Add a small, explicit "required features" validator that Lovable will create and wire into your app entry points, add tests and CI checks that fail if any required feature is missing, and add a clear README + Lovable Secrets UI checklist — all via Chat Mode edits so nothing requires a terminal. Paste the prompts below into Lovable chat to make the edits.

Runtime validation: fail-fast on missing features

• Prompt for Lovable (paste this into Lovable chat)

// Inspect package.json to find the app entry files and test runner.
// Create src/utils/requiredFeatures.ts with an exported array of required items
// and an exported function validateRequiredFeatures({env, config, files}) that returns {ok: boolean, missing: string[]}
// Add runtime calls to validateRequiredFeatures() in the server entry and the client entry (if a web app).
//
// Files to create/update:
// - create src/utils/requiredFeatures.ts
// - update <entry file> (detect from package.json "main", "start" or dev script; if React/Vite use src/main.tsx; if Next.js use pages/_app.tsx or src/pages/_app.tsx; if Node server use src/server.ts or src/index.ts)
// - create src/components/MissingFeaturesOverlay.tsx (for client-side UI) if project is a web app
//
// Content guidance (implement in TypeScript or JavaScript matching project):
//
// // src/utils/requiredFeatures.ts
// // export const REQUIRED_FEATURES = [{key:'DATABASE_URL', type:'env', hint:'Set in Lovable Secrets UI'}, {key:'ENABLE_PAYMENTS', type:'config', hint:'Add to src/config.ts'}]
// // export function validateRequiredFeatures(ctx) { // check process.env and presence of config flags and required files; return {ok, missing} }
//
// // In the detected entry file add:
// import { validateRequiredFeatures } from './utils/requiredFeatures'
// const result = validateRequiredFeatures({env: process.env, configPath: 'src/config.ts'})
// if (!result.ok) {
//   // On server: log error and throw to prevent startup.
//   // On client: render MissingFeaturesOverlay with result.missing
// }

Automated tests that assert required features

• Prompt for Lovable (paste this into Lovable chat)

// Open package.json and detect test runner. Create a test file that fails if required features are not present.
// Files to create:
// - create tests/required-features.test.(ts|js) matching the project's test framework
//
// Test behavior:
// // import { validateRequiredFeatures } from '../src/utils/requiredFeatures'
// // test('required features present', () => { const res = validateRequiredFeatures({env: process.env, configPath:'src/config.ts'}); expect(res.ok).toBe(true) })
// If the project has no test runner, add a minimal devDependency and test script (ask before changing package.json).

CI workflow and GitHub sync note

• Prompt for Lovable (paste this into Lovable chat)

// Create .github/workflows/ci.yml that runs the project's test script and a node script that runs the required-features validator.
// Note: creating the workflow is inside Lovable, but to run CI you must sync/push to GitHub (use Lovable's GitHub sync/export).
//
// .github/workflows/ci.yml should run on push and run:
// - checkout
// - setup-node
// - npm ci
// - npm test
// - node ./scripts/check-required-features.js  // create this small script that calls validateRequiredFeatures and exits non-zero on missing
//
// Create scripts/check-required-features.js that imports the validator and exits 1 if missing.

README + Lovable Secrets UI checklist

• Prompt for Lovable (paste this into Lovable chat)

// Update README.md to include a "Required features / secrets" section listing exact env keys and config flags.
// Add explicit instructions: "Open Lovable Cloud > Secrets and add keys: DATABASE_URL, STRIPE_KEY, ... — then Preview the app in Lovable and check the Missing Features overlay if it appears."
// Also create docs/required-features.md with copyable checklist and sample values for local dev. Reference this from README.

A prompt Lovable should run before adding any new feature

• Prompt for Lovable (paste this into Lovable chat)

// Whenever you add a new feature, run this checklist programmatically:
// - ensure any new runtime dependency is listed in REQUIRED_FEATURES if it needs env/config/secret
// - add/modify tests to assert the feature is available
// - update README/docs and Lovable Secrets list
// - run Preview and show the Missing Features overlay if something is missing
//
// Implement a tiny developer helper file: scripts/ensureNewFeature.js that accepts metadata and updates src/utils/requiredFeatures.ts and docs automatically.

Quick note: All of the above edits can be made inside Lovable via Chat Mode. Creating the GitHub Actions file and tests is fine inside Lovable; to run CI you must sync/export to GitHub from Lovable (no terminal required inside Lovable).

Use an explicit, living feature checklist + acceptance tests, small runtime feature gates with clear UI fallbacks, fixtures/mocks for every integration, Preview-driven manual QA steps, and GitHub CI for automated coverage. In short: make "what must exist" concrete (files + tests), make the app self-check at runtime, and make automated verification part of your repo so Lovable Preview + GitHub CI together guarantee feature coverage.

