Common Issues
data
I Lost All My App's Data
Your worst nightmare just happened — all the data in your app is gone. User accounts, orders, content, everything. The app might still load, but it's like starting from scratch. All the data your business depends on has vanished.
Data loss can happen in several ways: the database was accidentally deleted, a bad code update wiped tables clean, your free tier expired and the provider deleted your data, or someone with access (malicious or accidental) ran a delete command.
The first thing to know is: don't panic, and don't make changes to anything yet. In many cases, data can be partially or fully recovered — but only if you act quickly and don't overwrite the remnants.
Error Messages You Might See
Table does not exist
Relation 'users' does not exist
404 - Resource not found
No data to display
Database connection refused
Project has been paused
Common Causes
- Free tier database expired — Services like Supabase, Firebase, or Heroku delete databases after a period of inactivity on free plans
- Accidental deletion — Someone ran a delete or drop command without a WHERE clause, wiping entire tables instead of specific rows
- Bad migration — A database schema change (migration) went wrong and dropped tables or columns with data
- No backups configured — There were never any automatic backups set up, so there's nothing to restore from
- Hosting provider data loss — Rare, but hosting providers can have their own failures that affect your data
How to Fix It
- Don't make any changes yet — Stop all deployments and code changes. You don't want to overwrite any recoverable data
- Check if backups exist — Look in your database provider's dashboard for automatic backups, point-in-time recovery, or snapshots
- Check if the data is really gone — Sometimes the app loses connection to the database but the data is still there. Verify by logging into your database directly
- Contact your database provider — Providers like Supabase, Firebase, and AWS sometimes have recovery options. Reach out to their support immediately
- Set up backups going forward — Once you've dealt with the immediate crisis, configure automatic daily backups so this can never happen again
- Check if data exists in other places — Email receipts, CSV exports, logs, or cached API responses might have copies of your data
Real developers can help you.
Jacek Rozanski
Senior PHP/Symfony developer and DevOps engineer with 20+ years of professional experience, running opcode.pl (web development agency, est. 2004).
Day job: I'm the sole backend developer at merketing company where I own and maintain 11 PHP/Symfony microservices on AWS (ECS Fargate, RDS, S3, CloudFront), handle the full CI/CD pipeline (Bitbucket Pipelines, Docker), and manage monitoring with Sentry and CloudWatch. These services handle high request volumes in production every month.
What I bring to AI-built apps:
- I audit and fix security issues (OWASP methodology), performance bottlenecks, and architectural problems in codebases generated by Cursor, Claude Code, Lovable, Bolt, and v0
- I refactor AI-generated prototypes into production-grade applications with proper error handling, testing, and clean architecture (SOLID, DDD, hexagonal architecture)
- I set up the infrastructure AI tools don't touch: AWS hosting, CI/CD pipelines, automated deployments, database optimization, monitoring, and alerting
- I integrate external services: payment providers, email systems, partner APIs, SSO/auth
Tech stack: PHP 8.x, Symfony, React, Next.js, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Docker, AWS (ECS, RDS, S3, SQS/SNS, CloudFront), Terraform, Supabase. I also use AI tools daily (Claude Code, Cursor) in my own workflow, so I understand both the strengths and the gaps in AI-generated code.
Based in Poland (CET timezone). Available for async work and calls during EU/US business hours.
Meïr Ankri
Full-stack developer specializing in React / Next.js / Node.js with 6+ years of experience. I've worked across various sectors including automotive (Reezocar/Société Générale), healthcare (Medical Link SaaS), and e-commerce (Glasman). I build web apps end-to-end, from architecture to production, with a focus on scalability, performance, and code quality. I also mentor junior developers and contribute to technical decisions and code reviews.
Matt Butler
Software Engineer @ AWS
PawelPloszaj
I'm fronted developer with 10+ years of experience with big projects. I have small backend background too
Yovel Cohen
I got a lot of experience in building Long-horizon AI Agents in production, Backend apps that scale to millions of users and frontend knowledge as well.
Basel Issmail
’m a Senior Full-Stack Developer and Tech Lead with experience designing and building scalable web platforms. I work across the full development lifecycle, from translating business requirements into technical architecture to delivering reliable production systems.
My work focuses on modern web technologies, including TypeScript, Angular, Node.js, and cloud-based architectures. I enjoy solving complex technical problems and helping teams turn product ideas and prototypes into working platforms that can grow and scale.
In addition to development, I often collaborate closely with product managers, business analysts, designers, and QA teams to ensure that solutions align with both technical and business goals.
I enjoy working with startups and product teams where I can contribute both as a hands-on engineer and as a technical partner in designing and delivering impactful software.
Caio Rodrigues
I'm a full-stack developer focused on building practical and scalable web applications. My main experience is with **React, TypeScript, and modern frontend architectures**, where I prioritize clean code, component reusability, and maintainable project structures.
I have strong experience working with **dynamic forms, state management (Redux / React Hook Form), and complex data-driven interfaces**. I enjoy solving real-world problems by turning ideas into reliable software that companies can actually use in their daily operations.
Beyond coding, I care about **software quality and architecture**, following best practices for componentization, code organization, and performance optimization.
I'm also comfortable working across the stack when needed, integrating APIs, handling business logic, and helping transform prototypes into production-ready systems.
My goal is always to deliver solutions that are **simple, efficient, and genuinely useful for the people using them.**
Jen Jacobsen
I’m a Full-Stack Developer with over 10 years of experience building modern web and mobile applications. I enjoy working across the full product lifecycle — turning ideas into real, well-built products that are intuitive for users and scalable for businesses.
I particularly enjoy building mobile apps, modern web platforms, and solving complex technical problems in a way that keeps systems clean, reliable, and easy to maintain.
Omar Faruk
As a Product Engineer at Klasio, I contributed to end-to-end product development, focusing on scalability, performance, and user experience.
My work spanned building and refining core features, developing dynamic website templates, integrating secure and reliable payment gateways, and optimizing the overall system architecture.
I played a key role in creating a scalable and maintainable platform to support educators and learners globally.
I'm enthusiastic about embracing new challenges and making meaningful contributions.
hanson1014
Full-stack developer experienced in fixing and deploying AI-generated apps from Lovable, Bolt.new, Cursor, and Replit. I specialize in debugging Supabase integration issues (auth flows, RLS policies, database connections), fixing broken deployments, resolving routing/blank screen problems, and cleaning up messy React/Vite codebases. I also build production apps with the Claude API and have shipped a Mac desktop dev tool (Nexterm from scratch. Based in Hong Kong, fast turnaround.
Describe what's wrong in plain English. No technical knowledge needed.
Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
Can deleted data be recovered?
It depends. If your database provider has automatic backups (many paid plans do), you can restore from a recent backup. If you're on a free plan with no backups, recovery is very difficult or impossible. Contact your provider's support team immediately — the sooner the better.
How do I prevent this from happening again?
Set up automatic daily backups through your database provider, use a paid plan that includes backup features, and restrict who has permission to delete data. Also consider keeping regular CSV exports of your most important data as an extra safety net.