ReqRes compared to Lovable

Lovable and ReqRes are both tools for shipping faster. The difference is in the approach: Lovable uses AI to build your entire app inside their platform. ReqRes gives you a backend you own and call with fetch() from any frontend.

TL;DR

• Lovable is an AI app builder that plans, builds, tests, and hosts your entire application.
• ReqRes is a backend-as-a-service you control independently - predictable REST endpoints, request logging, and no platform lock-in.
• Lovable is faster and more magical. ReqRes gives you more control and ownership.
• Use Lovable when you want AI to handle everything. Use ReqRes when you want to own your backend separately.

What ReqRes is

ReqRes is a backend you own and call with standard HTTP requests. When you create a project, you get:

• Collections - REST endpoints for your JSON data (/api/:collection)
• App users - Magic-link authentication endpoints
• Request logs - Every API call recorded and visible in a dashboard
• Custom endpoints - Define specific responses for mocking
• Triggers - Webhooks and automations on data changes

ReqRes is predictable. You call an endpoint, you get a response. No AI generation, no magic - just a REST API you control. It works with any frontend: React, Vue, Svelte, vanilla JS, or code generated by tools like Lovable.

What Lovable is

Lovable is an AI-powered app builder that handles the full stack. It provides:

• AI planning and building - Describe what you want, Lovable builds it autonomously
• Frontend generation - Creates React/Vue components from prompts
• Backend capabilities - Can generate and run backend logic within their platform
• Built-in auth - Google sign-in with one prompt
• Automated testing - Tests your app like a real user, takes screenshots, validates workflows
• Hosting included - Deploy without configuring infrastructure

Lovable's pitch is "everything you need to build, launch, and grow" in one place. You work within their ecosystem, and AI handles the complexity.

Key differences

When to choose ReqRes

You want ReqRes when you prefer to own your backend independently:

• You're building the frontend yourself - hand-coded React, Vue, or any framework
• You need predictable API behaviour - for QA, CI pipelines, or integration testing
• You want to see every request - logged and observable in a dashboard
• You're connecting multiple frontends - web app, mobile app, CLI all hitting one backend
• You want to avoid platform lock-in - it's just REST, move your data anytime
• You're teaching or learning - standard HTTP patterns, no proprietary abstractions

Example scenarios:

• Building a React app and want a backend without writing server code
• Running automated tests that need consistent, observable API responses
• Prototyping with a team where different people own frontend vs backend
• Migrating later to your own backend - ReqRes data exports cleanly

When to choose Lovable

You want Lovable when speed and integration matter more than independent ownership:

• You want AI to build your entire app - UI, logic, everything
• You're validating an idea fast - get something working in hours, not days
• You're comfortable in their ecosystem - one platform for build, test, deploy
• Built-in Google auth is enough - no need for custom auth flows
• You don't need backend separation - the app is the product, not the API

Example scenarios:

• Turning an idea into a working prototype over a weekend
• Non-technical founder who needs to ship without writing code
• Internal tool where platform lock-in doesn't matter
• Exploring concepts before committing to a tech stack

Using ReqRes with Lovable-generated code

If you use Lovable to generate your UI but want to own your backend independently, you can connect Lovable-generated code to ReqRes. This is an intentional choice to separate concerns - not something Lovable can't do, but a different architecture.

Why you might do this:

• You want the frontend AI-generated but the backend under your control
• You're building an API that multiple clients will consume
• You need request logging and observability that lives outside Lovable
• You're planning to eventually migrate to your own backend

How it works:

1. Generate your UI with Lovable
2. Create a ReqRes project at app.reqres.in
3. Replace any mock data with ReqRes API calls:

// Fetch data from your ReqRes collection
const response = await fetch('https://your-project.reqres.in/api/tasks', {
  headers: { 'x-api-key': 'YOUR_API_KEY' }
});
const { data } = await response.json();

4. Wire up create/update/delete operations:

// Create a new record
await fetch('https://your-project.reqres.in/api/tasks', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'x-api-key': 'YOUR_API_KEY'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({ title: 'New task', done: false })
});

5. Optionally add ReqRes magic-link auth if you need user-scoped data

This gives you Lovable's UI generation speed with a backend you own and can observe.

Common questions

Doesn't Lovable have backend capabilities now?

Yes. Lovable can generate and run backend logic within their platform. The difference is ownership: Lovable's backend lives inside Lovable. ReqRes is a standalone service you call from anywhere. If you want your backend independent of your frontend tooling, that's where ReqRes fits.

Which is faster to get started?

Lovable, significantly. You describe what you want, AI builds it. ReqRes requires you to write the frontend yourself (or use a generator like Lovable, then connect it). ReqRes is faster than writing your own backend, but Lovable is faster than writing anything.

Can I use both?

Yes. Generate UI with Lovable, connect it to ReqRes for the backend. You get AI-powered frontend development with an independently-owned backend. This makes sense if you want to separate those concerns.

What about auth?

Lovable has built-in Google sign-in. ReqRes has magic-link auth (email a login link, user clicks, they're authenticated). Different approaches - Google sign-in is faster to add, magic-link works without OAuth configuration and doesn't require users to have Google accounts.

Next step

If you want a backend you own independently, create a ReqRes project. If you want AI to build your whole app, use Lovable. Both are valid - it depends on what you're optimising for.

• Try ReqRes Projects - Create your first project
• See Notes example - Explore a working app