Take over an AI-built app
Make Your AI-Built App Production-Ready and Secure
Already built a first version with Lovable, Bolt, v0 or Replit? I take over the AI-generated code, fix the security gaps first, then make it stable, fast and safe to launch — the same way I take any product from idea to launch, just with a head start.
Who it's for
- Founders who built an app with Lovable, Bolt, v0, Replit or Cursor and are about to launch.
- Non-technical owners who aren't sure whether their app is safe to put in front of paying customers.
- Teams whose AI-built prototype gained real users faster than expected and is starting to wobble.
- Anyone using Supabase or Firebase who has never checked who can actually read their data.
- Founders who keep asking the AI to fix a bug, only for two new ones to appear.
- Small teams who want to keep what they built, not pay for a full rewrite.
Why AI-built apps break when real users arrive
AI tools are brilliant at getting an idea on screen. They're built to make the demo work, though, not to protect a live business. The same gaps come up again and again when you try to make an AI-built app production-ready:
- Exposed keys. Secret API keys (for payments, email or AI services) sitting in the frontend code, where anyone can copy them from the browser.
- Database rules switched off. With Supabase, that means row-level security (RLS), the database rules that decide who can read which rows, is disabled or too loose. With Firebase, it's the equivalent security rules.
- Login checks only in the browser. The page hides the admin button, but the server will still happily hand over the data to anyone who asks directly.
- No server-side validation. The form checks the email address, but the API accepts whatever is sent to it.
- No error handling or monitoring. When something fails, users see a blank screen and you only find out from an angry message.
- Slow queries. Fine with ten test records, painful with ten thousand real ones.
- No tests, no staging, no CI. Every change goes straight to live users, and nobody knows what it might break.
None of this means you did anything wrong. It means the app has reached the point where it needs an engineer's eye. A careful AI-generated code review catches these issues before your users or an attacker do.
What I fix, in priority order
I don't start with whatever is most visible. I start with whatever could hurt you most.
1. Security first
Secrets move to the server and get rotated. Database rules are switched on and tested from the point of view of a stranger, a normal user and an admin. If you use Supabase, Supabase security is where most of my early hours go. The Supabase row-level security docs (opens in a new tab) are a good read if you want the background.
2. Data integrity
Every request is checked on the server, permissions are enforced where they can't be bypassed, and important actions like payments can't be triggered twice by accident.
3. Stability
Proper error handling, logging and monitoring, so failures are caught, explained to the user and reported to you.
4. Speed and confidence
Query and page performance, then a staging environment, automated checks and tests around the parts that make you money.
Rescue or rebuild?
Almost always rescue. The interface you designed with Lovable or v0 usually reflects real thinking about your product, and throwing it away wastes both your money and your momentum. What normally needs work is the plumbing underneath: authentication, data access, validation and deployment.
I review AI-generated code with the same rigour as human-written code, and I use AI tools myself every day. That helps me spot the patterns these tools tend to repeat, and work with them rather than against them. If part of the app genuinely needs rewriting, I'll explain why and scope just that part.
The tools and stacks I work with
I'm comfortable picking up projects from Lovable, Bolt, v0, Replit and Cursor. Under the hood, these usually come down to a familiar set of technologies:
- React with Vite, common for Lovable and Bolt projects
- Next.js, common for v0 projects (see my Next.js development service for larger builds)
- Supabase or Firebase for the database, login and file storage
- Node.js APIs and server functions, which I can extend or replace through my Node.js backend work
Whether you need to fix a Lovable app before launch or move a Bolt, v0 or Replit app to production hosting, the approach is the same: understand what's there, secure it, then make it dependable.
