Introduction
Prompt Engineering
Integrations
Tips and Tricks
Video tutorial
Check out these videos to get a full overview of how to build an app with Lovable.
Welcome to Lovable
Getting started with Lovable basics
Understanding the interface and controls
Working with editing features and version history
Implementing authentication and user management
Using Supabase databases and edge functions
GitHub integration and code management
Sharing projects and community feedback
Exploring additional resources and templates
Lovable Tutorials
This tutorial, we’ll walk you through creating an AI-powered calorie tracking app with Lovable, complete with authentication, a beautiful responsive design, OpenAI integration, and deployment to production.
Setting Up the Foundation
The foundation of any Lovable project is a good prompt. For this app, here’s an example:
Create a calorie tracking app with the following features:
Landing page, dashboard, and a meals page.
Input fields for meal descriptions or images, with analysis powered by GPT-4.
Daily progress tracking and integration with Supabase for authentication and database management.
Beautiful and mobile-responsive UI.
Once Lovable generates the UI skeleton:
- Review the navigation setup and landing page design.
- Iterate on the prompt to refine the layout and ensure mobile responsiveness.
Be explicit about starting with the UI. Lovable works best when tasks are broken into clear steps. For instance, outline navigation, page structures, and design themes early in the prompt
Designing the UI
Lovable emphasizes a step-by-step approach, akin to constructing a building:
- Start with scaffolding: Plan your app structure (e.g., user experience flow, page layout).
- Add the first layer: Create empty pages with basic design elements.
- Refine the details: Add colors, animations, and mobile responsiveness.
If you have pre-made designs in Figma, you can take screenshots and include them in your Lovable prompt. Providing high-resolution images ensures better results.
Integrate Supabase for Backend and Authentication
Once the UI is ready, it’s time to add backend functionality:
- Set up a Supabase account and create a project.
- Link it to Lovable by pressing the “Connect Supabase” button.
- For data storage, Lovable will generate SQL tables. For instance:
- A
profilestable to store user information. - A
mealstable linked to users for tracking daily entries.
Use row-level security (RLS) rules in Supabase to ensure user privacy. Lovable can handle this for you automatically.
Integrating OpenAI for Meal Analysis
The magic of this app lies in its AI capabilities. To analyze meals:
- Obtain an OpenAI API key from your developer dashboard.
- Use GPT-4 for analyzing meal descriptions or images.
- Ensure API keys are securely stored in Edge functions to prevent unauthorized access.
Features to include:
- Analyze meal descriptions: Estimate nutritional values (calories, protein, carbs, fat).
- Image recognition: Upload a meal photo, and GPT-4 will extract a description and nutritional data.
Pro Tips for OpenAI Integration:
- Use function calling for structured responses, ensuring data is formatted correctly for database insertion.
- Test the functionality by asking the app to analyze simple meal entries like “2 eggs.”
Implementing Payments with Stripe
To monetize the app, add subscription-based payments:
- Create a Stripe account and set up a product (e.g., “Standard Plan” for $12/month).
- Integrate Stripe with Lovable by adding the API key and product price ID.
- Redirect non-paying users to the landing page. Only paying users can access the main app.
Additional Tips:
- Enable Stripe’s customer portal to let users manage subscriptions (e.g., cancel or update payment methods).
- Test payments in Stripe’s test mode using the provided test credit card details.
Testing and Debugging
Errors are a natural part of development, and Lovable simplifies debugging:
- Use the “Try to Fix” button whenever a build error occurs.
- For backend issues, check Supabase logs for detailed error reports.
- If deploying to Netlify, review deployment logs for any build issues. Share logs with Lovable to get tailored fixes.
If you get stuck, revert to a previous version using Lovable’s “Revert” feature. This saves credits and time.
Deploying Your App
Once your app is ready, deploy it with Lovable or Netlify:
- Use Lovable’s deploy feature to host the app on a default domain.
- For custom domains:
- Connect your GitHub repository to Netlify.
- Purchase a domain and configure DNS settings to link it to Netlify.
Update your app’s metadata (favicon, meta tags, OG image) for better branding and SEO.
In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to create a stunning, fully interactive landing page for an AI-powered email assistant using Lovable, 21st.dev, and Supabase—complete with animations, API integrations, and seamless deployment\\!
- AI-powered design & UI enhancements
- Adding animations & interactive elements
- Integrating AI email enhancements with the Groq API
- Setting up a contact form with Resend
- Deploying the page using Lovable Launch
The session showcased Lovable’s capabilities to iterate quickly and deliver production-ready results.
Authentication
- Users can sign up, log in, and manage profiles using Supabase integration.
- Secure user sessions enable tailored experiences.
Feedback Submission and Voting
- Users can submit feedback with titles, descriptions, and images.
- Each feedback entry displays vote counts and supports real-time upvoting.
Admin Dashboard with AI Summaries
- Admins can review all feedback, filter by votes, and sort entries.
- AI-powered summaries identify actionable insights using OpenAI and Supabase Edge Functions.
User Presence Tracking
Real-time presence indicators show active users on the platform.
Detailed Feedback Pages with Comments
Each feedback entry has a dedicated page for discussions, enabling teams to collaborate and prioritize efficiently.
File Attachments
Users can attach images to feedback, stored securely using Supabase’s storage capabilities.
The goal for this session was to build an app that allows developers, designers, or consultants to offer subscription-based services—a business model inspired by platforms like DesignJoy.
Authentication and User Management
Authentication was the first feature implemented, setting up a robust framework for managing users. The team emphasized the importance of integrating authentication early to prevent issues when scaling the app.
- Supabase integration for user sign-ups, logins, and profile management.
- Persistent user sessions to improve app usability.
Stripe Subscription Integration
The session demonstrated how to integrate Stripe for subscription management:
- Enabled users to subscribe to different pricing tiers.
- Managed subscription status, ensuring only paid users access premium features.
Dashboard and Task Management
- User-specific dashboards with task boards and drag-and-drop functionality.
- Real-time task updates for seamless collaboration.
AI Chatbot
The session concluded with the integration of an AI chatbot, illustrating how OpenAI can add dynamic functionality to apps. This feature could be extended to serve as a virtual assistant, concierge, or data query interface.
- Integrated OpenAI to provide a chatbot capable of responding intelligently to user queries.
- Built in a single prompt, showcasing Lovable’s efficiency.
Iterative Debugging and Refinement
The team tackled real-time debugging challenges, offering valuable insights into troubleshooting. Techniques included:
- Using console logs and error messages to identify issues.
- Reverting to previous app versions to avoid getting stuck in broken states.
- Guiding Lovable’s AI with detailed prompts to ensure accurate fixes.
In this tutorial, we deep-dive into AI-powered app development, prompt engineering, and workflow automation with Lovable’s special guest Mark Kashef\\!
- Understanding effective AI prompting
- The four tiers of prompt engineering
- Meta prompting techniques & best practices
- Debugging strategies for AI workflows
- Building an AI app using Lovable & Make.com
- Integrating Visual Edits & Tailwind CSS for UI design
In this tutorial, we will build a Luma-style event platform using Lovable and Supabase – live\\!
- How to integrate Supabase with Lovable
- Setting up authentication & user management
- Configuring databases & real-time comments
- Testing performance & handling multiple users
- Live debugging & performance optimization
In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to use Lovable, an AI-enhanced no-code builder, to create a full-stack journaling app without writing a single line of code\\!
- Design your app UI instantly
- Upload your design & generate a working app
- Connect Supabase for backend & authentication
- Implement GPT-4o for AI-powered features
- Deploy a full-stack app in minutes\\\!
In this tutorial, we’ll walk through creating a simple yet powerful CRM using Lovable for development, Supabase for data storage, and Resend for email automation.
- How Resend works for email automation
- Setting up authentication emails with Supabase
- Building an admin dashboard & contact management system
- Creating & customizing email templates
- Adding newsletter signup & broadcast email functionality
Building engaging, interactive web experiences just got easier with Lovable’s latest updates\!
Effortless UI Customization with Visual Edits
One of the biggest upgrades to Lovable is the ability to modify UI elements instantly without consuming AI credits. You can now:
- Edit text directly on your project.
- Adjust button colors and styles in real-time.
- Upload and swap images seamlessly.
- Hover over elements to make quick adjustments.
Users can now select text, change colors, or swap icons effortlessly without needing AI intervention—allowing for a smoother design iteration process.
Advanced Debugging and API Error Handling
Previously, users faced challenges when dealing with third-party API integration errors. Lovable now:
- Surfaces richer error messages for easier debugging.
- Eliminates irrelevant popups, improving focus on critical issues.
- Enables AI-driven error detection for automatic fixes.
Instead of overwhelming users with generic popups, Lovable now feeds error context directly into its AI, which can decide when an issue needs to be addressed and how to fix it.
Creating Dynamic Backgrounds and Animations
Lovable now supports seamless integration of animated and interactive elements using p5.js and other libraries.
Example Project: Travel Agency Website with Interactive Flags
A recent live demo showcased how to build a travel agency landing page featuring:
- An animated hero section with flags dynamically appearing and moving in response to mouse interactions.
- A sticky-scroll section that changes based on the user’s scroll position.
- Interactive hover effects where images react to user movements.
How to Implement Animated Effects
To create these effects, users followed this simple process:
- Define the desired animation:
Make the background interactive with floating elements that move away when hovered over.
- Use p5.js to generate effects:
- Implement a chromatic smoke pattern.
- Swap out static images for dynamic flag animations.
- Enhance user experience with physics-based interactions:
- Make elements move dynamically based on user actions.
If an animation isn’t working, use Lovable’s chat mode to debug and refine the effect with step-by-step AI guidance.
Importing Custom Elements from External Libraries
With 21st.dev, users can now integrate pre-built UI components seamlessly into Lovable projects.
- Browse 21st.dev for a button design.
- Copy the AI-generated prompt.
- Paste it into Lovable and replace an existing button.
This approach accelerates design workflows and allows for more polished, visually cohesive interfaces.
This same method works for importing animation presets from motion.dev, making it easier to add high-quality motion effects without custom coding.
Build, Brand, and Launch a real micro-SaaS, live\\\\!
Learning Spanish has never been this interactive\\\\\\\\\! Imagine an app that not only teaches you Spanish through conversations but also creates real-time voice interactions, dynamic courses, and visually engaging content—powered entirely by AI. This tutorial can help follow step-by-step what Kristian and Harry built:
Laying the Foundations
Before implementing AI features, we focused on building a strong foundation for the app using Lovable. This included setting up authentication, structuring the dashboard, and implementing user management.
Authentication System
- Integrated Supabase for backend authentication.
- Enabled sign-up/login with email and password.
- Created a profile system to store user preferences and learning progress.
Dashboard & Navigation
- Designed an intuitive sidebar for navigation.
- Created sections for chat, courses, and user settings.
- Ensured responsive UI for a seamless experience across devices.
User Profiles & Data Storage
- Added a database structure to store user progress.
- Designed profile management settings where users can adjust learning preferences.
AI-Generated Courses
To make learning interactive, we implemented an AI-driven course generation system using OpenAI’s GPT model. Here’s how it works:
- Users select a topic (e.g., “Questions to ask at a barbecue”).
- Lovable calls an OpenAI Edge function to generate 10 engaging Spanish-language questions.
- Users complete quizzes, track progress, and receive AI feedback on their answers.
Enhancing User Engagement
- Dynamically Generated Questions: Each quiz is AI-generated, ensuring fresh, unique content every time.
- Interactive Feedback: The AI provides explanations for correct and incorrect answers to improve learning.
- Progress Tracking: Users can save and revisit courses, enhancing retention and practice.
Enhancing Visual Engagement with Replicate
To add a visual learning element, we integrated Replicate’s Flux Schnell image generation model:
- Automated Course Banners: Every course dynamically generates an image matching the topic.
- Visually Immersive Experience: AI-driven visuals enhance user engagement and retention.
- Fast Image Processing: Using Replicate’s API, images are generated in real time without slowing down the experience.
Real-Time Voice Conversations
A major milestone in the app’s development was the addition of real-time Spanish-speaking practice using OpenAI’s real-time WebRTC API :
- Interactive AI Tutor: Users can speak directly with an AI that dynamically responds in Spanish.
- Pronunciation Assistance: The AI provides real-time corrections and suggestions.
- Seamless Conversations: The natural flow of conversation makes it feel like interacting with a human tutor.
Establishing the Concept and Audience
Before branding, we defined our core goals:
- AI-powered chat for real-time Spanish conversations.
