Build a User Management App with React

Explore drop-in UI components for your Supabase app.

UI components built on shadcn/ui that connect to Supabase via a single command.

This tutorial demonstrates how to build a basic user management app. The app authenticates and identifies the user, stores their profile information in the database, and allows the user to log in, update their profile details, and upload a profile photo. The app uses:

Supabase Database - a Postgres database for storing your user data and Row Level Security so data is protected and users can only access their own information.
Supabase Auth - allow users to sign up and log in.
Supabase Storage - allow users to upload a profile photo.

Supabase User Management example

If you get stuck while working through this guide, you can find the full example on GitHub.

Project setup#

Before you start building you need to set up the Database and API. You can do this by starting a new Project in Supabase and then creating a "schema" inside the database.

Create a project#

Create a new project in the Supabase Dashboard.
Enter your project details.
Wait for the new database to launch.

Set up the database schema#

Now set up the database schema. You can use the "User Management Starter" quickstart in the SQL Editor, or you can copy/paste the SQL from below and run it.

Go to the SQL Editor page in the Dashboard.
Click User Management Starter under the Reference > Examples tab.
Click Run.

You can pull the database schema down to your local project by running the db pull command. Read the local development docs for detailed instructions.

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supabase link --project-ref <project-id>
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# You can get <project-id> from your project's dashboard URL: https://supabase.com/dashboard/project/<project-id>
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supabase db pull

Get API details#

To interact with data in database tables, you use the client libraries that wrap the auto-generated Data API endpoints, authenticating using the Project URL and key from the project Connect dialog.

Project URL

Publishable key

Read the API keys docs for a full explanation of all key types, their uses, and where to find them.

Building the app#

Start building the React app from scratch.

Initialize a React app#

Use Vite to initialize an app called supabase-react:

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npm create vite@latest supabase-react -- --template react
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cd supabase-react

Install supabase-js:

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npm install @supabase/supabase-js

Save the environment variables in a .env.local file, using the Project URL and the key that you copied earlier.

.env

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VITE_SUPABASE_URL=
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VITE_SUPABASE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=

View source

With the API credentials in place, create a helper file to initialize the Supabase client. The application exposes these variables in the browser, and that's fine as Supabase enables Row Level Security by default on all tables.

Create and edit src/supabaseClient.js:

src/supabaseClient.js

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/**
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 * lib/supabaseClient.js
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 * Helper to initialize the Supabase client.
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 */
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import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js'
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const supabaseUrl = import.meta.env.VITE_SUPABASE_URL
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const supabasePublishableKey = import.meta.env.VITE_SUPABASE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY
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export const supabase = createClient(supabaseUrl, supabasePublishableKey)

View source

App styling (optional)#

An optional step is to update the CSS file src/index.css to make the app look better. You can find the full contents of this file in the example repository.

You need a React component to manage logins and sign-ups. It uses Magic Links, so users can sign in with their email without using passwords.

Did you know?

You can customize other emails sent out to new users, including the email's looks, content, and query parameters from the Authentication > Email section of the Dashboard.

Create and edit src/Auth.jsx:

src/Auth.jsx

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import { useState } from 'react'
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import { supabase } from './supabaseClient'
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export default function Auth() {
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  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false)
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  const [email, setEmail] = useState('')
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  const handleLogin = async (event) => {
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    event.preventDefault()
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    setLoading(true)
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    const { error } = await supabase.auth.signInWithOtp({ email })
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    if (error) {
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      alert(error.error_description || error.message)
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    } else {
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      alert('Check your email for the login link!')
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    }
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    setLoading(false)
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  }
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  return (
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    <div className="row flex flex-center">
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      <div className="col-6 form-widget">
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        <h1 className="header">Supabase + React</h1>
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        <p className="description">Sign in via magic link with your email below</p>
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        <form className="form-widget" onSubmit={handleLogin}>
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          <div>
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            <input
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              className="inputField"
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              type="email"
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              placeholder="Your email"
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              value={email}
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              required={true}
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              onChange={(e) => setEmail(e.target.value)}
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            />
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          </div>
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          <div>
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            <button className={'button block'} disabled={loading}>
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              {loading ? <span>Loading</span> : <span>Send magic link</span>}
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            </button>
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          </div>
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        </form>
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      </div>
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    </div>
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  )
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}

View source

Account page#

After a user signs in, they need a way to edit their profile details and manage their accounts.

