Use the narrative brief first, then execute the step summary in order.
When to use this workflow
Use this workflow when Lovable has produced a useful interface but the code still feels like a prototype. The goal is not to redesign everything in Cursor. The goal is to preserve the product direction, then give Cursor enough context to turn generated output into code a developer can safely change.
Handoff brief
Create a short note before opening the repo in Cursor:
- What the product does in one paragraph.
- Which screens are canonical and which are disposable experiments.
- Which flows must work in the next milestone.
- Which services are real, mocked, or undecided.
- Which generated areas are off-limits for now.
Keep the brief direct. Cursor performs better when the first task has a clear boundary and a visible success condition.
Cursor first prompt
You are taking over a Lovable-generated prototype.
First, inspect the repo without editing files.
Return:
1. The framework, routing approach, styling approach, and data seams.
2. The highest-risk generated patterns.
3. A safe first cleanup plan that keeps the UI behavior unchanged.
Do not modify files yet.Cleanup order
Start with the seams that make future edits risky:
- Move repeated literal data into typed data files.
- Name route-level screens and shared sections consistently.
- Replace fake actions with explicit TODO states or integration adapters.
- Add a small smoke test or manual verification script.
- Commit before changing layout or visual direction.
Done criteria
The handoff is complete when Cursor can explain the codebase, the app runs locally, generated shortcuts are documented, and the next branch has one clear production objective. Avoid bundling auth, billing, data modeling, and design cleanup into the same agent session.