12 Lovable tips I wish I knew before building my first MVP

Hey builders,

Quick heads up before we dive in:

I recorded a full video walkthrough of these Lovable tips and tricks inside AI MVP Builders, but I also dropped it on YouTube for free. If you want to see me actually implement these strategies step by step, you can watch it here.

Now, here are the tips and tricks that’ll save you hours of struggle. This is everything I wish I knew before I started:

Tip 1: Nail your first prompt

I always start inside my custom GPT, SnapPrompt, and get the full prompt for my landing page first.

This includes layout, structure, typography, and design style. I just copy-paste that into Lovable with a design reference attached and it gives me a clean starting point.

Tip 2: Always prep your technical docs before starting

Don't dive in blind.

Have your DB design, UI Dev plan, MVP plan, and implementation plan ready.

Keep it simple - generate them during the planning phase using GPT or Gemini.

Then just paste them as .md files into Lovable.

That way, Lovable has full context about your product from the start.

Tip 3: Use REVERT like a save point

Use this button A LOT.

If things break, you're 1 click away from rolling back.

Makes testing faster and less stressful.

Tip 4: Use screenshots. Always.

Lovable understands images way better than text.

Instead of explaining your issue in 10 lines, just drop a screenshot.

Add one line of context - what's wrong and what you want changed.

Use the selector tool to highlight the exact part of the page too.

The results are way more accurate.

Tip 5: Design system

Make sure Lovable isn't hardcoding color values.

Ask it to store your full color palette in tailwind.config.ts. Sometimes it does this on its own, but sometimes you'll need to prompt it.

Never hardcode hex values inside components - it'll mess with consistency later.

Tip 6: If the first build sucks, restart

Tried tweaking 10 times and it's still not right?

Trash it.

Rework the prompt. Start fresh.

You can't fix a broken foundation. Most of my best builds came on the second attempt.

Tip 7: UI looking generic?

Use prebuilt components from libraries like Magic UI, 21st.dev, or Aceternity UI.

For slick animations, grab effects from Unicorn Studio.

I personally recommend 21st.dev - you can just copy the component code as a prompt and paste it into Lovable. It'll update your selected element instantly.

Super clean, super fast.

Tip 8: Add auth + payments right after frontend

Once your UI is done, integrate Supabase and build out your database structure.

Then add login and payments.

Lovable adapts the rest of the build around these systems.

Add them too late and everything breaks.

Use Supabase for auth, Stripe for payments. Works every time.

Tip 9: Use GitHub 2-way sync wisely

Once you're 70-80% done, Lovable can get stuck on complex features.

Don't waste time or tokens.

Sync the repo to GitHub and open it in Cursor. Debug and finish the feature there.

Then pull the changes back into Lovable for final polish.

Tip 10: Upload images this way

Just drag and drop your image, select the target section, and prompt Lovable to upload it.

It'll store it inside Supabase Storage, get the public URL, and link it automatically.

Way faster than manually uploading assets.

Tip 11: Mobile optimization

Once the desktop version is ready, just prompt:

"Make the whole page responsive and optimize for mobile."

Lovable usually does a decent job.

Then go through each page manually.

Sometimes it messes up the desktop layout, so double-check before shipping.

Tip 12: Get ready for launch

Ensure you have added:
• Meta title + description
• Favicon
• OG image

Then just:
• Hook your custom domain
• Remove the Lovable branding from settings

And SHIP.

That's my exact system.

I've learned all these tips and tricks after working on numerous client projects and using Lovable almost daily.

If you're building with Lovable, this will save you hours of struggle.

Keep building,
~ Prajwal

PS: The Fundamentals, Ideation, and Build modules went live this week inside AI MVP Builders. I'm currently working on the Launch and Grow modules next. Price goes up to $57 next week, then $67 once I launch the Grow module around mid-October. This is the cheapest the community will ever be - lock in your spot now before the price jumps.