Project Overview
 

• This guide walks you through building a Property Management System using Lovable. You will create a simple web application with a back-end server (using Node.js, Express, and MongoDB) and a front-end interface for managing property data.
• Since Lovable does not provide a terminal, dependency installations are configured directly in a code file.

 
Setting Up Your Lovable Project
 

• Create a new project in Lovable.
• Add a configuration file to specify required dependencies. In the root directory of your project, create a file named lovable-config.json and add the following code. This file tells Lovable which modules to install:

{
  "dependencies": {
    "express": "latest",
    "body-parser": "latest",
    "mongoose": "latest"
  },
  "start": "node server.js"
}

• The "start" property indicates that Lovable should run server.js when starting your app.

 
Creating the Server File
 

• Create a new file in the project root called server.js. This file will serve as the back-end of your Property Management System.
• Insert the following code into server.js. This code sets up an Express server, connects to a MongoDB database, and defines routes to get and add properties.

const express = require('express');
const bodyParser = require('body-parser');
const mongoose = require('mongoose');

const app = express();
app.use(bodyParser.json());
// Connect to MongoDB (replace connection string with your own if needed)
mongoose.connect('mongodb://localhost:27017/propertyDB', { useNewUrlParser: true, useUnifiedTopology: true });
const propertySchema = new mongoose.Schema({
  name: String,
  address: String,
  rent: Number
});
const Property = mongoose.model('Property', propertySchema);
// Get all properties
app.get('/properties', async (req, res) => {
  const properties = await Property.find();
  res.json(properties);
});
// Add a new property
app.post('/properties', async (req, res) => {
  const newProperty = new Property(req.body);
  await newProperty.save();
  res.json(newProperty);
});
// Start the server on port 3000
app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server running on port 3000');
});

 
Setting Up the Front-end Interface
 

• Create a new file called index.html in the root directory. This file provides the user interface to view and add properties.
• Paste the following HTML code into index.html:

  
  
  


  
Properties
  

  
Add New Property
  

    
    
    
    Add Property
  
  

 
Adding Styles
 

• Create a file named style.css in the project root. This file will contain CSS styles for the front-end.
• Insert the following code into style.css:

body {
  font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
  margin: 20px;
}
h1, h2 {
  color: #333;
}
form {
  margin-top: 20px;
}
input, button {
  padding: 10px;
  margin: 5px;
}

 
Implementing Front-end Logic
 

• Create a file named main.js in the project root. This file will handle communication between the user interface and the back-end server.
• Add the following JavaScript code to main.js:

document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
  // Fetch and display the list of properties
  fetch('/properties')
    .then(response => response.json())
    .then(data => {
      const listDiv = document.getElementById('property-list');
      listDiv.innerHTML = data.map(prop => 
        `
${prop.name} - ${prop.address} - $${prop.rent}
`
      ).join('');
    });

  // Handle form submission for adding a property
  document.getElementById('property-form').addEventListener('submit', function(e) {
    e.preventDefault();
    const name = document.getElementById('name').value;
    const address = document.getElementById('address').value;
    const rent = Number(document.getElementById('rent').value);
fetch('/properties', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({ name, address, rent })
})
  .then(response => response.json())
  .then(prop => {
    const listDiv = document.getElementById('property-list');
    listDiv.innerHTML += `<div><strong>${prop.name}</strong> - ${prop.address} - $${prop.rent}</div>`;
  });

  });
});

 
Integrating with Lovable
 

• Lovable automatically detects your project files and reads the lovable-config.json file to install the required dependencies.
• Ensure all files (lovable-config.json, server.js, index.html, style.css, and main.js) are saved in the root directory of your project.

 
Running Your Application
 

• Click the Run button provided in Lovable. The platform will install any dependencies specified in lovable-config.json and then execute server.js.
• The server will start listening on port 3000. Lovable automatically makes the application accessible via a URL.
• Open the URL in your browser to view the Property Management System interface. You can see the list of properties and add new ones via the form.

 
Testing and Updating Your Application
 

• Every time you modify your code, save the changes and click the Run button again. Lovable will restart your application with the updated code.
• Use the browser interface to test the addition and display of properties.
• Check the console output in Lovable for any errors or log messages that can help with debugging.

 
Understanding the Scope and Requirements
 

• Identify the essential functions needed in a property management system such as property listings, tenant management, lease tracking, payment processing, and maintenance requests.
• Determine how AI code generators can aid in rapid prototyping and consistent coding, reducing manual effort in writing repetitive boilerplate code.
• Clarify user roles and permissions, including property managers, tenants, and support staff, to facilitate proper access control.

 
Setting Up Your Development Environment
 

• Choose a programming language and framework appropriate for your system (for example, Python with Django or Flask).
• Install necessary software such as Visual Studio Code, Git, and your chosen framework.
• Integrate an AI code generator tool like GitHub Copilot or ChatGPT to provide code suggestions and assist with boilerplate code.
• Create a project directory structure that organizes modules for properties,