Here is a step-by-step guide:

1

Introduction to Clerk

Clerk is a developer tool for authentication, user management, and team roles.

  • Provides authentication out-of-the-box
  • Supports OAuth, social logins, and multi-factor authentication
  • Easily integrates with Superbase
2

Setting Up Clerk Authentication

1

Step 1

Create a Clerk Account → Clerk.com

2

Step 2

Set Up a New Application

1

Step 1

Sign in to Clerk & create a new app

2

Step 2

Enable authentication methods (Google, GitHub, LinkedIn, etc.)

3

Step 3

Copy your public API key

3

Step 3

Integrate Clerk with Lovable

1

Step 1

In Lovable, add Clerk as your authentication provider

2

Step 2

Paste the public API key

3

Step 3

Deploy & test authentication

3

Enabling Clerk’s Waitlist Component

Why use a waitlist? – Gather early users before launching your app\\\\\\\!

1

Step 1

Go to Clerk Dashboard → Configure → Restrictions

2

Step 2

Set mode to Waitlist

3

Step 3

  • Users who sign up will now be pending approval
  • Admins can approve users from the Clerk dashboard

Bonus:

Customize the waitlist email in Clerk\\\\\\\!

4

Managing Users & Teams in Clerk

Create Organizations & User Roles

1

Step 1

Enable Organization Support in Clerk

2

Step 2

Set default roles (Admin, Editor, Viewer, etc.)

3

Step 3

Invite users via email

4

Step 4

Assign permissions & access levels

Using Clerk’s User Profile Component

  • Provides a prebuilt user management dashboard
  • Supports social logins & password authentication
  • Users can manage their own accounts & 2FA
5

Clerk + Supabase Integration

Why integrate with Supabase?

  • Store user data in a database
  • Secure authentication with JWT tokens
  • Connect authentication to app features

How to integrate:

1

Step 1

In Supabase, generate a JWT secret

2

Step 2

In Clerk Dashboard → JWT Templates, add the secret

3

Step 3

Enable Clerk as an authentication provider

4

Step 4

Update your app to use Supabase authentication

6

Deploying a Custom Domain with Lovable

Why use a custom domain?

Boosts brand recognition & trust

More information here.

1

Step 1

In Lovable, navigate to Custom Domain Settings

2

Step 2

Enter your purchased domain

3

Step 3

Lovable will automatically configure DNS settings

4

Step 4

Deploy & test your app with the new domain

7

Bonus – Debugging with Clerk’s Impersonation Feature

What is Impersonation Mode?

Admins can log in as any user to troubleshoot issues

1

Step 1

In Clerk Dashboard, select a user

2

Step 2

Click Impersonate User

3

Step 3

View the app as the selected user

4

Step 4

Ensure security restrictions prevent impersonators from making account changes

8

Final Thoughts & Next Steps

Your app now has:

  • Secure authentication with Clerk
  • A waitlist to collect early users
  • User & team management features
  • Supabase database integration
  • A professional custom domain

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