AI buildersOct 16, 20263 min read

Run a Lovable project on your computer

Lovable runs your app in the browser. To run it on your own computer you need the code from GitHub, Node.js and two commands. These are the same steps the full guide uses, with or without an AI tool.

Your Lovable app on localhost

What you need

A GitHub account. The free plan is enough.
The GitHub CLI (gh), logged in. Lovable creates a private repository, and gh can copy it.
Node.js, the LTS version.

1. Push the project to GitHub

Connect the Lovable project to GitHub and let Lovable create the repository. Every other step starts from that repo.

The Lovable project settings, Git page, with the repository connected and in sync with GitHub

Open the new repository on GitHub. You should see package.json and a src folder in the file list.

2. Install the GitHub CLI and log in

On macOS, in Terminal. This needs Homebrew (brew.sh):

brew install gh

On Windows, in PowerShell. Then close the window and open a new one:

winget install --id GitHub.cli

On Ubuntu or Debian:

sudo apt install gh

Then open a new terminal and log in. The command asks a few questions. Choose GitHub.com, then HTTPS, and answer Yes when it asks to authenticate Git. Then log in with the browser. It shows a one-time code. Copy it and paste it in the browser.

gh auth login

The terminal after gh auth login with the message that you are logged in to GitHub

3. Install Node.js

Your app needs Node.js. On macOS, in Terminal:

brew install node@24
brew link --force node@24

On Windows, in PowerShell:

winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS

Or download the installer from nodejs.org. Then open a new terminal and check it. Both versions print one after the other.

node -v; npm -v

The terminal with the Node.js and npm versions after node -v and npm -v

4. Copy the repository to your computer

Your repository is private, so copy it with the GitHub CLI. Open the repository on GitHub, click the green Code button and open the GitHub CLI tab. Copy the command, paste it in your terminal and run it. The new folder appears in the folder your terminal is in.

The Code menu on the GitHub repository with the GitHub CLI tab open and the clone command

Then go into the new folder. Put the name of your repository in place of repository-name.

cd repository-name

5. Start the app

Install what the app needs and start it.

npm install; npm run dev

The terminal after npm run dev with the local address the dev server prints

Open the local address it prints. You should see your app. Leave this window open. The app runs as long as it is open.

6. Make logins work on localhost

If people log in to your app, add the local address to the redirect URLs. Then links in emails, like a password reset, and logins with Google work on your computer too. Do not change the Site URL.

Own Supabase project: in Supabase go to Authentication, URL Configuration and add the local address to the Redirect URLs.

The Supabase URL Configuration page with the local address in the redirect URLs

Lovable Cloud: in Lovable open More, Cloud, Users and click Auth settings. Under Advanced, add the local address to the Redirect URLs.

The Lovable Cloud authentication settings with the local address in the redirect URLs

Then log in with a real account from the live app, not a new one. Reload the page, then log out and log in again. You should stay logged in after the reload.

The app settings on localhost after login, with the account name and the sign out link

Or let an AI tool do it

Claude Code, Codex and Cursor can do steps 4 and 5 for you, and install Node.js and the GitHub CLI if they are missing. In the project folder, paste this:

Install the dependencies of this project, start the dev server and give me the local address.

Claude Code in the terminal reporting that the dev server runs and giving the local address