Authentication for Vibe Coded Apps
Add login, signup, and user management without breaking your app
Quick answer
Authentication in vibe coded apps is typically handled by Supabase Auth, Clerk, or NextAuth. Supabase Auth is the default when using Lovable — it handles email/password, magic links, and OAuth with no configuration. Clerk is the fastest option for Cursor-built Next.js apps, offering pre-built components for the entire auth flow. For custom implementations, NextAuth provides maximum flexibility with 50+ OAuth providers.
Q: How do I add authentication to a vibe coded app?
A: Use Clerk for Cursor/Next.js apps or Supabase Auth for Lovable apps. Both handle email, Google OAuth, and session management with minimal code.
What's in This Guide
Email & Password Login
The simplest auth flow — signup, login, password reset
Google & GitHub OAuth
Social login that increases conversion by 20-40%
Protected Routes
Restrict pages to logged-in users only
User Sessions & JWTs
How tokens work and when they expire
Row Level Security
Database-level access control per user
Multi-tenant Auth
Users belong to teams or organizations
Common Issues & Fixes
Integration Guides
How-To Guides
Recommended Tools
Services we recommend for this stack
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Frequently Asked Questions
Supabase Auth if you're already using Supabase for your database (free, integrated). Clerk if you want pre-built React components (faster to implement). NextAuth for maximum customization.
Create OAuth credentials in Google Cloud Console, add the client ID and secret to your auth provider (Supabase or Clerk), and enable Google as a sign-in method. Setup takes 10-15 minutes.
RLS is a PostgreSQL feature that restricts which database rows each user can access. It ensures User A can't read User B's data, even if they have the same API key. Essential for any app with user accounts.
Most likely a JWT expiration issue. Supabase tokens expire after 1 hour by default. Add an onAuthStateChange listener to automatically refresh tokens.