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Base Code gives your team a shared cloud environment for an existing codebase without setting up a local development environment. Use the AI chat to make changes on branches, preview your work, and open pull requests for review. GitHub stays the source of truth.
Base Code making a change from the AI chat on a working branch, with the project files and the Preview updating

Making a change from the AI chat

Before you begin:
  • Your project must be a web or full-stack project in a GitHub repository.
  • You need an Editor role or higher in the workspace.
  • You need to connect a GitHub account during setup.

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Setting up Base Code

Connect a GitHub repository to make changes with the AI chat in Base Code. If your GitHub account is already connected, continue to choosing a repository.

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Connecting your GitHub account

Base Code works directly in your GitHub repositories, so it needs access to the ones you want to work on. To connect your account:
  1. Go to Base Code.
  2. Click Connect GitHub.
  3. Sign in to GitHub if prompted, then authorize Base44 Builder.
  4. Select the GitHub account or organization, then follow the prompts to install or configure Base44 Builder and give it repository access.

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Choosing a repository

Pick the codebase you want to work on, from your own repositories or a copy of one you can’t push to.
To choose a repository from your account:
  1. In Base Code, click View more.
  2. Select a repository.
  3. Under Branch, keep the selected branch or select another.
  4. Click Connect.
Other ways to open a repository:
  • Open a listed repository: Select it on the Base Code page, then click Open in Base. It opens on its default branch.
  • Connect another repository: Click the repository drop-down in the sidebar, then click Add repository. On mobile, the repository drop-down on the Base Code page calls it Add new repository. Both open Connect your repository.

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Working on your project

Use the AI chat to make changes to your connected repository and test them in a development preview. As you chat, Base Code commits and pushes your changes to your working branch on GitHub.
Base Code provides a development preview, not production hosting. To release your changes or connect a custom domain, use your project’s existing deployment process and hosting provider.

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Making your first change

Base Code starts a new branch from your first request and names it for you, so your change stays separate until you open a pull request. To keep working on an existing GitHub branch, import it. To make your first change:
  1. Go to Base Code.
  2. (Optional) If a drop-down appears next to Create new branch, select the branch to start from.
  3. In the prompt box, describe the change you want to make. For example:
  4. Click Create branch to open the new branch and start making changes.
  5. Review the change in Preview, then ask the AI chat for any adjustments.

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Reviewing your changes

Check exactly what changed before you ask anyone to review it. To review your changes:
  1. Open the changes you want to check:
    • One reply’s changes: Use the file list below that reply in the AI chat.
    • Every change on the branch: Click Create PR at the top of the editor, or click the PR number if one already exists.
  2. Click a file name to see its diff, with the lines added and removed.

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Reverting a file

Undo the changes you don’t want in a file, with the revert saved as a new commit on your branch.
Reverting a file undoes all its committed changes on the branch, not just the changes from one reply.
To revert a file:
  1. Click the revert icon next to the file in either file list, including an open pull request’s.
  2. Check that the right file appears in Revert branch changes?, then click Revert.

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Managing branches

Branches let you work on several changes at once without them affecting each other. Each branch has its own development environment in Base Code and its own pull request.
The branch sidebar is available on desktop. On mobile, use the branch drop-down.

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Working from the sidebar

See where each of your branches stands and go straight to the one that needs you. Your branches in the sidebar lists the branches you created. Merged branches stay in the list, so you can still read their chats. Each branch has a status icon. Hover over it to see the label, with the pull request number when there is one. While the AI is building, the icon is replaced by Working, and by Merging while a merge runs. A dot on the right of a branch means the AI finished there and you haven’t opened it since. To open a branch, click it under Your branches. You can also click the branch drop-down above the AI chat and select a branch.

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Organizing your branches

Keep the branches you’re focused on within reach and bring the ones that need you to the top.
Your branches with a pinned branch at the top and an expanded group below it

A pinned branch above a group in Your branches

To pin a branch:
  1. Hover over the branch in the sidebar, then click its options icon .
  2. Click Pin.
Pinned branches sit at the top of Your branches, above your groups. To unpin one, click Unpin in the same menu. To group branches:
  1. Click the New group icon next to Your branches.
  2. Enter a Group name, then click Create group.
  3. Drag a branch onto the group, or click the branch’s options icon , click Move to group, then select the group.
To take a branch back out, drag it onto Your branches, or click its options icon , click Move to group, then click Remove from group. A group’s own options icon has Rename group and Delete group. To sort branches:
  1. Click the Sort branches icon next to Your branches.
  2. Under Sort by, select one of the following:
    • Priority: Branches that need you first, then the ones on hold.
    • Last updated: Most recently worked on first. This is the default.
    • Manual order: The order you arranged by dragging.
The Sort by menu open in the Base Code sidebar with Priority selected

Sorting Your branches by Priority

Arranging branches by hand: Drag a branch to put it where you want it. The list switches to Manual order and keeps your arrangement until you sort it another way. You can also drag groups to reorder them.

