Connect GitHub to Lovable by going to Settings, clicking Connectors, authorizing GitHub via OAuth, and installing the Lovable app on your organization. Once connected, every prompt you send in Lovable automatically creates a commit on the main branch. GitHub becomes your source of truth with full two-way sync.
Why Connect GitHub to Lovable?
When you build an app in Lovable, every change lives inside Lovable's own version history. That works fine for solo prototyping, but the moment you want a backup, a deployment pipeline, or a teammate reviewing your code, you need GitHub.
GitHub is a cloud platform that stores every version of your code in something called a repository (repo for short). Think of it as a Google Drive for code — except it tracks every single change, who made it, and when.
Lovable's GitHub integration creates a two-way sync on the main branch. Every prompt you send in Lovable becomes a commit (a saved snapshot) in your GitHub repo. If someone pushes a change directly to GitHub, Lovable pulls it in automatically. GitHub is always the source of truth — meaning if there is ever a conflict, the GitHub version wins.
Important: you cannot import an existing GitHub repo into Lovable. The connection only works by exporting from Lovable to GitHub. Once connected, never rename, move, or delete the GitHub repo, or the sync will break permanently.
Prerequisites
- A Lovable account on the Pro or Business plan
- A GitHub account (free tier works)
- A Lovable project you want to connect
- A GitHub organization (you can create one for free during setup)
Step-by-step guide
Open Lovable project settings
Open Lovable project settings
Open the Lovable project you want to connect. In the top-right corner of the editor, click the gear icon to open Settings. In the left sidebar of the Settings panel, click Connectors. You will see a GitHub section with a Connect GitHub button.
Expected result: You see the Connectors page with a 'Connect GitHub' button.
Authorize Lovable with GitHub OAuth
Authorize Lovable with GitHub OAuth
Click the Connect GitHub button. A new browser tab opens with a GitHub authorization screen. This is GitHub's standard OAuth flow — it asks you to grant Lovable permission to access your repositories. Review the permissions listed (repository access, read/write code) and click the green Authorize button. GitHub redirects you back to Lovable.
Expected result: You are redirected back to Lovable and the GitHub section now shows 'Connected' with your GitHub username.
Install the Lovable GitHub app on your organization
Install the Lovable GitHub app on your organization
After authorizing, Lovable asks you to install its GitHub App on an organization. Click Add organizations. If you do not have one, GitHub will prompt you to create a free organization — give it any name (like your-name-projects). Select the organization, choose 'All repositories' or select specific repos, then click Install & Authorize. This lets Lovable create repos and push commits under that organization.
Expected result: The organization appears in Lovable's connector settings with a green checkmark.
Transfer your Lovable project to GitHub
Transfer your Lovable project to GitHub
Back in the Lovable editor, click the GitHub icon in the top-right toolbar (it looks like the GitHub octocat logo). Click Connect project. A dropdown shows your connected organization — select it. Lovable may warn that this action transfers ownership of the code history to GitHub. Click Transfer anyway. Lovable creates a new repository in your organization with the same name as your project and pushes all existing code.
Expected result: A new repository appears in your GitHub organization containing all your Lovable project files. The GitHub icon in Lovable now shows a green connected indicator.
Verify the two-way sync is working
Verify the two-way sync is working
Send a simple prompt in Lovable, such as 'Add a footer that says Built with Lovable.' Wait for Lovable to apply the change. Then open your GitHub repository in a new browser tab, click the Code tab, and look at the latest commit. You should see a commit from the lovable-dev bot with a message describing the change. Every future prompt you send will appear as a new commit automatically.
Expected result: The GitHub repo shows a new commit matching the change you just made in Lovable. The commit author is the lovable-dev bot.
Complete working example
1# This CODEOWNERS file ensures the right people review2# changes that come from Lovable's auto-sync.3#4# Every file pushed by Lovable will trigger a notification5# to the listed owners. Useful when a team works on the6# same repo and wants oversight on AI-generated changes.78# Default owner for everything in the repo9* @your-github-username1011# Frontend components — assign to your UI reviewer12src/components/ @your-github-username1314# Supabase functions — assign to your backend reviewer15supabase/functions/ @your-github-username1617# Configuration files — assign to project lead18*.json @your-github-username19vite.config.ts @your-github-usernameCommon mistakes when connecting GitHub to Lovable for Auto-Sync
Why it's a problem: Renaming or moving the GitHub repo after connecting
How to avoid: Never rename, move, or delete the connected repo. If you did, disconnect in Lovable Settings → Connectors, then reconnect to a new repo.
Why it's a problem: Trying to import an existing GitHub repo into Lovable
How to avoid: Lovable only supports exporting from Lovable to GitHub, not importing. Start your project in Lovable first, then connect.
Why it's a problem: Connecting with a personal account instead of an organization
How to avoid: Lovable requires a GitHub organization. Create a free one at github.com/organizations/new during setup.
Why it's a problem: Editing code on a non-main branch in GitHub
How to avoid: Two-way sync only works on the main branch. Changes on other branches will not sync back to Lovable unless merged into main.
Best practices
- Create a dedicated GitHub organization for your Lovable projects to keep things organized.
- Never rename or delete the connected GitHub repository after linking it to Lovable.
- Check the GitHub commit history weekly to verify sync is working and review AI-generated changes.
- Add a CODEOWNERS file so the right team members get notified when Lovable pushes code.
- Use Lovable's Plan Mode to discuss changes before executing — this avoids unnecessary commits.
- Keep your Lovable project name clean before connecting, since it becomes the repo name.
- Enable branch protection on main in GitHub if you want to require reviews before Lovable commits merge.
- If sync breaks, duplicate the Lovable project and reconnect rather than trying to fix the broken connection.
Still stuck?
Copy one of these prompts to get a personalized, step-by-step explanation.
I connected my Lovable project to GitHub but the sync stopped working. The last successful commit was 3 days ago. What troubleshooting steps should I follow to restore the two-way sync without losing my recent Lovable changes?
Frequently asked questions
Can I connect multiple Lovable projects to the same GitHub repo?
No. Each Lovable project connects to one unique GitHub repository. You cannot merge multiple projects into a single repo.
Does the GitHub connection cost extra?
The GitHub connection itself is free, but it requires a Lovable Pro or Business plan ($25/mo or $50/mo). GitHub's free tier is sufficient on the GitHub side.
What happens if I delete the GitHub repo?
The sync breaks permanently. Your code still exists in Lovable, but you will need to disconnect and reconnect to a brand new repo. You cannot reconnect to a deleted or recreated repo.
Can someone else push code to the GitHub repo and have it appear in Lovable?
Yes, as long as they push to the main branch. Lovable pulls changes from main automatically. Changes on other branches do not sync until merged.
Is there a way to get help if the GitHub-Lovable connection is causing repeated issues?
Yes. The RapidDev engineering team helps founders debug integration issues between AI tools and GitHub. You can reach out for hands-on support if the connection keeps breaking.
Does Lovable support GitHub Enterprise?
Lovable supports standard GitHub organizations. GitHub Enterprise with custom domains or SAML SSO may require additional configuration — check Lovable's documentation for the latest compatibility.
Will my Supabase configuration sync to GitHub too?
Yes. Supabase migration files and Edge Functions are part of your project code and sync to GitHub. However, secrets stored in Lovable's Cloud tab do not sync — you must set those separately in your deployment environment.
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