Transform Your Lovable.dev Next.js App into Native Mobile Apps with Capacitor

Introduction

Lovable.dev is a powerful AI-powered development platform that generates beautiful Next.js applications in minutes. But what if you want to take your Lovable.dev creation to mobile devices? In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to export your Lovable.dev project and transform it into native mobile apps using Capacitor.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have your Lovable.dev web app running natively on both iOS and Android devices, with access to native device features like camera, storage, and push notifications.

Prerequisites & Time Estimate

Time Required: 2-4 hours for first-time setup

System Requirements:

• For iOS: Mac computer running macOS 12.0+
• For Android: Windows, Mac, or Linux
• Storage: 20GB free space
• RAM: 8GB minimum

Costs:

• iOS App Store: $99/year (Apple Developer Account)
• Android Play Store: $25 one-time (Google Play Developer)
• Cursor Pro: $20/month (optional but recommended)

Required Software (we’ll help you install):

• Node.js 16+
• Xcode (iOS only)
• Android Studio (Android only)

Why Transform Your Lovable.dev App to Mobile?

• Expanded Reach: Access mobile users who prefer native apps over web browsers
• Native Features: Leverage device capabilities like camera, GPS, and offline storage
• App Store Distribution: Publish your app on Google Play Store and Apple App Store
• Better Performance: Native container provides improved performance and user experience
• Push Notifications: Engage users with native push notifications

Step 1: Export Your Lovable.dev Project

To export your project from Lovable.dev, you need to link it to GitHub first, as per Lovable’s export system.

Link Your Project to GitHub

1. Open your Lovable.dev project in the browser
2. Look for the GitHub or Connect to GitHub option in the Lovable interface

3. Authorize Lovable.dev to access your GitHub account

4. Create or select a repository for your project

5. Once connected, your project is now backed up to GitHub

Download and Install Cursor

Before we can work with your code, you’ll need a code editor. We recommend Cursor, an AI-powered code editor that makes development easier:

1. Visit cursor.sh and download the version for your operating system
2. Install Cursor following the installation wizard
3. Once installed, open Cursor

Configure Cursor for AI Development

For the best experience, we recommend configuring Cursor properly:

1. Buy a Cursor Plan - While Cursor offers a free tier, purchasing a Pro plan ($20/month) gives you:

   • Unlimited AI completions
   • Access to GPT-4 and Claude models
   • Faster response times
   • Priority support

2. Open Cursor Settings by pressing Command+, (Mac) or Ctrl+, (Windows)

3. Enable AI Models - Make sure AI features are enabled:

4. Select Your Preferred Model - Choose Claude or GPT-4 for best results:

5. Allow Command Execution - Enable Cursor to run commands for you:

Clone Your Repository in Cursor

Now let’s get your Lovable.dev project into Cursor:

1. In Cursor, press Shift+Command+P (Mac) or Shift+Ctrl+P (Windows) to open the command palette
2. Type “clone” and select “Git: Clone”
3. Paste your GitHub repository URL: https://github.com/yourusername/your-lovable-project.git
4. Choose a folder where you want to save the project

5. Cursor will clone and open your project

Step 2: Set Up Your Development Environment

Install Required Tools

Method 1: Using Cursor AI (Recommended)

1. Open Cursor’s AI tab by pressing Command+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows)
2. Type the following command:

   Install Homebrew, Node.js and npm on my system, then install dependencies and run the dev server

The AI will automatically:

• Detect your operating system
• Install Homebrew (on macOS)
• Install Node.js and npm
• Navigate to your project directory
• Run npm install to install dependencies
• Start your development server with npm run dev

Method 2: Manual Installation (If AI doesn’t work)

Open the terminal in Cursor by pressing Shift+Command+T (Mac) or Shift+Ctrl+T (Windows), then:

For macOS:

# Install Homebrew
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Install Node.js
brew install node

# Navigate to your project
cd your-lovable-project

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Run dev server
npm run dev

For Windows:

1. Download Node.js from nodejs.org
2. Run the installer
3. Open terminal and run:

cd your-lovable-project
npm install
npm run dev

Your Lovable.dev app should now be running at http://localhost:3000.

Step 3: Prepare for Mobile Export

Lovable.dev projects are built with Next.js, so we need to configure static export for mobile deployment.

Configure Your Project

Method 1: Using Cursor AI (Recommended)

1. Press Command+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows)
2. Type this request:

   Add a static export script to package.json and configure next.config.js for mobile export with Capacitor

The AI will automatically update your files.

