What is Lovable Cloud?

Lovable Cloud is a Supabase backend (Postgres database, authentication, storage, edge functions) that Lovable provisions and manages for your project automatically, with no separate account or dashboard needed.

When should I use Lovable Cloud?

Use Lovable Cloud for most new projects needing a backend — it's the fastest path with no separate account; connect your own Supabase project instead if you already have one, need direct dashboard access, or must integrate with existing Supabase infrastructure.

How do I connect Supabase to Lovable?

In your Lovable project, open the Supabase integration and authorise Lovable to connect to an existing Supabase project (or create a new one), then Lovable can read and write to it the same way it does with Lovable Cloud.

How do I create a database in Lovable?

Ask Lovable to set up Lovable Cloud (or connect your own Supabase project) and describe the tables you need — Lovable provisions the Postgres database and creates the tables from your description.

How do I create database tables?

Describe the table's purpose and fields in plain language to Lovable — including which fields are required, their types, and any relationships to other tables — and Lovable generates the table with appropriate row-level security policies.

How do I view my database data?

Open the Cloud tab (or ask Lovable) to browse tables, edit rows and run SQL directly inside your project — no separate Supabase login needed.

Why isn't Lovable saving data?

Most commonly this is a missing or misconfigured RLS policy blocking the insert/update, an unconnected database, or a form that never calls the backend at all.

Why is Supabase returning a 403 error?

A 403 means Row Level Security blocked the request — the current user's role doesn't match any policy allowing that read or write on that table.

What is Row Level Security (RLS)?

RLS is a Postgres feature that restricts which rows a query can see or change, enforced per-row on the database itself rather than trusted to your app's code.

Do I need RLS on my Lovable app?

Yes, for almost any app with user data, private content or logged-in users — without RLS, anyone can read or write any row via the database's public API.

How do I fix RLS errors?

Identify which operation and role is being blocked, then ask Lovable to add or correct the specific policy for that table rather than disabling RLS.

Why can users see other users' data?

Almost always a missing or too-permissive RLS policy — either RLS isn't enabled on the table, or a policy allows reading rows regardless of who owns them.

How do I use environment variables?

Use `VITE_`-prefixed variables only for non-sensitive, public values baked into the front-end build; use Secrets for anything sensitive that a server/edge function needs.

How do I upload and store files?

Ask Lovable to add file uploads and it will wire up storage in Lovable Cloud (or your connected Supabase project), including an upload UI and access policies for the files.

How do I back up my Lovable database?

Lovable Cloud stores backups you can restore from directly in the Database screen; for extra safety, also ask Lovable to export your data periodically.

How do I migrate a database?

Describe the schema change you want in chat and let Lovable write and apply the migration — it handles new tables, columns and RLS policy updates together.

Can I move from Lovable Cloud to Supabase?

Yes — Lovable Cloud is a Supabase backend under the hood, and Lovable supports connecting your own Supabase project instead, though moving existing data across takes an export/import step.

What are Supabase Edge Functions?

Last checked 31 Aug 2026

Short answer

Edge Functions are small serverless backend functions that run outside the browser — used for anything requiring a secret key, a third-party call, or logic that shouldn't be trusted to the client.

What they are

Edge Functions are serverless functions that form part of Lovable Cloud's built-in backend (the same underlying technology when you connect your own Supabase project). They run server-side, close to users, rather than in the visitor's browser.

Why your app needs them

Anything that must stay off the client — calling a paid API with a secret key, sending an email, processing a payment, running logic a user shouldn't be able to tamper with — belongs in an edge function. The front-end calls the function; the function does the sensitive work and returns a result.

What Lovable does for you

Ask Lovable to add a feature that needs this kind of logic, and it generates the edge function, wires up the secret it needs, and connects your front-end to call it. You can view invocation logs, success rates and errors for each function from the Cloud tab.

Add an edge function that calls the OpenWeather API with our stored API key and returns today's forecast for a given city

Typical uses

Calling third-party APIs that require a private key (Stripe, Resend, custom REST APIs).
Processing webhooks from external services.
Running validation or business logic that must not be bypassable from the browser.
Sending transactional email.

What usually goes wrong

Trying to call a paid third-party API directly from the front-end, exposing the key — this is exactly what edge functions exist to prevent.
Expecting an edge function to run instantly on every keystroke; they're for discrete actions, not continuous client-side state.
Not checking the function's logs when something fails silently — the Cloud tab's function logs are usually the fastest way to see the real error.

See also /questions/when-should-i-use-an-edge-function and /questions/how-do-i-safely-store-api-keys.

Sources

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GuideHow to Create Your First Database TableColumn types, defaults, required fields and relationships — designed so you are not migrating data in three weeks.