Modern application architecture is evolving rapidly. For years, developers have relied heavily on messaging systems like Redis, RabbitMQ, and AWS SQS to build scalable, event-driven, and real-time applications. But what if many of those tools are no longer necessary?
This video explores a new approach to building real-time systems using modern databases — especially PostgreSQL and Supabase — potentially replacing traditional message brokers and pub/sub infrastructure.
Let’s break down the key ideas and practical implications.
🔍 The Traditional Real-Time Architecture Problem
Historically, building real-time apps required multiple infrastructure components:
- Message queues for async communication
- Pub/Sub systems for event broadcasting
- Caching layers for performance
- Separate services for background processing
Typical stack:
- Redis → caching & pub/sub
- RabbitMQ → message brokering
- AWS SQS → queue processing
While powerful, this architecture creates:
✅ Operational complexity
✅ Higher infrastructure cost
✅ More moving parts to maintain
✅ Increased latency between systems
This leads developers to ask — can we simplify?
⚡ The New Approach: Database-Driven Real-Time Systems
Modern databases — especially PostgreSQL — now support features that were traditionally handled by external systems:
- Logical replication
- Change data capture (CDC)
- Event streaming from database changes
- Real-time subscriptions
Platforms like Supabase expose these capabilities directly, allowing applications to subscribe to database changes in real time.
This means:
👉 Database becomes the event source
👉 No separate message broker needed
👉 Fewer infrastructure layers
🧠 How This Works in Practice
Instead of sending messages through Redis or RabbitMQ:
- Data changes in PostgreSQL
- Database emits change events
- Client or service subscribes to those events
- UI or backend updates instantly
Example use cases:
- Real-time dashboards
- Live collaboration apps
- Notifications
- Multiplayer features
- Streaming analytics
All powered directly by database events.
🎯 Why Developers Are Considering This Shift
1. Simpler Architecture
Fewer services → easier deployment and maintenance.
2. Lower Cost
No need to run separate queue systems.
3. Real-Time by Default
Data changes automatically propagate to subscribers.
4. Strong Data Consistency
Events originate directly from the source of truth.
⚠️ When You Still Need Message Brokers
This approach is powerful — but not universal.
Traditional queue systems still shine when you need:
✔ Complex routing patterns
✔ Guaranteed message retries
✔ Long-running background jobs
✔ Distributed microservice orchestration
✔ Massive scale event pipelines
In such cases, dedicated messaging systems remain valuable.
💡 Key Takeaway
Modern databases are becoming far more than storage engines. They are evolving into real-time event platforms capable of replacing parts of traditional backend infrastructure.
For many applications — especially SaaS dashboards, collaboration tools, and event-driven UIs — database-native real-time features can dramatically simplify architecture.
The future trend is clear:
👉 Move logic closer to the data
👉 Reduce infrastructure complexity
👉 Use database events as the backbone of real-time systems
🧩 Final Thoughts
The idea of “deleting Redis, RabbitMQ, and AWS SQS” isn’t about abandoning them completely. It’s about rethinking when they are truly necessary.
If your application primarily reacts to data changes — your database might already be the only real-time engine you need.
For modern developers, understanding this architectural shift is becoming essential.
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