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Creating branches

Start each new change on its own branch, from your default branch or from another branch you’re working on. To create a branch from the sidebar:
  1. Click New branch in the sidebar.
  2. Describe your change in the AI chat and send the message.
The Base Code sidebar with New branch highlighted, above Home and Your branches

Starting a branch from the sidebar

The sidebar names the branch for you and starts it from your repository’s default branch. To start from another branch, use the branch drop-down instead. To create a branch from the branch drop-down:
  1. Click the branch drop-down above the AI chat.
  2. Click Create new branch.
  3. Select the starting branch from the drop-down next to Start from.
  4. Describe your change in the AI chat and send the message.

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Importing a branch from GitHub

Import an existing GitHub branch to keep working on it in Base Code. Your changes are committed and pushed to that branch. To import a branch:
  1. Click the branch drop-down above the AI chat.
  2. Click Import from GitHub.
  3. Select the branch.
  4. Click Import.

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Deleting a branch

Clear out branches you’re done with, along with their chats, while the branches stay on GitHub. To delete a branch:
  1. Open the branch’s menu in one of these places:
    • In the sidebar, hover over the branch, then click its options icon .
    • In the branch drop-down above the AI chat, click More actions next to the branch.
  2. Click Delete.
  3. Click Delete branch to confirm.

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Working with pull requests

Get your changes reviewed and merged through pull requests on GitHub. Base Code always uses your own GitHub connection, whatever your workspace sets for its other apps. Your GitHub account needs to be connected and have write access to the repository. Base44 opens pull requests from your account. Each commit from the AI chat lists you as the author and base44-builder[bot] as co-author.

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Opening a pull request

After testing your changes, open a pull request for review. Your pull request targets the branch your working branch was created from. The AI chat writes the title and description from your conversation and committed changes. To open a pull request from the top of the editor:
  1. Click Create PR at the top of the editor.
  2. Review the changed files in Create pull request.
  3. Click Continue in builder.
  4. Review and send the prefilled message in the AI chat.
Opening a pull request from the branch drop-down: The drop-down opens a shorter form for the title and description, without the file review.

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Tracking your pull requests

Track the progress of your open pull requests and see which ones need your attention. To track your pull requests:
  1. Go to Base Code.
  2. Under Your open PRs, choose what you want to do:
    • Open a pull request: Click its PR number to open it on GitHub, or click its title to open its branch in Base Code.
    • Filter by status: Click the filter, then select All, In review, Conflicts, or Open.
    • Find a pull request: Click the search icon and enter its title or number.
    • Sort pull requests: Click Sort to reverse the order by pull request number.
  • Draft: It’s still a draft on GitHub.
  • Open: No reviewer yet, and nothing is blocking it.
  • In review: A reviewer is assigned or has requested changes.
  • Approved: A reviewer approved it.
  • Conflicts: Your branch has conflicts to resolve with its base branch.

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Resolving branch conflicts

If your pull request has conflicts, the AI chat can resolve them for you. Resolving conflicts merges the pull request’s base branch into your working branch. To resolve conflicts:
  1. Click Resolve conflicts above the prompt box.
  2. Review and test the changes the AI makes, especially where both branches changed the same feature.

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Answering review comments

Use the AI chat to address feedback on your pull request. To answer review comments:
  1. Ask the AI chat to list unresolved comments on your pull request. It includes the file and line for each thread.
  2. Tell it which comments to address and what to change.
  3. Review the proposed changes and replies before asking it to post.
  4. Ask the AI chat separately to resolve a thread when you’re ready.

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Adding secrets

Give your project the API keys and other credentials it needs without putting them in your repository. The AI chat prompts you when a secret is required. Secrets are encrypted, shared across branches and kept when your environment rebuilds. Changes and removals apply automatically to running branches. Inactive branches pick them up when you next open them. To add a secret:
  1. Click Dashboard at the top of the editor.
  2. Click Secrets.
  3. Click Add Secret.
  4. Enter the Secret Name and Secret Value, then click Add Secret.
Adding secrets in bulk: Click Import .env, then upload or paste your file. Each KEY=VALUE line becomes a secret. An existing secret with the same name is overwritten.