What "production-ready" actually means
It's a phrase that gets used loosely, so here's what I mean by it. When I hand your app back, you should be able to tick every one of these:
- No secrets in the browser, and any leaked keys rotated
- Database rules in place and tested for every table
- Permissions checked on the server, not just hidden in the interface
- All input validated on the server
- Clear error messages for users, and alerts for you
- Key pages and queries fast with realistic amounts of data
- A staging environment that mirrors live
- Automated checks that run before every deployment
- Backups, and a known way to roll back a bad release
- Documentation a new developer could follow
The OWASP Top 10 (opens in a new tab) is a useful public reference for the kinds of security risks this list is designed to close.
What you get at the end
You get an app you can launch without crossing your fingers, a clear record of everything that was changed and why, and full ownership of the code. Projects are quoted at a fixed price and paid per milestone, and you can see how that works on my pricing page. When you're ready, tell me about your app and we'll start with a free 20-minute call.
What's included
Security fixes
Exposed keys moved to the server, secrets rotated, and the obvious attack paths closed before anything else is touched.
Authentication and data rules
Login, sessions and permissions checked on the server, with Supabase row-level security or Firebase security rules written and tested properly.
Server-side validation
Every form and API request checked on the server, so bad or malicious data can't slip past the browser.
Error handling and monitoring
Friendly error states for users, plus error tracking and logs so you hear about problems before your customers do.
Performance improvements
Slow queries, missing indexes and heavy pages found and fixed, so the app stays quick as your data grows.
Deployment, CI and environments
A separate staging environment, automated checks on every change, and a repeatable way to ship updates without fear.
Documentation and handover
Plain-English notes on how the app works, how to deploy it and what to watch, so you or your next developer can carry on.
How it works
Step 1: Free 20-minute call
20 minutes
You tell me what the app does, who uses it and what worries you. I'll be honest about whether I'm the right fit.
Step 2: Production audit
3–5 working days
I go through the code, database and hosting setup and write up every issue, ranked by risk, with a walkthrough call.
Step 3: Fix plan and fixed quote
1–2 days
Based on the audit, you get a clear plan split into milestones and a fixed price, so there are no surprises.
Step 4: Fixes with weekly updates
Typically 2–6 weeks
I work through the plan in priority order, security first, and send you a written update every week.
Step 5: Launch and handover
We launch together, and you get the documentation, a proper handover and full ownership of the code.
FAQ
Questions about this service
Do you only work on AI-built apps?
No. Most of my work is building complete products from scratch — websites, SaaS platforms and business systems like point-of-sale software. Taking over AI-built code is an extra strength: I use AI tools every day, so I know the patterns they produce and how to finish what they started.
Will you need to rebuild my app from scratch?
Usually not. Most AI-built apps have a perfectly usable interface and a sensible idea of the product; the problems tend to sit underneath, in security, data rules and error handling. I keep what works and fix what doesn't. If a rebuild really is the better option, I'll tell you why in the audit before you spend anything more.
Can I keep using Lovable, Bolt or v0 after you've made changes?
Often yes, but it depends on the tool and how far the code has moved from what the tool generated. Some tools sync with GitHub, which makes working side by side much easier. I'll explain the trade-offs for your setup and document which parts are safe to keep editing with AI and which are best left alone.
Is my Supabase app insecure if the key is visible in the browser?
Not by itself. Supabase's public anon key is designed to be visible, but it is only safe when row-level security is switched on and the rules are correct. The real danger is a missing or overly loose rule, or a service role key that has ended up in the frontend. Checking this is one of the first things I do.
I'm not technical. Will I understand what you're doing?
Yes. My weekly updates and the audit report are written in plain English, with any jargon explained. You'll always know what was fixed, why it mattered and what's next, without needing to read the code.
Why start with an audit instead of going straight to fixes?
Because AI-generated code can look tidy while hiding serious problems, and it's impossible to give an honest fixed quote without looking properly first. The audit is fixed price and gives you a prioritised list you can use with me or any other developer.
Do I own the code and can you sign an NDA?
You own all of the code once the work is paid for, and I'm happy to sign an NDA before seeing anything. Your idea and your data stay yours.