Create a new component called src/Account.jsx and add the following code:

src/Account.jsx

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import { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
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import { supabase } from './supabaseClient'
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// ...
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export default function Account({ user }) {
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  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true)
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  const [username, setUsername] = useState(null)
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  const [website, setWebsite] = useState(null)
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  const [avatar_url, setAvatarUrl] = useState(null)
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  useEffect(() => {
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    let ignore = false
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    async function getProfile() {
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      setLoading(true)
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      const { data, error } = await supabase
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        .from('profiles')
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        .select(`username, website, avatar_url`)
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        .eq('id', user.id)
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        .single()
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      if (!ignore) {
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        if (error) {
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          console.warn(error)
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        } else if (data) {
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          setUsername(data.username)
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          setWebsite(data.website)
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          setAvatarUrl(data.avatar_url)
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        }
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      }
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      setLoading(false)
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    }
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    getProfile()
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    return () => {
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      ignore = true
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    }
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  }, [user])
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  async function updateProfile(event, avatarUrl) {
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    event.preventDefault()
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    setLoading(true)
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    const updates = {
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      id: user.id,
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      username,
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      website,
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      avatar_url: avatarUrl,
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      updated_at: new Date(),
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    }
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    const { error } = await supabase.from('profiles').upsert(updates)
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    if (error) {
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      alert(error.message)
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    } else {
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      setAvatarUrl(avatarUrl)
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    }
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    setLoading(false)
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  }
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  return (
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    <form onSubmit={updateProfile} className="form-widget">
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      {/* ... */}
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      <div>
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        <label htmlFor="email">Email</label>
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        <input id="email" type="text" value={user.email} disabled />
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      </div>
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      <div>
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        <label htmlFor="username">Name</label>
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        <input
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          id="username"
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          type="text"
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          required
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          value={username || ''}
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          onChange={(e) => setUsername(e.target.value)}
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        />
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      </div>
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      <div>
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        <label htmlFor="website">Website</label>
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        <input
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          id="website"
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          type="url"
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          value={website || ''}
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          onChange={(e) => setWebsite(e.target.value)}
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        />
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      </div>
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      <div>
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        <button className="button block primary" type="submit" disabled={loading}>
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          {loading ? 'Loading ...' : 'Update'}
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        </button>
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      </div>
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      <div>
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        <button className="button block" type="button" onClick={() => supabase.auth.signOut()}>
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          Sign Out
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        </button>
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      </div>
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    </form>
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  )
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}

View source

Profile photos#

Add a way for users to upload a profile photo. Supabase configures every project with Storage for managing large files like photos and videos.

Create src/Avatar.jsx and add the following code:

src/Avatar.jsx

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import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
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import { supabase } from './supabaseClient'
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export default function Avatar({ url, size, onUpload }) {
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  const [avatarUrl, setAvatarUrl] = useState(null)
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  const [uploading, setUploading] = useState(false)
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  useEffect(() => {
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    if (url) downloadImage(url)
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  }, [url])
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  async function downloadImage(path) {
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    try {
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      const { data, error } = await supabase.storage.from('avatars').download(path)
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      if (error) {
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        throw error
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      }
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      const url = URL.createObjectURL(data)
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      setAvatarUrl(url)
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    } catch (error) {
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      console.log('Error downloading image: ', error.message)
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    }
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  }
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  async function uploadAvatar(event) {
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    try {
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      setUploading(true)
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      if (!event.target.files || event.target.files.length === 0) {
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        throw new Error('You must select an image to upload.')
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      }
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      const file = event.target.files[0]
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      const fileExt = file.name.split('.').pop()
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      const fileName = `${Math.random()}.${fileExt}`
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      const filePath = `${fileName}`
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      let { error: uploadError } = await supabase.storage.from('avatars').upload(filePath, file)
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      if (uploadError) {
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        throw uploadError
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      }
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      onUpload(event, filePath)
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    } catch (error) {
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      alert(error.message)
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    } finally {
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      setUploading(false)
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    }
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  }
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  return (
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    <div>
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      {avatarUrl ? (
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        <img
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          src={avatarUrl}
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          alt="Avatar"
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          className="avatar image"
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          style={{ height: size, width: size }}
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        />
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      ) : (
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        <div className="avatar no-image" style={{ height: size, width: size }} />
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      )}
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      <div style={{ width: size }}>
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        <label className="button primary block" htmlFor="single">
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          {uploading ? 'Uploading ...' : 'Upload'}
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        </label>
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        <input
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          style={{
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            visibility: 'hidden',
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            position: 'absolute',
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          }}
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          type="file"
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          id="single"
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          accept="image/*"
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          onChange={uploadAvatar}
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          disabled={uploading}
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        />
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      </div>
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    </div>
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  )
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}