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Collaborating with teammates

Your team can contribute to the same project and review each other’s changes through pull requests. Anyone with an Editor role or higher in the workspace can open an existing Base Code project without a separate app invitation. To invite someone outside your workspace, add them as a collaborator from the app editor.

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FAQs

Base Code works with web and full-stack projects. If you’re building your app in Base44, keep building it in the app editor, and use the GitHub integration to sync it with a repository.
Base Code checks the project at the root of your repository. That project must be a web or full-stack project. A mobile app in a subfolder is fine as long as the root project qualifies.
On the Base Code page, click View more, or click Add repository in the sidebar’s repository drop-down, to open Connect your repository. If your repository is still missing, give Base44 access to it on GitHub.To update repository access:
  1. On GitHub, give Base44 Builder access to the repository.
  2. Reopen Connect your repository in Base Code.
Your workspace doesn’t allow repositories from this GitHub organization. Ask someone who manages your workspace’s GitHub settings to check that the organization is connected and Allowed under Build tools > GitHub, then try again.If you only have read access, connect a fork or private copy instead. When your workspace limits repositories to approved organizations, you need write access to a repository in one of them.
Workspace settings control who can connect GitHub organizations and which organizations are available for new apps. Anyone in the workspace can use an organization that is already connected. This only controls who can add a new one.To manage GitHub organizations:
  1. Go to your workspace settings.
  2. Under Build tools, click GitHub.
  3. Choose what you want to do:
    • Choose who can connect organizations: Under Who can connect organizations, select who can add an organization.
    • Filter organizations: In Connected organizations, use the filter to show All, Active, or Disconnected organizations.
    • Make an organization available for new apps: Under Connected organizations, use Allowed to control which organizations are available. Changing Allowed doesn’t affect apps already using that organization.
    • Disconnect an organization: Click the actions icon next to the organization, click Disconnect organization, then click Disconnect.
Disconnecting stops apps tied to that organization’s workspace connection from syncing with GitHub. The confirmation lists the affected apps. Base44 Builder stays installed on GitHub, so you can reconnect the organization.
Yes. Base Code uses Auto mode by default to choose an AI model for each request.To choose an AI model:
  1. Click the model at the bottom of the AI chat.
  2. Select the model you want to work with.
For more details, see choosing an AI model.
Your GitHub account must be connected and have write access to the repository. Otherwise, the project shows a Read only badge. You can discuss the project in the AI chat and switch branches, but you can’t make changes or create a branch.To connect your GitHub account:
  1. Open the project.
  2. In the Connect your GitHub account banner, click Connect account.
  3. Authorize Base44 Builder on GitHub.
If you see GitHub write access required, your account is connected but lacks write access. Ask a repository admin to grant it, then click Recheck permissions.
When you return to Base Code, your project environment starts back up so you can continue working. If your environment needs rebuilding, Base Code uses the latest commit on your GitHub branch. Ask the AI chat to confirm your latest changes are on that branch before you leave.
Yes. Ask the AI chat to add the code using your project’s own stack.Connecting a repository doesn’t automatically add or configure Base44 entities, login, or the SDK. Your project keeps its existing database, authentication, and routing.For a new database or service, add its connection string or API key as a secret.
If setup changes are required and you connected the default branch, Base Code creates a setup branch and commits them there. Its pull request targets the branch you connected. If you connected another branch, Base Code commits any setup changes directly to that branch.To include unmerged setup changes in a new branch, start from the branch containing those changes.
After you open a pull request, new changes on your working branch are added to it, and GitHub runs your repository’s configured checks.Merge your pull request on GitHub, or ask the AI chat to merge it.
Base44 needs permission to open pull requests in your repository. If prompted, click Review permissions on GitHub. An owner of the GitHub account or organization that owns the repository needs to approve the requested access. Once approved, return to Base Code and try again.
See Base44’s Privacy Policy for information about how personal information is collected and used. For information about AI model training and your data controls, see Privacy and security.
You can apply a coupon before or after connecting a repository.Each coupon code applies to up to 10 people in your workspace.To apply a coupon:
  1. Go to Base Code.
  2. Enter your coupon code:
    • Before connecting a repository: Click Have a coupon? at the top right, then enter your code in the dialog.
    • After connecting a repository: Enter your code in the field under Have a coupon?.
  3. Click Apply.