Lovable realtime

Real-Time Database Sync Not Updating in Lovable

Data changes in your Lovable app don't appear in real-time for other users. When one user creates, updates, or deletes a record, other users (or even the same user in another tab) don't see the change until they manually refresh the page.

Real-time functionality is essential for chat apps, collaborative tools, dashboards, and notification systems. When it breaks, your app feels sluggish and outdated compared to modern web applications.

The issue may be subtle — some tables update in real-time while others don't, or real-time works for inserts but not updates or deletes.

Error Messages You Might See

Realtime connection closed Subscription error: not authorized Channel error: timeout Max Realtime connections reached
Realtime connection closedSubscription error: not authorizedChannel error: timeoutMax Realtime connections reached

Common Causes

  • Supabase Realtime not enabled for table — The database table doesn't have Realtime publication enabled in Supabase settings
  • Missing subscription setup — The frontend code doesn't subscribe to real-time changes using Supabase's on() method
  • RLS blocking Realtime — Row Level Security policies prevent the subscription from receiving updates the user should see
  • Channel not cleaned up — Multiple subscriptions accumulate on component re-renders, causing memory leaks and missed events
  • Free tier limits — Supabase free tier limits concurrent Realtime connections, dropping connections when exceeded

How to Fix It

  1. Enable Realtime for the table — In Supabase dashboard → Database → Replication, enable Realtime for the specific table
  2. Set up subscription correctly — Use supabase.channel('table-changes').on('postgres_changes', { event: '*', schema: 'public', table: 'your_table' }, callback).subscribe()
  3. Check RLS policies — Ensure your RLS policies allow SELECT for the subscribed user on the rows they need to see
  4. Clean up subscriptions — In React, return a cleanup function from useEffect that removes the subscription when the component unmounts
  5. Monitor connection status — Subscribe to channel status changes to detect and handle disconnections

Real developers can help you.

Nam Tran Nam Tran 10 years as fullstack developer Matthew Jordan Matthew Jordan I've been working at a large software company named Kainos for 2 years, and mainly specialise in Platform Engineering. I regularly enjoy working on software products outside of work, and I'm a huge fan of game development using Unity. I personally enjoy Python & C# in my spare time, but I also specialise in multiple different platform-related technologies from my day job. legrab legrab I'll fill this later Prakash Prajapati Prakash Prajapati I’m a Senior Python Developer specializing in building secure, scalable, and highly available systems. I work primarily with Python, Django, FastAPI, Docker, PostgreSQL, and modern AI tooling such as PydanticAI, focusing on clean architecture, strong design principles, and reliable DevOps practices. I enjoy solving complex engineering problems and designing systems that are maintainable, resilient, and built to scale. Alvin Voo Alvin Voo I’ve watched the tech landscape evolve over the last decade—from the structured days of Java Server Pages to the current "wild west" of Agentic-driven development. While AI can "vibe" a frontend into existence, I specialize in the architecture that keeps it from collapsing. My expertise lies in the critical backend infrastructure: the parts that must be fast, secure, and scalable. I thrive on high-pressure environments, such as when I had only three weeks to architect and launch an Ethereum redemption system with minimal prior crypto knowledge, turning it into a major revenue stream. What I bring to your project: Forensic Debugging: I don't just "patch" bugs; I use tools like Datadog and Explain Analyzers to map out bottlenecks and resolve root causes—like significantly reducing memory usage by optimizing complex DB joins. Full-Stack Context: Deep experience in Node.js and React, ensuring backends play perfectly with mobile and web teams. Sanity in the Age of AI: I bridge the gap between "best practices" and modern speed, ensuring your project isn't just built fast, but built to last. Stanislav Prigodich Stanislav Prigodich 15+ years building iOS and web apps at startups and enterprise companies. I want to use that experience to help builders ship real products - when something breaks, I'm here to fix it. Dor Yaloz Dor Yaloz SW engineer with 6+ years of experience, I worked with React/Node/Python did projects with React+Capacitor.js for ios Supabase expert prajwalfullstack prajwalfullstack Hi Im a full stack developer, a vibe coded MVP to Market ready product, I'm here to help Simon A. Simon A. I'm a backend developer building APIs, emulators, and interactive game systems. Professionally, I've developed Java/Spring reporting solutions, managed relational and NoSQL databases, and implemented CI/CD workflows. Sage Fulcher Sage Fulcher Hey I'm Sage! Im a Boston area software engineer who grew up in South Florida. Ive worked at a ton of cool places like a telehealth kidney care startup that took part in a billion dollar merger (Cricket health/Interwell health), a boutique design agency where I got to work on a ton of exciting startups including a photography education app, a collegiate Esports league and more (Philosophie), a data analytics as a service startup in Cambridge (MA) as well as at Phillips and MIT Lincoln Lab where I designed and developed novel network security visualizations and analytics. I've been writing code and furiously devoted to using computers to make people’s lives easier for about 17 years. My degree is in making computers make pretty lights and sounds. Outside of work I love hip hop, the Celtics, professional wrestling, magic the gathering, photography, drumming, and guitars (both making and playing them)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many real-time connections can I have on the free tier?

Supabase free tier allows up to 200 concurrent Realtime connections. Each browser tab or user session uses at least one connection. If you exceed this, new connections are rejected.

Does Realtime work with Row Level Security?

Yes, but the RLS policies must allow the subscribing user to SELECT the rows they want to receive updates for. If RLS blocks the query, the subscription won't receive events.

Related Lovable Issues

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