--- title: "I don't own my code and there is no GitHub repo" description: "If your app lives only inside the builder you cannot hire help or survive an outage. How to get your Lovable, Bolt, Replit or Base44 code into GitHub." url: https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/i-dont-own-my-code-no-github-repo --- [Home](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/) / [Problems](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems) / [Code and ownership](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems#code-and-ownership) # I don't own my code and there is no GitHub repo VC-46 · Lovable · Bolt · Replit · Base44 · Updated October 2026 · By [Nathaniel Kelley](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/authors/nathaniel-kelley) Quick verdict 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](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/pricing)) - **Top rated for Lovable**: [Afterbuild Labs](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/companies/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 1. Lovable: open **Project settings > Git > GitHub > Add connection**, authorize GitHub, then click **Connect**. Lovable creates a private repository and syncs both ways. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. Base44: open the **Dashboard**, click the **GitHub icon** top right, **Connect to GitHub**, authorize and **Create Repository**. This needs the Builder plan or higher. 5. Make sure the repository lands in a GitHub account you control, not the freelancer's. Check the repository's collaborators and keep it private. 6. Export the database and write down every secret by name. See [no backups](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/no-backups-and-i-dont-know-how-to-restore) and [handing your app to a developer](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/handing-an-ai-built-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](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/methodology#score). - 1 · [Afterbuild Labs](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/companies/afterbuild-labs) · **10.0**/10 · Best for: A check before launch · Free first step · from $49 - 2 · [Redlab](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/companies/redlab) · **10.0**/10 · Best for: A full rescue by one team that keeps building · Free first step · from $490 - 3 · [Vibe Code Rescue (Lev Arakelyan)](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/companies/vibe-code-rescue-lev-arakelyan) · **9.0**/10 · Best for: A one-off check and a cleanup · From $299 [All 59 Lovable companies, ranked](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/best/lovable-developers) ## Check these CODE-01 · High 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. OPS-04 · Medium 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. OPS-01 · Critical 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. CODE-04 · Medium 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](https://docs.lovable.dev/integrations/github); [Bolt Help Center: GitHub for version control](https://support.bolt.new/integrations/git); [Replit docs: Using the Git pane](https://docs.replit.com/features/workspace-tools/git-interface); [Base44 docs: GitHub Integration](https://docs.base44.com/developers/app-code/local-development/github). **Lovable guide** What Lovable builds, where it breaks and how to check it: [Lovable app rescue: what breaks and how to check it](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/guides/lovable). **Same category** - [Lovable Cloud to Supabase: how to move your data and keep the app working](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/lovable-cloud-to-supabase-migration) - [How to export my Bolt app and run it elsewhere](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/how-to-export-my-bolt-app) - [Can I export my Base44 app?](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/can-i-export-my-base44-app) - [How to move my Replit app off Replit](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/how-to-move-my-replit-app-off-replit) - [The codebase is too messy for anyone to continue](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/codebase-too-messy-for-anyone-to-continue) - [Handing an AI-built app to a developer: what they need from you](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems/handing-an-ai-built-app-to-a-developer) [All code and ownership problems](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/problems#code-and-ownership) **Run every check** The [production checklist](https://whocanfixmyapp.com/checklist) has all 24 checks with a verdict.