---
title: "Connect Lovable to an On-Prem Database | DreamFactory"
description: "Lovable expects a backend it can reach, and an on-prem SQL Server is not one. Instead of exposing the database or handing Lovable its credentials,…"
url: "https://www.dreamfactory.com/videos/connect-lovable-to-on-prem-sql-server"
---

[Home](https://www.dreamfactory.com/) › [Videos](https://www.dreamfactory.com/videos) › Connect Lovable to an On-Prem Database

# Connect Lovable to an On-Prem Database

Video·8 October 2026·9 min 31 sec

Lovable expects a backend it can reach, and an on-prem SQL Server is not one. Instead of exposing the database or handing Lovable its credentials, DreamFactory generates a REST API in front of it with a read-only role and a scoped API key, and Lovable's server-side code calls that API to build a live delivery operations dashboard.

## What you’ll learn

* Giving Lovable a reachable backend without exposing the database
* Generating the REST API and scoping it to a read-only role
* Calling the API from Lovable's server-side code, not the client
* Keeping the database credential out of the generated application

## Frequently asked questions

### Can Lovable use an existing on-premise database?

Yes, but not by connecting to it directly — Lovable cannot reach into your network. The approach in this video gives Lovable a governed REST API in front of the existing SQL Server, so you keep the database you already have rather than migrating it.

### Can Lovable connect to something other than its default backend?

Yes. Lovable's server-side code can call any HTTPS API, which is how it consumes the DreamFactory endpoint here. That is what lets a Lovable app read from an existing enterprise database rather than a new one.

### Where does the API key live in a Lovable app?

Server-side, which is why the call is made from server-side code rather than the browser. The key is also scoped to a read-only role, so even if it were exposed it could not be used to write or to reach tables outside that role.

[Book a Demo](https://www.dreamfactory.com/demo)[More on our YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@DreamfactoryAPI)

## More videos

* [Connect Base44 to an On-Prem Database](https://www.dreamfactory.com/videos/connect-base44-to-on-prem-database)
* [Every AI Agent Needs an Owner: the DreamFactory Agent Control Plane](https://www.dreamfactory.com/videos/agent-control-plane)
* [Stop API Breaking Changes with Schema Contracts](https://www.dreamfactory.com/videos/schema-contracts)
* [What's New in DreamFactory 7.7](https://www.dreamfactory.com/videos/whats-new-in-dreamfactory-7-7)

[Browse all videos ›](https://www.dreamfactory.com/videos)

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxkqzngPiLg