Skill file
Set up Lovable with an AI agent
Build, change and publish full-stack web apps by describing them in plain words.
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gh issue create -R shansabnani/setupmd --title "note: lovable.dev" --body "outcome: worked
agent: claude-code
task: what you used it for
note: one or two plain sentences on what happened"The setup file
Written by lovable.dev, shown exactly as it was checked.
name: lovable
description: Use when building, iterating, and deploying full-stack web
applications using natural language. Reach for Lovable when users ask to
create apps, add features, fix bugs, publish projects, manage databases, set
up authentication, integrate external services, or work with code. Use it for
prototypes, internal tools, SaaS products, dashboards, and production
applications.
metadata:
mintlify-proj: lovable
version: "1.0"Lovable Skill
Product summary
Lovable is a full-stack AI development platform for building production-grade web applications using natural language. Describe what you want to build, and Lovable generates working code with frontend, backend, database, authentication, and integrations. Projects live in workspaces, sync to GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket via Git sync, and publish to lovable.app URLs or custom domains. The platform supports the full product lifecycle: exploration, prototyping, iteration, deployment, and operation. Key files: .lovable/plan.md (current plan), .lovable/plan/ (archived plans), project code in standard web framework structure. Primary docs: https://docs.lovable.dev
When to use
Use Lovable when:
- Building new projects: User asks to create an app, website, dashboard, or tool from scratch
- Adding features: User wants to add functionality to an existing Lovable project (authentication, payments, integrations, AI features)
- Fixing bugs: User reports errors or unexpected behavior in a Lovable project
- Publishing: User wants to deploy a project to a live URL or custom domain
- Managing data: User needs to set up databases, tables, user authentication, or file storage
- Integrating services: User wants to connect external tools (Slack, Notion, Stripe, etc.) or APIs
- Editing code: User wants to review, modify, or download project code
- Collaborating: User needs to share projects, manage team access, or work with others
Do not use Lovable for: non-web applications, mobile-native apps (use the mobile app instead), infrastructure setup outside Lovable's platform, or tasks that don't involve building or modifying applications.
Quick reference
| Task | How to do it |
|---|---|
| Create a project | Open dashboard, select Build mode, type prompt describing the app, send |
| Switch modes | Click mode picker (Build/Chat/Plan) or press Alt+P (Windows) / Option+P (Mac) |
| Reference a file | Type @ in chat, select file, or use "Reference file in chat" button in code editor |
| Publish | Click Publish button (top right), set URL and audience, click Publish again |
| View code | Click Code tab in project toolbar, browse files, search with Cmd+Shift+F |
| Enable database | Go to More → Database, click Enable, describe tables needed in chat |
| Set up Git sync | Go to Project settings → Git, connect GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket workspace, link repository |
| Add authentication | Go to More → Users → Settings, enable sign-in methods (email, Google, Apple, etc.) |
| Undo changes | Go to project history, find version, click Restore |
| Download code | Click "Download codebase" in code editor or Project settings → Git |
Decision guidance
| Situation | Use Chat mode | Use Plan mode | Use Build mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exploring an idea | ✓ | ||
| Asking how something works | ✓ | ||
| Deciding what to build | ✓ | ||
| Investigating a bug | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Comparing approaches | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Large/complex feature | ✓ | ||
| Want to review before building | ✓ | ||
| Ready to implement | ✓ | ||
| Quick fix or small change | ✓ | ||
| Fixing errors during build | ✓ |
| Publishing scenario | Free/Pro plan | Business/Enterprise plan |
|---|---|---|
| Public site (anyone with link) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Invite-only (up to 10 people) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Workspace-only (logged-in members) | ✓ | |
| Custom audience (groups, specific people) | ✓ | |
| Publish to organization | ✓ (Enterprise only) |
Workflow
Typical project workflow
Understand the request: Read what the user wants to build. Ask clarifying questions if needed (who are the users? what's the main action? what data is needed?).
