Lovable (formerly GPT Engineer): How to Use It Well

Lovable aims high: give it a prompt and get a full app with frontend, backend, and data. For founders practicing vibe‑coding and AI‑first development, this promises proof fast—something you can show to users this week. The best results come when you treat Lovable as a draft and add the pieces users notice most before you launch.

What Lovable does well

It builds structure: pages, routes, and initial models. You’ll see a working navigation, a place to sign up, and a basic home with sample data. This is enough to start real conversations and learn what matters.

What you should tighten

Expect thin validation, placeholder messaging, and missing “empty states.” Clarify labels, add friendly errors near the fields that need attention, and ensure first‑time users land where value is obvious. Wire live URLs and keys and test on your production link.

A step‑by‑step hardening plan

• Define the three journeys that must always work: sign‑up, sign‑in, and a small save
• Add loading and success feedback for those journeys
• Consolidate duplicated screens into shared pieces so changes stick
• Add two or three integration tests for the journeys you defined

Lovable vs Bolt.new, Cursor, and Claude Code

Bolt.new offers similar generation. Lovable’s output may fit some teams’ preferences better; try both and choose what feels clearer. Cursor and Claude Code are your companions after generation, helping you edit, refactor, and stabilize without losing speed.

Prompts that improve outcomes

• “Generate a sign‑up → dashboard flow with an empty state and a clear next step. Keep navigation minimal.”
• “Create a settings page with email, name, and a job title field. Show helpful errors under each input.”
• “Add a /pricing page with three plans and a ‘Start free’ button.”

A real example

A solo founder used Lovable to create an internal tool in a weekend. Early users liked it but hit a dead end after sign‑up. The fix was simple: a welcome checklist and a visible success moment after the first action. Usage climbed, support fell, and the team began iterating weekly.

If your Lovable draft feels close but not quite ready, Spin by fryga can help you shore up the first‑use experience and close the last gaps before launch.

Lovable is a strong way to reach proof fast. Add the guardrails, focus on outcomes, and you’ll turn a generated app into something customers trust.

Founder FAQs

Can we stay on Lovable long‑term? Many teams treat it as a starting point. As needs grow, move to an editor‑centric workflow (Cursor/Claude Code) while preserving the user experience.

How do we prevent duplication as we iterate? Ask to reuse and adapt shared components instead of creating new copies. Keep labels and messages in one place.

What should we harden first? The first‑use journey: sign‑up, welcome, and the first success. Add empty states and clear errors before adding breadth.

Migration plan when you’re ready

• Preserve routes, labels, and the first‑use journey so users feel continuity
• Move to Next.js on Vercel and keep data in a managed service like Supabase
• Use Cursor or Claude Code for multi‑file edits; lean on Copilot for polish

This keeps momentum while giving your team more control as you grow.