> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nativeline.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Integrations FAQs

> Questions about Supabase, APIs, and external services

# Integrations FAQs

Questions about connecting external services to your apps.

***

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do I need a backend for my app?">
    Not always. You need a backend if you want:

    * User accounts that sync across devices
    * Data shared between users
    * Cloud storage for files
    * Push notifications
    * Admin dashboards

    If your app only stores data locally on the device, you don't need a backend.

    See our [Do You Need a Backend?](/integrations/do-you-need-backend) guide.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is Supabase?">
    Supabase is a backend-as-a-service that provides:

    * **Database** — Store your data in the cloud
    * **Authentication** — User signup/login
    * **File Storage** — Upload images, files
    * **Realtime** — Live updates

    It's free to start and scales with your needs. Nativeline has built-in Supabase integration.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I connect Supabase?">
    1. Create an account at [supabase.com](https://supabase.com)
    2. Create a new project
    3. Copy your Project URL and anon key
    4. In Nativeline's **Project Settings** tab → **Database** panel, paste your access token
    5. Ask the AI to use Supabase for your features

    See our [Supabase Setup Guide](/integrations/supabase/setup) for step-by-step instructions.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is Supabase free?">
    Supabase has a generous free tier:

    * 500MB database
    * 1GB file storage
    * Unlimited API requests
    * 2 free projects

    This is enough for most personal apps and prototypes. Paid plans are available as you scale.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I use Firebase instead of Supabase?">
    Nativeline is optimized for Supabase, which is recommended. Firebase can work but requires more manual configuration and the AI may be less helpful with Firebase-specific code.

    For the smoothest experience, use Supabase.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I add user authentication?">
    With Supabase connected:

    1. Enable the auth providers you want in Supabase dashboard
    2. Ask the AI: "Add login and signup screens using Supabase"
    3. The AI will create the necessary screens and logic

    Supported methods:

    * Email/password
    * Magic link (email)
    * Apple Sign In
    * Google Sign In

    See [Authentication Guide](/integrations/supabase/authentication) for details.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I store data in the cloud?">
    With Supabase:

    1. Create a table in Supabase dashboard
    2. Tell the AI about your data structure
    3. Ask the AI to save/fetch data from Supabase

    Example: "Store user recipes in Supabase with name, ingredients, and instructions fields."
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I use my own server?">
    Yes, though it requires more effort:

    * Tell the AI your API endpoints
    * Describe the expected request/response formats
    * The AI will generate networking code

    This is more advanced and may require some troubleshooting.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I integrate OpenAI/ChatGPT?">
    1. Get an API key from [platform.openai.com](https://platform.openai.com)
    2. Tell the AI: "Add OpenAI integration with my key: sk-xxxxx"
    3. Describe what you want: chatbot, content generator, etc.

    See our [OpenAI Integration Guide](/integrations/external-apis/openai) for full details.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I accept payments?">
    Yes, using Stripe:

    1. Create a Stripe account
    2. Get your API keys
    3. Ask the AI to add Stripe payment integration

    Note: For digital goods sold within the app, Apple requires using In-App Purchases (which take 15-30% commission).

    See our [Stripe Guide](/integrations/external-apis/stripe) for details.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I add maps to my app?">
    Apple MapKit is built into iOS:

    * Ask the AI: "Add a map showing the user's location"
    * The AI will use Apple's native mapping framework
    * No API key needed

    See [Maps & Location](/integrations/external-apis/maps) for more features.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I add weather data?">
    Yes! Two options:

    * **WeatherKit** (Apple's service) — Free tier, easy to use
    * **OpenWeather** — Requires API key, more customization

    Ask the AI: "Add weather display for the user's location using WeatherKit"

    See [Weather APIs](/integrations/external-apis/weather) for setup.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I add push notifications?">
    Push notifications require:

    1. Apple Developer account
    2. Push notification capability enabled
    3. A backend to send notifications (like Supabase or your own server)

    Ask the AI: "Set up push notifications for my app"

    Note: You can test with local notifications without a server.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I integrate any API?">
    Yes, most REST APIs can be integrated:

    1. Get API documentation from the provider
    2. Get your API key/credentials
    3. Tell the AI about the API endpoints you need
    4. Describe what you want to do with the data

    The AI can generate networking code for most APIs.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My API calls aren't working. What's wrong?">
    Common issues:

    * **Wrong URL** — Check the endpoint address
    * **Missing/wrong API key** — Verify credentials
    * **Network permissions** — iOS needs permission for network
    * **CORS** — Not usually an issue for native apps
    * **Rate limiting** — Slow down requests

    Check the build output for specific error messages.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I secure my API keys?">
    Best practices:

    * Never commit keys to public repositories
    * For very sensitive APIs, route through your own server
    * Supabase Row Level Security protects user data
    * Use environment-specific keys (test vs production)

    For client-side apps, keys are exposed in the binary. For truly sensitive operations, use a server-side proxy.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Related FAQs

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Building Apps" icon="hammer" href="/faqs/building">
    Creating features
  </Card>

  <Card title="Technical" icon="code" href="/faqs/technical">
    Code questions
  </Card>

  <Card title="Supabase Overview" icon="database" href="/integrations/supabase/overview">
    Full Supabase docs
  </Card>

  <Card title="External APIs" icon="plug" href="/integrations/external-apis/overview">
    Third-party integrations
  </Card>
</CardGroup>