Method 2: Manual Configuration

1. Open package.json and add to scripts:

{
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "next dev",
    "build": "next build",
    "start": "next start",
    "lint": "next lint",
    "static": "NEXT_PUBLIC_IS_MOBILE=true next build"
  }
}

2. Update next.config.js:

/** @type {import('next').NextConfig} */
const isMobile = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_IS_MOBILE === 'true';
const nextConfig = {
  ...(isMobile ? {output: 'export'} : {}),
  reactStrictMode: true,
  images: {
    unoptimized: true,
  },
  trailingSlash: true,
};

module.exports = nextConfig;

Test Static Export

With Cursor AI:

Run the static export and verify it creates an 'out' folder

Manually:

npm run static

You should see a new out folder containing your static files.

Step 4: Add Capacitor to Your Lovable.dev Project

Now let’s transform your Lovable.dev app into a native mobile app using Cursor AI.

Install and Initialize Capacitor

Method 1: Using Cursor AI (Recommended)

1. Press Command+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows)
2. Type this command:

   Install Capacitor CLI, initialize it for my app, and add iOS and Android platforms

The AI will handle everything automatically, asking you for:

• App name: Your Lovable.dev project name
• Bundle ID: Like com.yourcompany.yourapp

Method 2: Manual Installation

Open terminal (Shift+Command+T or Shift+Ctrl+T) and run:

# Install Capacitor CLI
npm install -D @capacitor/cli

# Initialize Capacitor
npx cap init

# When prompted, enter:
# - App name: Your Lovable App
# - Bundle ID: com.yourcompany.yourapp

# Install core packages
npm install @capacitor/core @capacitor/ios @capacitor/android

# Add platforms
npx cap add ios
npx cap add android

Understanding Your New Project Structure

After adding platforms, your project now has:

your-lovable-project/
├── src/           # Your Next.js source code
├── public/        # Static assets
├── out/           # Build output (after npm run static)
├── ios/           # iOS native project (NEW)
├── android/       # Android native project (NEW)
├── capacitor.config.ts  # Capacitor settings
└── package.json   # Dependencies

Key Points:

• You’ll mostly work in src/ for app changes
• The ios/ and android/ folders are auto-generated
• Don’t edit native folders directly unless necessary

Step 5: Configure Capacitor

Method 1: Using Cursor AI (Recommended)

Ask Cursor AI:

Update capacitor.config.ts to use 'out' as webDir and set up for HTTPS

Method 2: Manual Configuration

Open capacitor.config.ts and update:

import { CapacitorConfig } from '@capacitor/cli';

const config: CapacitorConfig = {
  appId: 'com.yourcompany.yourapp',
  appName: 'Your Lovable App',
  webDir: 'out',
  bundledWebRuntime: false,
  server: {
    androidScheme: 'https'
  }
};

export default config;

Step 6: Build and Sync

Method 1: Using Cursor AI (Recommended)

Tell Cursor AI:

Build the static export and sync it with Capacitor platforms

Method 2: Manual Commands

# Build static export
npm run static

# Sync with native projects
npx cap sync

Step 7: Open Native IDEs

For iOS Development

Method 1: Using Cursor AI (Recommended)

Open the iOS project in Xcode

Method 2: Manual Command

npx cap open ios

For Android Development

Method 1: Using Cursor AI (Recommended)

Open the Android project in Android Studio

Method 2: Manual Command

npx cap open android

Step 8: Build and Run Your Mobile App

Running on iOS

First-Time Xcode Setup

1. Select a Simulator:

   • Click the device selector next to the Play button
   • Choose “iPhone 14” or any available simulator
   • If none appear: Xcode > Settings > Platforms > Download iOS Simulator

2. Handle Code Signing (for real devices only):

   • Click your project name in the navigator
   • Select “Signing & Capabilities”
   • Check “Automatically manage signing”
   • Select your Apple Developer account
   • If you see errors, you need to enroll in Apple Developer Program ($99/year)

3. Build and Run:

   • Click the ▶️ Play button
   • First build takes 5-10 minutes
   • Simulator will launch automatically

Common Issues:

• “Command PhaseScriptExecution failed”: Run cd ios && pod install
• “No simulator available”: Download one in Xcode Settings
• “Signing requires a development team”: Need Apple Developer account

Running on Android

First-Time Android Studio Setup

1. Install Android SDK (if prompted):

   • Android Studio will show “Missing SDK”
   • Click “Install missing SDK packages”
   • Accept licenses and wait for download