View source

Update the Account component#

With the Avatar component created, update src/Account.jsx to include it:

src/Account.jsx

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import { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
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import { supabase } from './supabaseClient'
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import Avatar from './Avatar'
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export default function Account({ user }) {
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  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true)
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  const [username, setUsername] = useState(null)
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  const [website, setWebsite] = useState(null)
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  const [avatar_url, setAvatarUrl] = useState(null)
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  useEffect(() => {
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    let ignore = false
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    async function getProfile() {
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      setLoading(true)
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      const { data, error } = await supabase
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        .from('profiles')
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        .select(`username, website, avatar_url`)
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        .eq('id', user.id)
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        .single()
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      if (!ignore) {
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        if (error) {
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          console.warn(error)
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        } else if (data) {
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          setUsername(data.username)
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          setWebsite(data.website)
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          setAvatarUrl(data.avatar_url)
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        }
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      }
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      setLoading(false)
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    }
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    getProfile()
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    return () => {
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      ignore = true
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    }
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  }, [user])
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  async function updateProfile(event, avatarUrl) {
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    event.preventDefault()
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    setLoading(true)
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    const updates = {
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      id: user.id,
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      username,
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      website,
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      avatar_url: avatarUrl,
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      updated_at: new Date(),
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    }
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    const { error } = await supabase.from('profiles').upsert(updates)
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    if (error) {
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      alert(error.message)
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    } else {
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      setAvatarUrl(avatarUrl)
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    }
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    setLoading(false)
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  }
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  return (
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    <form onSubmit={updateProfile} className="form-widget">
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      <Avatar
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        url={avatar_url}
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        size={150}
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        onUpload={(event, url) => {
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          updateProfile(event, url)
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        }}
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      />
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      <div>
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        <label htmlFor="email">Email</label>
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        <input id="email" type="text" value={user.email} disabled />
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      </div>
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      <div>
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        <label htmlFor="username">Name</label>
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        <input
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          id="username"
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          type="text"
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          required
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          value={username || ''}
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          onChange={(e) => setUsername(e.target.value)}
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        />
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      </div>
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      <div>
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        <label htmlFor="website">Website</label>
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        <input
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          id="website"
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          type="url"
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          value={website || ''}
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          onChange={(e) => setWebsite(e.target.value)}
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        />
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      </div>
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      <div>
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        <button className="button block primary" type="submit" disabled={loading}>
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          {loading ? 'Loading ...' : 'Update'}
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        </button>
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      </div>
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      <div>
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        <button className="button block" type="button" onClick={() => supabase.auth.signOut()}>
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          Sign Out
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        </button>
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      </div>
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    </form>
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  )
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}

View source

Launch!#

With all the components in place, change the contents of src/App.jsx to include the new components and Auth logic.

The Supabase Auth SDK contains three different functions for authenticating user access to applications:

Summary of the methods#

Use getClaims to protect pages and user data. It reads the access token from storage and verifies it. Locally via the WebCrypto API and a cached JWKS endpoint when the project uses asymmetric signing keys (the default for new projects), or by calling getUser solely to validate when symmetric keys are in use. The returned claims always come from decoding the JWT, not from a user lookup.
getUser makes a network call to the project's Auth instance to get the user record, which includes the most up-to-date information about the user at the cost of a network call.
getSession when you need the raw session (the access token, refresh token, and expiry). For example to forward the access token to another service. The session is loaded directly from local storage and isn't re-validated against the Auth server, so the embedded user object shouldn't be trusted on its own when storage is shared with the client (cookies, request headers). To verify identity, validate the access token with getClaims, or call getUser for a fresh, server-confirmed user record.

In summary: use getClaims to verify identity (typically for protecting pages and data), getUser when you need an up-to-date user record from the Auth server, and getSession when you need the access or refresh token directly, but don't rely on the user object it returns for authorization decisions.

src/App.jsx

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function App() {
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  const [claims, setClaims] = useState(null)
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  useEffect(() => {
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    const loadClaims = async () => {
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      const {
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        data: { claims },
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      } = await supabase.auth.getClaims()
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      setClaims(claims)
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    }
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    loadClaims()
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    const {
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      data: { subscription },
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    } = supabase.auth.onAuthStateChange(() => {
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      loadClaims()
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    })
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    return () => subscription.unsubscribe()
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  }, [])
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  return (
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    <div className="container" style={{ padding: '50px 0 100px 0' }}>
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      {!claims ? <Auth /> : <Account key={claims.sub} claims={claims} />}
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    </div>
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  )
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}

View source

Once that's done, run this in a terminal window:

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npm run dev

And then open the browser to localhost:5173 and you should see the completed app.

Screenshot of the Supabase React application running in a browser

At this stage you have a fully functional application!

Build a User Management App with React

Project setup#

Create a project#

Set up the database schema#

Get API details#

Building the app#

Initialize a React app#

App styling (optional)#

Account page#

Profile photos#

Create an upload widget#

Update the Account component#

Launch!#

Summary of the methods#

Is this helpful?

AI Tools

Project setup#

Create a project#

Set up the database schema#

Get API details#

Building the app#

Initialize a React app#

App styling (optional)#

Set up a login component#

Account page#

Profile photos#

Create an upload widget#

Update the Account component#

Launch!#

Summary of the methods#

Is this helpful?

AI Tools