Lovable · Setup guide
How to set up Lovable
Build a small full-stack web slice from a browser prompt, review the preview and generated code, and connect your Git provider for a copy in your own repository.
Lovable
browser · checked October 2, 2026
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Before you begin
- A Lovable account and a modern browser.
- A small product brief with explicit boundaries for data, auth, and deployment.
- A GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket account if you want an owned repository and two-way sync.
Authentication
Lovable account sign-in and optional Git-provider authorization
Account: Lovable account; GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket for repository sync
Git sync grants Lovable permissions to manage the new repository it creates. Review scope before approving.
Install or open it
1. Get the harness ready
These steps are written for beginners. On Mac, Terminal is the black/white text window where you type commands. On Windows, use PowerShell or Terminal. Use the OS tabs to hide steps that are not for your computer, then copy one command at a time.
- 01
Open Lovable in your browser
You do not install Lovable on your computer for the standard workflow. Open Chrome, Safari, or Edge, go to lovable.dev, and create an account or sign in.
Lovable welcome - 02
Create a project
Start a new project from the home screen and describe a small, concrete first page in plain language.
Lovable welcome - 03
Preview in the browser first
Use Preview to review unpublished code at desktop/mobile widths. Preview does not by itself establish an isolated database or disconnected backend; verify the configured data environment before actions that change records.
Lovable deployment - 04
Publish only when you intend to go live
Publishing deploys a code snapshot to a live lovable.app URL, and later code edits need republishing. It can be unpublished; published pages remain live without an inactivity expiry, but app AI needs credits and Cloud-dependent apps can pause at zero balance. Review real-data migrations and access rules before publishing.
Lovable deployment - 05
Connect GitHub (creates a new repo)
Open Project settings → Git and connect GitHub. A workspace owner/admin must authorize the Lovable GitHub App; a workspace/project owner or admin then links the project. Lovable creates a new repository and starts two-way sync. GitLab and Bitbucket Cloud are also supported. Review the repository access requested by the app before authorizing it.
Lovable GitHub integration
Repository or project
2. Start in the right place
Keep the first repository small, clean, and easy to roll back while you learn the harness’s permissions and context model.
- 01
Start with a constrained brief
Describe one page or workflow, its acceptance criteria, and what should remain out of scope.
Lovable welcome - 02
Sync to a new Git repository
Connect your provider in Project settings → Git, then link the project so Lovable creates a repository and starts two-way sync. The current Git sync setup does not require publishing the app first. Keep the preview private until you intend to publish.
Lovable Git sync overview
First run
Prototype a read-only page
Use this task to test the workflow before handing over a larger repository or production responsibility.
- 01Ask Lovable to build a static page with a small, explicit acceptance checklist.
- 02Review the generated code and test the in-app preview at desktop and mobile widths.
- 03Connect Git when you want a repository copy; publish only when the app is ready to go live.
Why this is safe: A read-only prototype exercises prompt-to-code quality without introducing credentials, payments, or destructive data operations.
Stop and review if
- The generated app asks for secrets or payment credentials before the static slice works.
- The preview hides errors or introduces an unrequested backend integration.
- Git permissions are broader than the repository you intended to create.
The operating boundary
Privacy, data, and cost
The setup is incomplete until you know what the harness can see, what account pays for it, and who approves a risky action.
Privacy
Lovable's privacy policy, effective September 15, 2026, permits training on Free/Pro customer content and usage data unless you opt out in account settings. Opt-out excludes future training datasets; it does not retract earlier datasets or trained models. Business/Enterprise content and usage, and your app users' data, are excluded from training. Git-provider and backend connections expand what the service can access.
Training on code: tier dependent
Check current Lovable workspace, enterprise, and connected-provider terms for your region and plan.
Sensitive repos: Set the account training opt-out before submitting confidential content on Free/Pro, review repository access, and check the workspace agreement and connected-provider terms. The current privacy policy makes the opt-out available on every plan without affecting AI features.
Pricing
Workspace credits shared by unlimited members: Free includes 5 daily build credits capped at 30/month. Pro starts at $25/month for 100 monthly credits ($250/year); Business starts at $50/month ($500/year). Current subscription docs list uncapped 5/day grants on Pro/Business; the pricing FAQ notes some regional plans can differ.
Model: usage based
Watch out: Build/chat/Cloud/app-AI/managed connectors share general credits after usage-specific grants. Current temporary Cloud/app-AI grants are 20/four credits monthly on Free/Pro/Business; Enterprise is contractual. At zero balance, app AI fails and Cloud apps can pause while published pages stay live. Publishing scan findings do not block deployment by default; review access rules and configured blocking controls.
When setup goes wrong
The generated page looks right but the app does not work after refresh.
Test the preview as a new visitor, inspect routing and data-loading errors, and ask for a reproduction-specific fix rather than a rewrite.
You expected to import an existing GitHub repo.
Lovable Git typically creates a new repository for the project. Export/sync outward, then migrate code into an existing monorepo manually if needed.
Auth or data works in preview but fails after Publish.
Compare preview vs production env vars and Row Level Security / backend rules; republish after fixing policies rather than rewriting the UI.
An external deployment returns a blank page or 404.
Check the platform’s build command, output directory, environment variables, and SPA fallback rules against the current Lovable deployment guidance.
Tables look empty or auth works in preview but fails after Publish.
Compare preview and production environment variables and Row Level Security policies, then verify access with the intended user roles before publishing again.
The UI goes blank after an edit.
Use version history / undo in Lovable, reproduce in a fresh preview tab, and ask for a minimal fix rather than a full rewrite.
Next steps
After the first successful run
Keep the pilot small, then compare surfaces and budget before a team rollout.
Setup details change quickly. The page was checked October 2, 2026; use the official source below before installing in a managed or production environment.