initializing Supabase Client

Create a file named supabaseClient.js in your project’s root directory and initialize the Supabase client:

// supabaseClient.js
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js';

const supabaseUrl = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL;
const supabaseAnonKey = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY;

export const supabase = createClient(supabaseUrl, supabaseAnonKey);

Creating a Tenant

Now, let’s create a function to add a new tenant. This can be a simple API route.

Create a new file under pages/api/createTenant.js:

// pages/api/createTenant.js
import { supabase } from '../../supabaseClient';

export default async function handler(req, res) {
    if (req.method === 'POST') {
        const { name, email } = req.body;
        const { data, error } = await supabase
            .from('tenants')
            .insert([{ name, email }]);

        if (error) return res.status(400).json({ error: error.message });

        return res.status(200).json(data);
    } else {
        res.setHeader('Allow', ['POST']);
        res.status(405).end(`Method ${req.method} Not Allowed`);
    }
}

Frontend Form for Tenant Creation

In pages/index.js, create a form to submit tenant data:

import { useState } from 'react';

export default function Home() {
    const [name, setName] = useState('');
    const [email, setEmail] = useState('');

    const createTenant = async (e) => {
        e.preventDefault();
        const response = await fetch('/api/createTenant', {
            method: 'POST',
            headers: {
                'Content-Type': 'application/json',
            },
            body: JSON.stringify({ name, email }),
        });
        const data = await response.json();
        if (response.ok) {
            alert('Tenant created successfully!');
        } else {
            alert(data.error);
        }
    };

    return (
        <form onSubmit={createTenant}>
            <input
                type="text"
                value={name}
                onChange={(e) => setName(e.target.value)}
                placeholder="Tenant Name"
                required
            />
            <input
                type="email"
                value={email}
                onChange={(e) => setEmail(e.target.value)}
                placeholder="Tenant Email"
                required
            />
            <button type="submit">Create Tenant</button>
        </form>
    );
}

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• CORS Errors: Ensure that your Supabase dashboard allows requests from your Next.js app.
• Database Constraints: Double-check your foreign key relationships to prevent integrity issues.

Conclusion

Building a multi-tenant architecture with Supabase and Next.js allows you to efficiently serve multiple clients with a single codebase. This tutorial provided you with a foundational understanding of multi-tenancy and practical steps to implement it. As you expand your application, consider adding features like tenant-specific authentication, data segregation, and enhanced security measures. Happy coding!