3.0 Alpha #1: Transforming to Supabase
Tags: webdev, reactnative, programming, opensource
Published: 2022-04-09 20:01:45

Here is my update on my way working to finish the `alpha` version of the `Telescope` mobile app. 
 
## Looking at the doc

`Supabase` is amazing in doc. I have developed a good habit of taking a look at the doc before searching for any tutorial. And the [doc](https://supabase.com/docs/guides/with-expo) provide details how we can start using `Supabase` with different framework and some of them are very popular such as: React, Angular, etc.... The doc show you how to use `supabase` for authentication which is a classic, popular use case when it come to mind when talking about integrate a server into your project. Mine use case this time is much more simpler which is to contain all the quotes from `student-quotes.js` so as we can share and avoid duplicate information between our wep app and our mobile app.

## Start working on the project
Since my use case is much more simpler I might not need to have to use all of the configuration option when creating the `Supabase` client. This is when blogging become amazing. During 60% of the meeting our prof always try to press how important writing blog and be able to reach out with other developers. When working on the issue, I come a across a wonderful [article](https://medium.com/@kelvinpompey.me/things-to-look-out-for-using-supabase-with-react-native-9638b23e98c2) where he tackle all the basic incompatible between `react-native` and `supabase`. 

## "Blog about it"
After reading such an amazing article. This sentence from my prof keep running through in my mind. Your struggle might become a treasure for whoever come after and be able to read about it. So here are some highlighted issues that I have been able to tackle

### Working with .env for the very first time
 Yes, this is my first time ever working with the .env file and it also a best practice I learn from the `telescope` web team. Before I did read some guides on how to run `Telescope` but did not bother dig into it and see what is actually in those files untill I have to do it myself. Like I said, after creating a habit of reading docs, I feel more pleasant to spend time with it than a feel short `stackoverflow` answer which not gonna last in my mind more than a day after the problem has been solved. After reading the `expo` [doc](https://docs.expo.dev/guides/environment-variables/) on how to work with environment variables with expo. I have no hard time implemented it but then it coming to another problem where I would not be able to connect to the client.

### Trouble connecting the supabase client in local development
For this matter, I have been able to reach out the Kelvin through `Linkedin` to see if he have experienced the same thing but it seem he not be able to spot it out. Then after talking with peoples of the supasbase upstream to see if they have some idea on how I would be able to solve the problem but there is no luck. Then it come to my final option to search for `stackoverflow` and Duke had sent me a link as he know I was having problem with connecting to supabase. The [answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/6310592) pointing out `localhost` mean is not pointing to the real machine when interpreted through mobile device so in local development we will change `localhost` to `10.0.2.2` and finally I had be able to connect to the `supabase` client.

My [PR](https://github.com/Seneca-CDOT/telescope/pull/3346)