Open Lovable: Chat with AI to Build React Apps Instantly

Ship smarter, not slower. Open Lovable turns prompts into production-grade React. In minutes. Not months. It clones existing websites into clean React code, then iterates via chat so teams skip boilerplate and scale creativity.

Unlike closed platforms, it’s open‑source, MIT‑licensed and runs with your keys, your stack, your rules. From messy debug sessions to AI‑powered clarity, Open Lovable delivers a faster, freer way to build web apps with code you own from day one.

Code ownership

• Traditional AI Builders: Vendor code, partial export
• Open Lovable: Full React code export, local control

Pricing model

• Traditional AI Builders: Subscription bound
• Open Lovable: Free (MIT) software; pay only for optional APIs

Input method

• Traditional AI Builders: Forms and fixed flows
• Open Lovable: Natural‑language chat + website cloning

Setup speed

• Traditional AI Builders: Days to weeks
• Open Lovable: Minutes: clone, keys, dev server

Extensibility

• Traditional AI Builders: Limited customization
• Open Lovable: Fork and extend Next.js/TypeScript, open stack

Data privacy

• Traditional AI Builders: Cloud-bound
• Open Lovable: Run locally with your API keys

Integrations

• Traditional AI Builders: Closed ecosystem
• Open Lovable: E2B, Firecrawl, multiple LLMs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Groq, Gemini)

Outcome

• Traditional AI Builders: Templates with lock‑in
• Open Lovable: Developer‑grade React projects you can ship

Open Lovable isn’t just another IDE it automates cloning, scaffolds React and iterates through a conversational agent so teams can deliver twice the features in half the time, with zero vendor lock‑in.

• GitHub traction: 9,000+ stars and 1,400+ forks as of August 2025, strong community momentum for an MIT‑licensed repo 
• Community education: Multiple walkthroughs and videos demonstrate real‑time cloning and local dev runs, reflecting fast onboarding and reproducibility.
• Value positioning: Purpose‑built as a free, open‑source alternative to Lovable.dev’s paid SaaS teams keep costs predictable by using their own API keys and local infra.
• Open‑source license: MIT fork freely, customise deeply, deploy anywhere.

Spec

Core

• Next.js/React, TypeScript codebase

License

• MIT (open‑source)

Run mode

• Local dev server: npm run dev

Inputs

• Chat prompts, target URL for cloning

Key services

• E2B (sandboxes), Firecrawl (scraping), LLMs (OpenAI/Anthropic/Groq/Gemini)

Env vars

• E2B_API_KEY, FIRECRAWL_API_KEY; optional ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, OPENAI_API_KEY, GEMINI_API_KEY, GROQ_API_KEY

Output

• Details: Clean React app; downloadable and editable

Performance notes

• Groq for fast inference (e.g., Kimi/K2 recommended in docs and guides)

Sample I/O (Prompt - AI Response)

Prompt: “Clone https://oneclickitsolution.com and convert to a responsive React app.”

• Representative AI Action/Output: Scrapes via Firecrawl, analyses DOM, generates React components + routes; scaffolds a Next.js project.

Prompt: “Restyle hero with a gradient, add a CTA button and integrate a simple contact form.”

• Representative AI Action/Output: Applies CSS changes, updates layout, scaffolds a form component with validation and wires state handlers.

Prompt: “Swap to Tailwind and remove inline styles.”

• Representative AI Action/Output: Refactors styles to Tailwind, updates config and replaces classNames across components.

Prompt: “Export code; I’ll deploy to Vercel.”

• Representative AI Action/Output: Provides ready‑to‑run project artefacts; you can push to GitHub and deploy to Vercel.

• GitHub: Official Github active stars/forks growth and issue/PR activity.
• Educational ecosystem: Practical tutorials and video guides that walk through installation, keys and cloning workflows, lowering ramp time for teams.
• Open Lovable is positioned by third‑party developer media as a credible free alternative to Lovable.dev, boosting awareness and adoption.

System Requirements

• Node.js/npm installed.
• API keys for E2B (sandboxes) and Firecrawl (scraping); choose at least one LLM provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Groq, or Gemini).

Step‑by‑Step

1. Clone and install

• git clone https://github.com/mendableai/open-lovable
• cd open-lovable
• npm install

2. Configure environment

• Create .env.local with:
• E2B_API_KEY=...[](https://e2b.dev)
• FIRECRAWL_API_KEY=...[](https://firecrawl.dev)
• Optional: ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, OPENAI_API_KEY, GEMINI_API_KEY, GROQ_API_KEY (fast inference via Groq/Kimi K2)

3. Run locally

• npm run dev and open http://localhost:3000

4. Try cloning

Open Lovable (open‑source repo)

• Version: Public repo (active), Date: Ongoing (Aug 2025 activity visible), Notes: Iterative commits; setup, env, multi‑provider LLM support, E2B/Firecrawl integration

Q1. What is Open Lovable?

An MIT‑licensed, open‑source tool that chats with AI to clone websites and generate modern React apps, running locally with your keys for maximum control.

Q2. How is it different from Lovable.dev?

Lovable.dev is a proprietary SaaS with paid tiers; Open Lovable is free software you self‑host, customise and extend, keeping full code ownership.

Q3. What does setup require?

Node.js, E2B_API_KEY, FIRECRAWL_API_KEY and one or more LLM keys (OpenAI, Anthropic, Groq, or Gemini); then npm run dev to start.

Q4. Can it really clone any website?

It’s designed to scrape, analyse and reconstruct sites as React apps; quality depends on the target site’s complexity and scraping constraints.

Q5. Which model is fastest for coding?

Guides recommend Groq for rapid inference (e.g., Kimi/K2), but OpenAI/Anthropic/Gemini are also supported; choose per your needs.

Q6. Do I own the generated code?

Yes, downloadable React code you can edit, version and deploy anywhere.

Try Open Lovable Today.

Get the code: At GIthub 

Watch a quick intro and see how it clones sites in minutes.

Build with belief level up from junior to senior dev by shipping smarter and faster, with AI that accelerates your craft and code you entirely control.

Traditional app building burns time. Open Lovable builds momentum. Code cleaner. Clone quicker. Create with confidence.

Need help with AI transformation? Partner with OneClick to unlock your AI potential. Get in touch today!