Create a visible feature checklist and acceptance criteria

Have a single source-of-truth file that lists every feature, the API/Secret it needs, the UI routes, and one-line acceptance criteria. This is what you and Lovable will use to verify completeness.

• Paste this into Lovable chat as a single request to create FEATURES.md

// Please create a file at FEATURES.md with the exact contents below.
// This file will be the canonical feature checklist and acceptance criteria.

# Feature Coverage Checklist

- Feature: User Sign-up
  - Path: /signup
  - Needs Secret: SUPABASE_URL, SUPABASE_ANON_KEY
  - Acceptance: Sign-up form submits, new user row appears in demo fixture.

- Feature: Protected Dashboard
  - Path: /dashboard
  - Needs: auth token
  - Acceptance: Redirect to /login when unauthenticated; show user name when authenticated.

- Feature: Third-party Sync
  - Path: /sync
  - Needs Secret: EXTERNAL_API_KEY
  - Acceptance: Sync button returns success, shows lastSync timestamp.

# How to use
- Use Lovable Preview and run each acceptance step.
- Track missing Secrets in the Secrets UI and add them there.

Add runtime feature-gates and a "missing features" page

Make the app self-validate which features are available at startup and show an explicit page that lists what's missing. That prevents hidden, silently-failing features.

• Paste this into Lovable chat to create/update files:

// Create src/config/featureFlags.ts
// Create src/components/FeatureGate.tsx
// Update src/App.tsx to wrap routes with FeatureGate and show /missing-features route

// featureFlags.ts
export const requiredFeatures = [
  { key: 'SUPABASE', env: ['SUPABASE_URL','SUPABASE_ANON_KEY'], name: 'User Sign-up & Auth' },
  { key: 'EXTERNAL_API', env: ['EXTERNAL_API_KEY'], name: 'Third-party Sync' },
]

// FeatureGate.tsx
// Add a component that reads process.env (or a runtime config object injected) and computes missing items.
// If anything missing, navigate to /missing-features and display a clear list and links to add secrets in the Secrets UI.

// App.tsx
// Wrap the <Routes> in FeatureGate and add a <Route path="/missing-features" element={<MissingFeatures/>} />

Create fixtures and test skeletons that map directly to FEATURES.md

For each feature create a fixture and at least one test file that asserts the acceptance criteria. Put descriptive test names so Preview + CI failures point to the missing feature.

• Paste this into Lovable chat to create fixture and test files (tests will be runnable after sync/install):

// Create tests/fixtures/auth-fixture.json
// Create src/__tests__/featureCoverage.test.tsx

// auth-fixture.json
{ "users": [{ "id":1,"email":"[email protected]","name":"Test User" }] }

// featureCoverage.test.tsx
// // Use the existing test framework in repo or add instructions below for adding dependencies.
// // Tests should render /signup, submit form with fixture user, assert expected DOM changes.

Document Preview QA steps and require Preview sign-off in FEATURES.md

For each feature add a one-line "Preview QA" instruction and require a reviewer to mark it done in FEATURES.md before Publish. Use Preview to exercise flows manually.

• Paste this into Lovable chat to update FEATURES.md and README with Preview QA steps:

// Update FEATURES.md to add "Preview QA" lines under each feature:
// Example: Preview QA: In Lovable Preview, go to /signup, register with [email protected], confirm redirect to /dashboard.
// Also add a short README section "How to Preview and QA" explaining how to open Preview and where to add Secrets via Secrets UI.

Use Lovable Secrets UI for all keys and mark them in the checklist

Explicitly list required secrets in FEATURES.md and instruct reviewers to add them via the Lovable Secrets UI before Preview. That avoids "works locally because you have env vars" surprises.

• Paste this into Lovable chat to add instructions into README and to wire up runtime use of Secrets:

// Update README.md with a "Secrets" section that lists each required secret key and exact name to add in Lovable Secrets UI.
// Update src/config/featureFlags.ts comments to tell reviewers to add those keys in Secrets UI before Preview.

Add GitHub CI for automated coverage (outside Lovable: GitHub actions will run on push)

Create a .github workflow that runs your tests on each push. This file can live in the repo (Lovable can create it), but real execution happens in GitHub after you sync/export the repo from Lovable — running/installing deps is outside Lovable (terminal required) if you need local runs.

• Paste this into Lovable chat to create .github/workflows/ci.yml and mention the outside-Lovable step:

// Create .github/workflows/ci.yml that runs npm ci and npm test on push.
// Add a note at the top of the file: // NOTE: after syncing to GitHub, Actions will run automatically. Local npm install/test is outside Lovable (terminal required).

Follow these prompts in Lovable, use Preview to manually verify each acceptance step, add required Secrets in the Secrets UI, and sync to GitHub so CI enforces the same checks. This combination (checklist + runtime gates + fixtures + Preview + CI) is what reliably ensures complete feature coverage in Lovable projects.