Why Move from Lovable to Cursor for Mobile Apps
Lovable is great for getting started with AI-powered app building. But if you’re building mobile apps, you’ve probably noticed something frustrating: Lovable builds web apps, and converting them to mobile later is... messy.
What if you could skip that conversion step entirely? Build mobile-ready apps from day one using the same vibe coding approach you already know?
That’s where Cursor comes in. It’s a powerful AI code editor that can build React Native and Expo apps. And here’s the best part: you’re still prompting, not coding. You don’t need to dig into the code if you don’t want to. You’re just working in a tool that’s designed for mobile from the ground up. Plus, you can test and debug your app right in your web browser while you’re building it, just like you did in Lovable.
What You’ll Need
Before you start:
Cursor installed on your computer (free to start - you get a one-week Pro trial, then about 50 AI requests per month on the free tier. That’s enough to build your first simple app and see if this workflow works for you. If you want to keep actively developing, the Pro plan is $20/month.)
Node.js installed (Expo needs this) - the JavaScript runtime that lets you run development tools on your computer
See the appendix at the bottom for quick installation instructions.
Step 1: Create Your Project Folder
Pick a spot on your computer for your app. Create a new folder - name it whatever your app will be called. This is where everything lives.
Step 2: Open Cursor and Start Vibing
Open Cursor and point it to your new folder. Now you’re going to prompt just like you did in Lovable:
“Create a starter React Expo app”
Then describe what you want your app to do. Cursor will build it out in your folder. Files will appear, but you don’t need to touch them. Just keep chatting with the AI and describing what you want.
Step 3: See It Running
Time to see your app in action. In Cursor, tell the AI: “Start the development server”
This will launch Expo, and you’ll see a terminal window with some options. Press ‘w’ for web, and your app will open in your browser. Now you can see exactly what you’ve built.
Every time you make changes in Cursor, your browser will automatically refresh to show them. It’s the same fast feedback loop you had in Lovable - change something, see it instantly.
Now Build Something Cool
This is where you get to play. You’ve got your app running, the browser is showing it live, and Cursor is waiting for your next prompt. This will be jsut like your experience in tools building your app in Lovable. Give it your intent and watch the magic happen!
Want to add a button? Tell Cursor. Want to change the colors? Prompt it. Want to add a list of items? Just describe it. Each time you make a change, watch it appear in your browser within seconds.
Spend some time here. Build features, try ideas, break things and fix them. This is the creative part - where you figure out what you’re making and how it should work. The instant feedback makes it feel like sculpting - you can see your app taking shape with every prompt.
Don’t worry about making it perfect. Just make it yours. Once you’ve got something you’re excited about, then we’ll protect it.
Protecting Your Code
Now that you’ve built something, let’s make sure you don’t lose it. This is where Git and GitHub come in.
First, you’ll need:
Git installed - the version control software that tracks changes to your code
A GitHub account (free version works fine) - the online platform where your code gets backed up and stored
See the appendix for Git installation instructions. For GitHub, just go to github.com and sign up.
Once you’ve got those ready:
Go to GitHub and create a new repository
Copy the URL it gives you
Back in Cursor, tell the AI: “Initialize this as a git repository and connect it to [paste your GitHub URL]”
Cursor handles the rest. Now your code is safely backed up in GitHub.
Why Bother with GitHub?
GitHub isn’t just backup storage. It gives you superpowers:
Experiment without fear - break things, then revert when it doesn’t work
Create branches to test features without touching your working app
See exactly what changed when debugging (every commit is a breadcrumb)
It’s the safety net that lets you try crazy ideas without consequences.
Give Cursor Some Ground Rules (Optional)
Here’s something that’ll save you cleanup work later: give Cursor some basic rules to follow. This keeps your app more organized and production-ready from the start.
It’s not required - skip it if you want. But it takes 30 seconds.
Create a file in your project root called .cursorrules (with the dot). Add something like:
- Use TypeScript for all new files
- Keep components focused and under 250 lines
- Always handle errors with try-catch blocks
- Use environment variables for any API keys or sensitive data
- Write clear comments explaining complex logic
- Follow React Native and Expo best practices
Cursor will automatically follow these whenever it writes code. No need to remember them yourself.
Don’t Panic! You’re Still Vibe Coding
This might look more technical than Lovable, but you’re doing the same thing: describing what you want in plain language and letting AI build it. The difference is you’re building mobile apps from scratch instead of web apps you’ll have to convert later. And you are mobile-ready from the start instead of having to deal with conversion later.
And you’re working in a real development environment. When you’re ready to peek under the hood, the code is right there. But until then? Just keep prompting.
Next Step
Once you’ve got this set up, we’ll connect it to Expo so you can see your app running on your phone. But for now, you’ve got the foundation - a real mobile development setup that still feels like vibe coding.
Appendix: Installing Things
Installing Cursor
Go to cursor.com
Click the download button for your operating system (Mac, Windows, or Linux)
Run the installer
Open Cursor and sign in or create an account
Installing Node.js
Go to nodejs.org
Download the LTS (Long Term Support) version - it’s the more stable option
Run the installer (default settings are fine)
To verify it worked, open your terminal or command prompt and type
node --version
Installing Git (you’ll need this after you’ve built your first app)
Mac: Open Terminal and type git --version. If it’s not installed, macOS will prompt you to install it automatically.
Windows:
Go to git-scm.com
Download the installer for Windows
Run the installer (the default settings work fine)
To verify it worked, open Command Prompt and type
git --version