By You can fix this yourself. A few clicks in every builder, no code needed
- How serious
- High
- Fix it yourself?
- Yes, you can fix this yourself
- Typical cost
- Nothing yourself, or part of a $49–$800 check (prices)
- Top rated for Lovable
- Afterbuild Labs · 10.0/10
What you see. Your whole app exists only inside the builder's workspace, and no developer or second account can see the code.
Why it happens
Every builder keeps your code in its own workspace until you connect a repository. That is convenient and risky. If the builder has an outage, changes your plan, or a freelancer's account holds the project, you cannot reach your own product. A developer you hire has nothing to read, no history of what changed, and no place to send fixes.
All four platforms can hand you the code. Lovable says your apps, code and content are yours, offers git sync on all plans and a zip download on paid plans. Bolt creates a private GitHub repository from a project and commits each change automatically. Replit has a Git pane that pushes to a provider and a download as zip option. Base44 offers two-way GitHub sync on the Builder plan or higher. What none of them put in the repository is your database, your users and your secrets. Those need their own export.
Fix it yourself
- Lovable: open Project settings > Git > GitHub > Add connection, authorize GitHub, then click Connect. Lovable creates a private repository and syncs both ways.
- Bolt: click the GitHub icon in the top right, log in, install the GitHub App, enter a name and click Create repository. Watch for Synced to GitHub in the status panel.
- Replit: open Tools > Git, click Initialize Git Repository, then Connect to a Git provider, commit and Push updates. As a fallback, use Download as zip in the file tree menu.
- Base44: open the Dashboard, click the GitHub icon top right, Connect to GitHub, authorize and Create Repository. This needs the Builder plan or higher.
- Make sure the repository lands in a GitHub account you control, not the freelancer's. Check the repository's collaborators and keep it private.
- Export the database and write down every secret by name. See no backups and handing your app to a developer.
When to get an engineer
You rarely need to hire for this step. Get help when the builder account belongs to someone who left, when the sync fails with conflicts, or when you want someone to confirm the repository is complete and free of secrets. Tell them which builder, which GitHub account, and who created the project. Checking the repository and the exported data is part of a $49–$800 one-off check.
Top-rated companies for Lovable apps
Ranked by our score: published prices, scope of work, AI tools named, timing and a low-risk first step. How we score.
- 1Afterbuild Labs10.0/10Best for: A check before launchFree first step · from $49
- 2Redlab10.0/10Best for: A full rescue by one team that keeps buildingFree first step · from $490
- 3Vibe Code Rescue (Lev Arakelyan)9.0/10Best for: A one-off check and a cleanupFrom $299
Check these
The code lives in a Git repository you own
Connect GitHub or export the project. If the builder account is lost, the product should not be.
Secrets live in the host's environment settings
Keys belong in environment variables on the server, not in the repository or in front-end code.
Database backups run automatically and a restore has been tested
Check what your database plan actually includes, then restore a backup into a test project once.
Dependencies are current and audited
Run npm audit. Critical advisories in packages you ship should be fixed before launch.
Questions
Does the GitHub repository contain my data?
No. It holds source code. Your database rows, user accounts and uploaded files stay in the backend and need a separate export and backup.
Should the repository be public or private?
Private. All four builders create it private by default. Also check that no API keys were committed into the code before you share it with anyone.
Sources: Lovable docs: Sync your Lovable project with GitHub; Bolt Help Center: GitHub for version control; Replit docs: Using the Git pane; Base44 docs: GitHub Integration.