Lovable (formerly GPT Engineer) is an AI-powered development platform designed specifically for designers and product managers. It transforms natural language descriptions and Figma designs into fully functional, production-ready applications. With its intuitive interface and Figma integration, Lovable bridges the gap between design and development, allowing you to build real applications without writing code. The platform went from $0 to $17M ARR in just 3 months, reflecting how well it solves the designer-to-developer handoff problem.
1. Setting Up Your Lovable Workspace
Getting started with Lovable is straightforward and requires no local setup:
Creating Your Account
Visit lovable.dev and sign up with your email or GitHub account. The free tier gives you a generous amount of credits to explore the platform and build your first projects.
Understanding the Interface
Lovable's interface is designed for designers: a chat panel for giving instructions, a live preview of your app, and a file explorer for those times you want to peek at the code. Everything updates in real-time as you iterate.
Starting a New Project
Click 'New Project' and describe what you want to build. Be specific about the type of app, its features, and any design preferences. Lovable scaffolds a complete project structure based on your description.
Project Templates
Choose from pre-built templates for common use cases: landing pages, dashboards, marketplaces, SaaS apps, and more. Templates give you a head start and demonstrate best practices.
2. Importing Designs from Figma
Lovable's killer feature for designers is its Figma integration:
Connecting Figma
Link your Figma account to Lovable. Once connected, you can import any frame or component directly. Your carefully crafted designs become the blueprint for real code.
Selecting Frames to Import
Choose specific frames from your Figma file. Lovable analyzes the layout, typography, colors, spacing, and components. High-fidelity designs translate to high-fidelity code.
Design-to-Code Translation
Lovable converts your Figma designs into React components with Tailwind CSS. It respects your design system: colors become CSS variables, typography scales are preserved, and spacing is maintained.
Iterating on Imported Designs
After import, use natural language to refine: 'Make the header sticky', 'Add a hover effect to buttons', 'Increase padding on mobile'. Your Figma design is the starting point, not the limit.
3. Generating Full-Stack Applications from Prompts
Beyond static designs, Lovable builds complete, functional applications:
Describing Your Application
Start with the big picture: 'Build a project management tool where users can create boards, add tasks with due dates, assign team members, and track progress with a Kanban view.' Lovable understands context and requirements.
Specifying Features
Add detail incrementally: 'Add user authentication with email and Google login', 'Include a dashboard showing tasks due this week', 'Add drag-and-drop for reordering tasks'. Each request builds on the previous.
Design Customization
Guide the aesthetics: 'Use a clean, minimal design with lots of white space', 'The color scheme should be navy blue and gold', 'Cards should have subtle shadows and rounded corners'.
Full-Stack Capabilities
Lovable generates frontend and backend code. It sets up databases, API routes, authentication, and file storage. You get a complete application, not just a frontend prototype.
4. Customizing and Iterating on Your App
Refine your application through conversation and direct editing:
Conversational Iteration
Continue the dialogue: 'The sidebar feels too wide on desktop', 'Add a loading state when fetching data', 'The form validation messages should be red'. Lovable understands context from previous messages.
Visual Editing
Use the visual editor for quick changes. Adjust colors, spacing, and text directly in the preview. Click on elements to see their properties and modify them without touching code.
Code Access
For precise control, edit the code directly. Lovable uses React and Tailwind, common technologies that are well-documented. Your code changes are reflected in the preview immediately.
Version History
Lovable tracks all changes. Roll back to any previous version if an iteration doesn't work out. Experiment freely knowing you can always return to a working state.
5. Connecting Backend Services and Deploying
Take your application from prototype to production:
Built-in Backend
Lovable provides Supabase integration out of the box. Get a PostgreSQL database, authentication, storage, and real-time subscriptions. No separate backend setup required.
External Integrations
Connect to external services: Stripe for payments, SendGrid for emails, Twilio for SMS. Lovable generates the integration code and guides you through API key setup.
One-Click Deployment
Deploy your app with a single click. Lovable handles hosting, SSL certificates, and domain configuration. Share your live URL with stakeholders, clients, or users instantly.
GitHub Export
Export your project to GitHub for team collaboration, version control, or deployment to your preferred hosting provider. The code is clean, well-organized, and follows best practices.
Key Takeaways
- Lovable is specifically designed for designers and product managers who want to build real applications
- Import Figma designs directly and watch them become functional React components
- Generate full-stack applications including database, authentication, and API
- Iterate through natural language conversation or visual editing
- Deploy to production with one click or export to GitHub for team collaboration