2. Create an Emulator:

   • Click “Device Manager” (phone icon)
   • Click “Create Device”
   • Select “Pixel 6” > Next
   • Select “API 33” (or latest) > Download > Next
   • Click Finish

3. Build and Run:

   • Select your emulator from dropdown
   • Click green ▶️ Run button
   • First build takes 5-15 minutes
   • Emulator will start automatically

Common Issues:

• “SDK not found”: Let Android Studio install it
• “Gradle sync failed”: File > Sync Project
• Emulator won’t start: Check virtualization is enabled in BIOS

Success Indicators

✅ iOS Success: App opens in simulator showing your Lovable.dev content ✅ Android Success: App opens in emulator with your web app running

If you see a white screen, check the terminal for errors.

Step 9: Enable Live Reload (Development)

Method 1: Using Cursor AI (Recommended)

Tell Cursor AI:

Set up live reload for Capacitor development with my local IP address

The AI will automatically configure everything.

Method 2: Manual Setup

1. Find your local IP address:

# macOS
ipconfig getifaddr en0

# Windows
ipconfig

2. Update capacitor.config.ts:

import { CapacitorConfig } from '@capacitor/cli';

const config: CapacitorConfig = {
  appId: 'com.yourcompany.yourapp',
  appName: 'Your Lovable App',
  webDir: 'out',
  bundledWebRuntime: false,
  server: {
    url: 'http://YOUR_IP_ADDRESS:3000',
    cleartext: true,
  },
};

export default config;

3. Apply changes:

npx cap copy

Step 10: Add Native Features

Method 1: Using Cursor AI (Recommended)

Tell Cursor AI:

Add native share functionality to my app using Capacitor Share plugin

The AI will handle everything automatically.

Method 2: Manual Implementation

1. Install the Share plugin:

npm install @capacitor/share

2. Add to your component:

import { Share } from '@capacitor/share';

const shareContent = async () => {
  await Share.share({
    title: 'Check out my Lovable app!',
    text: 'Built with Lovable.dev and Capacitor',
    url: 'https://your-app-url.com',
    dialogTitle: 'Share with friends',
  });
};

// Add to your JSX
<button onClick={shareContent} className="btn-primary">
  Share App
</button>

3. Sync changes:

npx cap sync

Quick Test: Verify Native Features Work

Test your new native capabilities:

1. Share Button: Click it and see native share dialog
2. Camera Access: Test on real device (simulators have limited camera)
3. Check Console: No errors should appear

If features don’t work, ensure you’ve run npx cap sync after adding plugins.

Step 11: Optimize for Production

App Icons and Splash Screens

Method 1: Using Cursor AI (Recommended)

Set up app icons and splash screens for my Capacitor app

Method 2: Manual Setup

1. Install Capacitor Assets:

npm install -D @capacitor/assets

2. Create your assets:

   • Add assets/icon.png (1024x1024px)
   • Add assets/splash.png (2732x2732px)

3. Generate all sizes:

npx capacitor-assets generate

Build for Production

Method 1: Using Cursor AI (Recommended)

Build my app for production and sync all platforms

Method 2: Manual Build

npm run static
npx cap sync
npx cap copy

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Build Errors

If you encounter build errors:

1. Check that all Lovable.dev dependencies are compatible
2. Ensure your next.config.js has the correct export settings
3. Verify that static export generates the out folder correctly

Missing Assets

If images or assets don’t load:

1. Ensure all asset paths are relative
2. Check that images are in the public folder
3. Verify that the images.unoptimized: true setting is in your config

Performance Issues

For better performance:

1. Optimize images using Next.js Image optimization
2. Implement lazy loading for heavy components
3. Remove unused dependencies from your Lovable.dev project

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully transformed your Lovable.dev Next.js app into native mobile applications. Your AI-generated web app can now:

• Run natively on iOS and Android devices
• Access device features like camera and storage
• Be distributed through app stores
• Provide a native user experience

Next Steps

• Live Updates: Consider implementing Capgo for over-the-air updates
• Push Notifications: Add the Capacitor Push Notifications plugin
• Analytics: Integrate mobile analytics to track user behavior
• Performance Monitoring: Monitor your app’s performance on mobile devices

Your Lovable.dev creation is now ready for the mobile world!

Resources

• Lovable.dev Documentation
• Capacitor Documentation
• Capgo - Live Updates for Capacitor Apps
• Next.js Static Export Guide

Learn how Capgo can help you deliver updates to your mobile app instantly, sign up for a free account today.