Lovable App Launch Security Checklist: 16 Items Before Going Live

TL;DR

Lovable creates impressive apps quickly, but security needs manual attention. Before launch, verify Supabase RLS policies are complete, check that no API keys are exposed in client code, test authentication thoroughly, and confirm users can only access their own data.

Lovable (formerly GPT Engineer) creates functional full-stack apps from natural language descriptions. While the UI and features work well, the generated security configuration is often incomplete. This checklist helps you find and fix issues before users find them.

Database and Backend Security 5

Check RLS is enabled on all Supabase tablesGo to Supabase dashboard, check each table. RLS should be ON for all.

Review RLS policies for each tablePolicies should restrict access to user's own data using auth.uid()

Test data isolation between usersCreate two accounts, verify neither can see the other's data

Check for any public tablesTables without RLS are world-readable. Only allow this intentionally.

Verify database connection is SSL-encryptedSupabase enables this by default, but verify if using custom setup

API Keys and Secrets 4

Search code for hardcoded API keysLook for sk_, pk_, api_key, password, secret, token strings

Verify service role key is never in client codeThe Supabase service_role key bypasses RLS and must stay server-side

Set all environment variables in deploymentCheck your Vercel/Netlify environment settings are complete

Check browser network tab for exposed secretsOpen DevTools, use the app, verify no sensitive keys in requests

Authentication 4

Test protected pages without loginNavigate directly to dashboard URLs in incognito. Should redirect to login.

Verify logout clears session completelyLog out, use browser back button, confirm no access to protected content

Test API endpoints require authenticationCall API routes directly without auth headers, should return 401

Check password requirements (if using email auth)Verify minimum length and complexity requirements are enforced

Deployment and Launch 3

Test on production URL, not previewPreview deployments may have different configurations than production

Verify HTTPS is working correctlyHTTP should redirect to HTTPS. No mixed content warnings.

Run automated security scanUse CheckYourVibe to catch issues you may have missed

Why Lovable Apps Need Security Review

Lovable excels at generating functional UIs and database schemas from natural language. But security is about edge cases and "what ifs" that don't come up in feature descriptions. The AI focuses on making features work, not on preventing attacks.

Common issues in Lovable projects include RLS policies that are too permissive, authentication that only checks on the frontend, and API keys that end up in client bundles. All of these are fixable, but you need to look for them.

Lovable can create production-quality apps, but like all AI code generators, the output needs security review. Common issues include incomplete database security rules, exposed API keys, and authentication gaps that need manual fixing before launch.

What database does Lovable use?

Lovable typically generates apps using Supabase as the backend database. This means you need to configure Row Level Security (RLS) policies to protect user data, which Lovable may not fully set up automatically.

How do I deploy a Lovable app securely?

Export your Lovable project, review the generated code for security issues, configure environment variables in your deployment platform, verify Supabase RLS policies, and run a security scan before making the app public.

TL;DR

Database and Backend Security 5

API Keys and Secrets 4

Authentication 4

Deployment and Launch 3

Why Lovable Apps Need Security Review

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Lovable App Launch Security Checklist: 16 Items Before Going Live