Create or open the project:
- New project: Go to dashboard, select Build mode, type a clear prompt describing the app
- Existing project: Open the project from the dashboard
Use the right mode:
- Chat mode: Discuss the idea, ask questions, explore options (free/cheap, uses daily allowance first)
- Plan mode: For complex changes, get a structured plan to review before building (1 credit + research cost)
- Build mode: Implement changes directly (usage-based pricing, typically less than 1 credit for small changes)
Write effective prompts:
- Be specific: name the exact component, location, and behavior
- One change per prompt: verify in preview, then move to next change
- Set guardrails: say what NOT to change
- Use real content: avoid placeholder text
- Reference files: use
@filenameto point at exact code
Verify in preview: After each change, check the preview pane on the right. Test interactive elements, try mobile view, click buttons.
Add backend features (if needed):
- Database: Go to More → Database, enable, describe tables in chat
- Authentication: Go to More → Users → Settings, enable sign-in methods
- Storage: Go to More → Storage, configure file uploads
- Integrations: Go to Connectors, create connections to external services
Publish when ready:
- Click Publish button (top right)
- Set URL subdomain (or keep default)
- Choose audience (public, invite-only, workspace, custom)
- Review security scan results
- Click Publish
Iterate after publishing: Changes stay unpublished until you click Publish → Publish changes. This keeps the live site stable.
Debugging workflow
- Ask Lovable first: In Chat mode, describe the problem. Lovable reads your code and logs.
- Switch to Plan mode if you need to understand the root cause before fixing.
- Use Build mode to implement the fix. Lovable can inspect console output, network requests, and test runs.
- Check version history if a fix breaks something else. Restore a known-good version and try a different approach.
Common gotchas
- Prompting too broadly: "Clean up the app" explores more code and costs more. Instead: "Add email validation to the signup form in @src/pages/signup.tsx"
- Not verifying after each change: Small issues compound. Check the preview after every prompt before moving on.
- Forgetting to republish: Changes in the editor don't automatically update the live site. Click Publish → Publish changes to deploy updates.
- Using placeholder content: "Feature 1, Feature 2" produces worse layouts than real copy. Use actual text from the start.
- Mixing multiple requests in one prompt: "Add a form AND a button AND validation" is harder to debug. Send one change at a time.
- Editing code without saving: Manual code edits don't persist until you click Save. Unsaved changes are lost if you leave the editor.
- Database schema mismatches: Check type definitions in both database schema and TypeScript interfaces. Watch for numbers arriving as strings, date parsing, and nullable fields.
- Forgetting to enable database before using it: If your app needs data storage, go to More → Database and click Enable first.
- Not setting up Git sync early: If you plan to work with developers or deploy outside Lovable, set up Git sync from the start (Project settings → Git).
- Ignoring security scan results: Before publishing, review the Quick scan results. Fix critical issues before going live.
- Inviting too many external viewers: Free/Pro plans limit external invites to 10 people per project. Business/Enterprise plans allow more.
Verification checklist
Before submitting work or considering a project complete:
- Preview works on both desktop and mobile (toggle device view above preview)
- All interactive elements tested (buttons, forms, filters, navigation)
- No console errors visible (check browser dev tools or ask Lovable to inspect logs)
- Database tables created if data is needed (go to More → Database)
- Authentication configured if users need to sign in (go to More → Users → Settings)
- Integrations connected if external services are used (go to Connectors)
- Security scan passed before publishing (Publish dialog shows results)
- Published URL works and displays correctly (visit the live link)
- Team members can access if shared (check Share menu for correct permissions)
- Version history has a bookmark at this milestone (for safe rollback later)
Resources
Comprehensive navigation: https://docs.lovable.dev/llms.txt
Critical documentation:
- Welcome & core concepts
- Quick start (build first app in 10 minutes)
- Prompting best practices
- Projects overview
- Build/Chat/Plan modes
- Publishing guide
- Git sync setup
- Database & backend
- Connectors & integrations
- API reference
For additional documentation and navigation, see: https://docs.lovable.dev/llms.txt