We’ve seen this question pop up on our free Weekly AI Zoom meetings a few times: “How do you move your application directly from Replit to Bolt?”
Let’s clear this up: I don’t do that.
What you might have seen was a parallel build, where I built the same app (a reading app for kindergartners) in three different tools—Lovable, Bolt, and Replit—to compare them side-by-side. That was a test, not a migration.
When it comes to moving production-ready apps, I never go directly from one cloud IDE to another. It’s a recipe for headaches, and it’s not a scalable workflow.
Instead, my standard practice emphasizes using GitHub as the central transfer point to move applications to a local development environment (Windsurf or Kilo Code) or a flexible deployment host (I almost always use Railway).
Here’s a breakdown of how I actually move apps and why a direct Replit-to-Bolt move is a bad idea.
Why You Shouldn’t Migrate Between Cloud IDEs
The simple reason is control.
Cloud IDEs like Replit, Bolt, and Lovable are fantastic for getting started quickly. I actually always start every project in one of these. But they often limit your access to core files, like package configuration files.
This becomes a massive problem when:
- You run into complex bugs and need to do deep debugging.
- You need to add complex functionality, like payment gateways or webhooks for AI automation.
When you hit that wall, you’re stuck. That’s why I always move the app to a local environment where I have full control.
The GitHub-Centric Workflow: My Recommended Strategy
This is the process I follow consistently. It works whether you’re starting on Replit, Bolt, Lovable, or V Zero.
- Connect to GitHub Immediately: Before you write more than a few lines of code, connect your project to a new GitHub repository. This is your central source of truth.
- Clone Locally: Use GitHub Desktop (or the command line) to pull that repository down to your local machine.
- Use Advanced Local Tools: This is where the real work happens. I open the project in Visual Studio Code and pair it with a tool like Kilo Code or Windsurf. These tools give me full file access and superior context control, which is essential for complex integrations.
- Deploy to a Flexible Host: From my local environment, I deploy the application using a
Dockerfileon a service like Railway. This gives me full control over the deployment environment without being locked into a specific platform.
The Database Dilemma: Why It’s Architecturally Difficult
Even if you wanted to move directly from Replit to Bolt, you’d hit a massive technical wall: their default database integrations are completely different.
- Bolt and Lovable are designed to connect to Supabase for database management and authentication.
- Replit typically builds its own database internally once it finishes planning.
These database architectures are not interchangeable. A “direct move” would require ripping out the entire backend and re-architecting it to fit the new platform.
The one exception: If you’re moving an application off Replit and onto a host like Railway, the contents of a Replit Postgres database can be migrated using a simple command-line override process. But that’s a specific case for a specific database.
The (Literal) Takeaway
Stop looking for a “Replit-to-Bolt” button. It doesn’t exist for a reason.
Use cloud IDEs for what they’re good at: rapid prototyping. But the minute your project gets serious, use this workflow:
Cloud IDE → GitHub → Local Development (VS Code) → Flexible Host (Railway)
This is the most sustainable and professional way to build, and it will save you from getting trapped by a platform’s limitations down the road.
-Courtney, owner Opichi LLC
Want to try Railway to deploy your app? Use my affiliate code for $20 credits to try it out!