File storage

Applications often need to handle file uploads and storage, from user avatars and documents to images and other media. Neon Object Storage is S3 compatible object storage built into the Neon backend. ...

Applications often need to handle file uploads and storage, from user avatars and documents to images and other media.

Neon now offers native storage

Neon Object Storage is S3-compatible object storage built into the Neon backend. Object storage branches with your database: each branch gets its own isolated namespace, so you can test file uploads in preview branches without touching production. No separate cloud account needed. Use any S3-compatible SDK with your existing Neon credential.

For more information, see Neon Object Storage.

If you prefer an external provider or need features like image optimization, transformations, or CDN delivery, you can combine Neon with a specialized storage service instead. The typical pattern looks like this:

Upload files from your application (client or backend) to an object storage provider or file management service.
Store references (such as the file URL, unique key, or identifier) and related metadata like user ID, upload timestamp, file type, size, and permissions in your database.

This pattern separates file storage from relational data management, with purpose-built services like S3 or R2 handling file storage and the database managing your data.

Options for external storage

You can integrate Neon with a variety of storage solutions:

S3-compatible object storage: Services like AWS S3, Cloudflare R2, and Backblaze B2 offer file storage via the widely-adopted S3 API.
File and media management SaaS platforms: Services like ImageKit, Cloudinary, Uploadcare or Filestack provide higher-level abstractions, often including additional features like image optimization, transformations, and SDKs, while managing the underlying storage infrastructure for you.

AWS S3