- Automated quizzes for quick practice sessions.
- Structured learning with lesson storage and progress tracking.
This helped shape our branding choices, ensuring they aligned with the app’s purpose.
Naming & Domain Selection
We aimed for a short, memorable name that reflected the learning journey. Using AI, we brainstormed and landed on Ruta (Spanish for “route” or “path”).
Process:
- Brainstormed names using AI for catchy Spanish words.
- Tested options like “Camino” and “Verbo,” but “Ruta” stood out.
- Checked domain availability and secured rutaapp.com immediately.
Creating a Visual Identity
We quickly designed the brand:
- Logo: A compass-themed icon sourced from design libraries and edited in Figma.
- Font Pairing: Used a bold, modern typeface for the logo and a readable UI font for the app interface.
- Color Palette: A Tailwind CSS blue scheme to symbolize travel and discovery.
- Styling Inspiration: Experimented with neo-brutalism, tweaking contrast, shadows, and borders to create a visually engaging UI.
Building a Cohesive User Experience
Using Lovable, we ensured visual consistency across the app:
- Landing Page: AI-generated with a dynamic, engaging hero section.
- Dashboard & Course Pages: Styled to match the brand’s identity.
- Iterative Styling: Applied neo-brutalist elements to test different design styles.
- User Flow Testing: Ensured seamless navigation from signup to real-time chat.
Community Tutorials
Start with Inspiration
Every project starts with a clear vision. For this MVP, the client wanted an AI-powered dashboard.
To kickstart the design process:
- Took a screenshot of a relevant landing page.
- Asked ChatGPT to describe the design in detail—layout, sections, colors, and typography.
- Used this breakdown as the foundation for building in Lovable
Describe this landing page in detail, including layout, sections, colors, and typography.
Build the Core with Lovable
Once the blueprint was ready, Lovable handled the entire foundation of the app.
GitHub Integration
Lovable automatically creates a GitHub repository for your project, syncing updates effortlessly. Workflow:
Generate a repo in Lovable.
Transfer it to your GitHub account.
Clone it into Cursor for advanced coding.
This keeps everything organized and developer-friendly when custom logic is required.
Supabase for Authentication & Database
With Supabase integration, setting up the backend was a breeze.
- Added authentication for user signups/logins.
- Set up a database to manage profiles and app data.
- Connected APIs without writing redundant boilerplate code.
Add Supabase authentication to the app, allowing users to sign up and log in using their email.
Email Automation with Resend
To ensure smooth communication, Lovable’s Resend integration handled transactional emails.
- Welcome emails for new users.
- Action-triggered notifications within the app.
Set up an email workflow using Resend that sends a welcome email to users upon signup and a notification when they complete an action.
Chat with Your Codebase
Lovable’s built-in chat feature makes managing large projects effortless.
You can:
- Ask which features from the PRD are completed.
- Quickly reference task breakdowns.
- Get a high-level project overview instantly.
Based on the PRD and task breakdown, list all completed features and highlight pending tasks.
This feature saves hours by keeping teams aligned on progress.
OpenAI for AI-Powered Features
The app needed AI-driven data summarization.
- Lovable’s OpenAI integration made API setup seamless.
- AI functionality was up and running in minutes.
Integrate OpenAI APIs to summarize user data input and display the results on the dashboard.
AI Image Generation with Replicate
For AI-powered visuals, Replicate integration allowed users to generate images dynamically.
- Enabled custom AI-generated visuals inside the app.
- Required minimal configuration.
Add Replicate integration to generate AI-powered images based on user inputs.
Payments with Stripe
Handling subscriptions and transactions was effortless with Stripe integration.
- Set up payment workflows for different plans.
- Tested transactions for reliability.
- Synced Stripe dashboards for client visibility.
Integrate Stripe into the app to allow subscription payments, including a dashboard for users to manage their plans.
From Lovable to Cursor for Finalization
Once the app was functional, it was synced to GitHub and imported into Cursor for:
- UI refinements
- Advanced backend logic
- Final debugging & optimisations
Cursor provided a developer-friendly environment to polish the project before deployment.
This streamlined workflow—ChatGPT for planning, Lovable for building, and Cursor for refining—significantly reduces MVP development time.
More videos available here.