Setting Up Cloud Sync with Supabase

Supabase is the easiest way to get cloud sync running. It provides a managed PostgreSQL database with PostgREST built in, a web dashboard, and a generous free tier. No server administration is required.

The Project Notes Remote Host admin tool handles all database schema setup and user management. You do not need to run any SQL manually.

When you are done with setup, see Remote Host for a full reference of all sync features and settings.

Prerequisites

  • A Supabase account (supabase.com)
  • The Project Notes Remote Host admin tool installed
  • Project Notes installed and running

Step 1: Create a Supabase Project

  1. Sign in to your Supabase account at supabase.com.
  2. Click New project.
  3. Choose or create an Organization.
  4. Enter a Project Name (e.g., project-notes).
  5. Set a strong Database Password and save it somewhere secure.
  6. Choose the Region closest to your primary work location.
  7. Click Create new project.

Supabase will provision your database. This typically takes one to two minutes.

Step 2: Retrieve Your Admin Credentials

Once the project is ready:

  1. In the left sidebar, click the gear icon (Project Settings).
  2. Click API under the Settings menu.
  3. Note the following values — you will need them in the admin tool:
Value Where to Find It
Project URL Listed as "Project URL" near the top of the API settings page (e.g., https://abcdefgh.supabase.co)
Service Role Key Listed under "Project API Keys" as service_role — used by the admin tool to configure the database
Anon / Public Key Listed under "Project API Keys" as anon public — entered into Project Notes

Security note: The service_role key has full database access. Only enter it in the admin tool during setup — do not share it or enter it into Project Notes.

Step 3: Run the Admin Tool

The Project Notes Remote Host admin tool initializes the database schema and creates user accounts. Run it once from any machine.

  1. Open the Project Notes Remote Host application.
  2. On the Connection page:
  3. Select Supabase as the hosting mode.
  4. Enter your Supabase Project URL.
  5. Enter your Service Role Key.
  6. Click Test Connection to verify, then click Next.
  7. On the Configure page, review the connection details and click Next.
  8. On the Install page, the tool runs through 21 setup steps — creating roles, the sync table, row-level security policies, and Supabase Auth integration. Watch the progress log and wait for setup to complete, then click Next.
  9. On the Users page, add each person who will sync Project Notes data:
  10. Click Add User, enter a username (email address) and password, and click Save.
  11. Repeat for each user.
  12. Click Next when done.
  13. On the Summary page, copy and save the displayed configuration values. Click Next.
  14. The wizard is complete. You can close the admin tool.

Step 4: Configure Cloud Sync in Project Notes

Each user configures Project Notes with their own credentials:

  1. Open Project Notes.
  2. From the File menu, choose Cloud Sync Settings...
  3. Check Sync data with cloud host.
  4. Set Sync Host Type to Supabase.
  5. Enter the Server URL — your Supabase Project URL (e.g., https://abcdefgh.supabase.co).
  6. Enter your Username (Email) and Password — the credentials created for this user in the admin tool.
  7. Enter the Supabase Anon Key — the anon public key from Step 2.
  8. Optionally enter an Encryption Phrase to encrypt data at rest on the server. Store this phrase safely — it cannot be recovered, and every machine syncing to this project must use the same phrase.
  9. Click OK.

Project Notes will verify the connection. If it succeeds, sync will begin automatically.

Step 5: Verify Sync Is Working

  1. After saving settings, observe the sync progress bar in the bottom-right corner of the status bar.
  2. The bar fills as records are pushed to Supabase and disappears when sync is complete.
  3. To force a full sync, choose File > Sync All.

If the connection fails, a warning dialog will appear. Double-check your Project URL, Anon Key, and credentials, then retry.

Managing Users

To add, remove, or change passwords for users after initial setup:

  1. Open the Project Notes Remote Host admin tool.
  2. On the Connection page, enter your Supabase credentials and check Already set up, then click Next twice to skip to the Users page.
  3. Add, edit, or remove users as needed.

Notes and Limitations

  • The Supabase free tier has limits on database size and API requests. For teams with large databases or high sync frequency, consider upgrading to a paid Supabase plan.
  • The Encryption Phrase encrypts data before it is sent to Supabase. All machines syncing to the same project must use the same phrase.
  • Supabase Project URLs and anon keys are stable — they do not change unless you delete and recreate the project.