---
id: replication
title: "Replication"
slug: replication
---

# Replication

Replication is technique for copying the data from one database to another. This is useful for:

- Spreading out the "load". For example, if your database has a lot of reads, you might want to split it between two databases.
- Reducing latency. For example, you may want one database in London to serve your European customers, and one in New York to serve the US.
- In Supabase's case, we use the built-in replication functionality to provide a real-time API.


## Publications

Publications are a way of choosing which changes should be sent to other systems (usually another Postgres database).


### Managing Publications 

Supabase provides an interface for managing your publications, or you can use SQL.

<Tabs
defaultActiveId="UI"
values={[
  {label: 'UI', value: 'UI'},
  {label: 'SQL', value: 'SQL'},
]}>
<TabPanel id="UI" label="UI">

```sh
1. Go to the "Database" section.
2. Click on "Replication" in the sidebar.
3. Control which database events are sent by toggling the Insert/Update/Delete toggles.
4. Control which tables broadcast changes by clicking into the "Source" and toggling the tables.
```

<video width="99%" muted playsInline controls="true">
<source src="/docs/videos/api/api-realtime.mp4" type="video/mp4" muted playsInline />
</video>

</TabPanel>
<TabPanel id="SQL" label="SQL">

```sql
alter publication supabase_realtime add table products;
```

</TabPanel>
</Tabs>

### Create a Publication

This publication will contain all changes to all tables.


<Tabs
  defaultActiveId="sql"
  groupId="reference/postgres"
  values={[{ label: 'SQL', value: 'sql' }]}>

<TabPanel id="sql" label="SQL">

```sql
create publication publication_name 
for all tables;
```


</TabPanel>

</Tabs>

### Create a Publication which listens to individual tables



<Tabs
  defaultActiveId="sql"
  groupId="reference/postgres"
  values={[{ label: 'SQL', value: 'sql' }]}>

<TabPanel id="sql" label="SQL">

```sql
create publication publication_name 
for table table_one, table_two;
```


</TabPanel>

</Tabs>

### Add tables to an existing publication



<Tabs
  defaultActiveId="sql"
  groupId="reference/postgres"
  values={[{ label: 'SQL', value: 'sql' }]}>

<TabPanel id="sql" label="SQL">

```sql
alter publication publication_name 
add table table_name;
```


</TabPanel>

</Tabs>

### Listen to `insert`



<Tabs
  defaultActiveId="sql"
  groupId="reference/postgres"
  values={[{ label: 'SQL', value: 'sql' }]}>

<TabPanel id="sql" label="SQL">

```sql
create publication publication_name 
for all tables
with (publish = 'insert');
```


</TabPanel>

</Tabs>

### Listen to `update`



<Tabs
  defaultActiveId="sql"
  groupId="reference/postgres"
  values={[{ label: 'SQL', value: 'sql' }]}>

<TabPanel id="sql" label="SQL">

```sql
create publication publication_name 
for all tables
with (publish = 'update');
```


</TabPanel>

</Tabs>

### Listen to `delete`



<Tabs
  defaultActiveId="sql"
  groupId="reference/postgres"
  values={[{ label: 'SQL', value: 'sql' }]}>

<TabPanel id="sql" label="SQL">

```sql
create publication publication_name 
for all tables
with (publish = 'delete');
```


</TabPanel>

</Tabs>

### Remove a Publication



<Tabs
  defaultActiveId="sql"
  groupId="reference/postgres"
  values={[{ label: 'SQL', value: 'sql' }]}>

<TabPanel id="sql" label="SQL">

```sql
drop publication if exists publication_name;
```


</TabPanel>

</Tabs>

### Recreate a Publication

If you are planning to re-create a publication, it's best to do it in a transaction to ensure the operation succeeds.


<Tabs
  defaultActiveId="sql"
  groupId="reference/postgres"
  values={[{ label: 'SQL', value: 'sql' }]}>

<TabPanel id="sql" label="SQL">

```sql
begin; 
  -- remove the realtime publication
  drop publication if exists publication_name; 

  -- re-create the publication but don't enable it for any tables
  create publication publication_name;  
commit;
```


</TabPanel>

</Tabs>