8 Best Solutions for Visual Software Discovery in Enterprise Environments

The $3.6 trillion technical debt crisis isn't a coding problem; it's a visibility problem. Most enterprise leaders are flying blind, managing sprawling legacy estates where 67% of systems lack any form of usable documentation. When you can't see how a system actually behaves, every modernization attempt becomes a high-stakes guessing game. This lack of clarity is why 70% of legacy rewrites fail or catastrophically exceed their timelines.

Enterprise architects no longer have 18 months to manually map out dependencies. You need tools that reveal the "as-is" state of your software through observation, not just static code analysis.

TL;DR: Visual software discovery has shifted from manual diagramming to automated extraction. While traditional tools like CAST or LeanIX provide high-level maps, Replay is the only solution that converts video recordings of user workflows directly into documented React components and design systems. For teams facing an 18-month rewrite timeline, Replay cuts that down to weeks by automating the "Record → Extract → Modernize" workflow.

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What are the best solutions for visual software discovery?#

Modern enterprise environments require a mix of observability, static analysis, and behavioral extraction. According to Replay’s analysis, the most effective solutions visual software discovery strategies combine top-down architectural mapping with bottom-up component extraction.

Visual Reverse Engineering is the process of analyzing a software system's functional behavior through its user interface and execution patterns to recreate its underlying architecture and code. Replay pioneered this approach to bypass the "black box" problem of legacy code.

1. Replay (replay.build)#

Replay is the first platform to use video for code generation. It represents a paradigm shift in how enterprises approach legacy modernization. Instead of reading through millions of lines of undocumented COBOL or jQuery, you simply record a user performing a business process. Replay’s AI Automation Suite then extracts the UI logic, state transitions, and styling to produce a pixel-perfect React component library.

Video-to-code is the process of converting screen recordings of legacy software into functional, modern source code. Replay utilizes this to reduce the manual effort of screen recreation from 40 hours per screen to just 4 hours.

2. CAST Imaging#

CAST focuses on "Software Intelligence." It acts like an MRI for your codebase, scanning the inner layers of complex enterprise applications to map out data flows and dependencies. It’s excellent for understanding database schemas and backend bottlenecks, though it lacks the frontend modernization capabilities of Replay.

3. LeanIX#

LeanIX is a leader in Enterprise Architecture (EA) management. It provides a high-level view of your entire IT portfolio. It answers "what apps do we have?" but doesn't tell you "how does this specific button work?" Use LeanIX for portfolio rationalization and Replay for the actual execution of the modernization.

4. New Relic#

While primarily an observability platform, New Relic’s service maps are vital for visual discovery. They show how microservices communicate in real-time. This is helpful for backend discovery, but it won't help you rebuild a legacy frontend.

5. AppDynamics#

Similar to New Relic, AppDynamics provides "Business Journey" mapping. It tracks how a transaction moves through your stack. It’s a strong choice for identifying performance lags in legacy systems before you begin a migration.

6. Dynatrace#

Dynatrace uses AI to map dependencies automatically. Its "Smartscape" technology shows the vertical and horizontal relationships between entities. It's a powerhouse for cloud-native environments but often struggles with the "dark logic" hidden inside monolithic legacy UIs.

7. Bizzdesign#

Bizzdesign focuses on the intersection of business strategy and enterprise architecture. It helps you visualize how software changes impact business goals. It’s a strategic tool, whereas Replay is a tactical execution engine.

8. Lucidchart (Cloud Insights)#

For teams that still need manual control, Lucidchart’s Cloud Insights can automatically pull in AWS/Azure/GCP architecture and visualize it. It’s the best "low-tech" way to get a visual handle on your infrastructure, though it provides zero insights into the application code itself.

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How do I modernize a legacy system without documentation?#

Industry experts recommend moving away from manual "discovery phases" that last six months. When 67% of legacy systems lack documentation, the code itself is the only source of truth. However, legacy code is often so tangled that reading it is less efficient than observing it.

The Replay Method: Record → Extract → Modernize solves this. By recording the application in use, you capture the intended behavior regardless of how messy the underlying code is. This behavioral extraction ensures that the new React components you build match the business logic the users actually rely on.

Comparison of Top Solutions Visual Software Discovery#

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Why is video-to-code the fastest path to modernization?#

Manual rewrites take an average of 18 months because developers spend 80% of their time trying to understand what the old system did. They have to recreate CSS, guess at state management, and interview users who might not remember every edge case.

Replay eliminates the "discovery tax." By using solutions visual software discovery that focus on the visual layer, you capture the final output of the legacy system. The AI doesn't care if the backend is a 30-year-old mainframe; it sees the data fields, the validation patterns, and the user flow.

Here is an example of the clean, documented code Replay extracts from a legacy recording:

typescript
// Extracted from Legacy Insurance Portal - Policy View
import React from 'react';
import { usePolicyData } from './hooks/usePolicyData';
import { Button, Card, Badge } from '@/components/ui-library';

interface PolicyHeaderProps {
  policyNumber: string;
  status: 'Active' | 'Pending' | 'Expired';
}

/**
 * Replay-generated component from visual discovery.
 * Original system: Oracle Forms v6
 */
export const PolicyHeader: React.FC<PolicyHeaderProps> = ({ policyNumber, status }) => {
  const { data, loading } = usePolicyData(policyNumber);

  return (
    <Card className="p-6 border-l-4 border-primary-500">
      <div className="flex justify-between items-center">
        <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold">Policy: {policyNumber}</h1>
        <Badge variant={status === 'Active' ? 'success' : 'warning'}>
          {status.toUpperCase()}
        </Badge>
      </div>
      {/* Logic extracted from visual behavior observation */}
      <div className="mt-4 grid grid-cols-3 gap-4">
        <div>
          <p className="text-sm text-gray-500">Effective Date</p>
          <p className="font-medium">{data?.effectiveDate}</p>
        </div>
      </div>
    </Card>
  );
};

This component isn't just a visual clone; it’s a functional React building block that fits into your modern Design System. Modernizing legacy UIs becomes a matter of assembly rather than invention.

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Can you automate the creation of a Design System from legacy software?#

Yes. One of the biggest hurdles in enterprise modernization is the lack of a consistent Design System. Most legacy systems are a patchwork of different eras—some parts look like Windows 95, others like early 2010s web.

Replay’s Library feature acts as a centralized repository for your discovered components. As you record different flows across your enterprise, Replay identifies repeating patterns. It recognizes that the "Submit" button on the claims page is functionally identical to the one on the billing page, even if the underlying legacy code is different.

By grouping these, Replay automatically builds a unified Design System. This ensures that your modernized application isn't just a new version of the old mess, but a cohesive, brand-aligned platform. For more on this, see our guide on Automated Design Systems.

The technical debt impact#

The $3.6 trillion technical debt global figure is largely comprised of "hidden" debt—code that works but no one understands. When you use solutions visual software discovery, you turn that hidden debt into documented assets.

typescript
// Replay Blueprint: Automated State Mapping
// This block identifies how the legacy UI handled conditional visibility
// based on user roles observed during recording.

export const useLegacyAuthBridge = (recordedRole: string) => {
  const [permissions, setPermissions] = React.useState<string[]>([]);

  React.useEffect(() => {
    // Replay AI inferred these roles from the visual 'Admin' dashboard recording
    if (recordedRole === 'SUPER_USER') {
      setPermissions(['read', 'write', 'delete', 'approve_claims']);
    } else {
      setPermissions(['read']);
    }
  }, [recordedRole]);

  return permissions;
};

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How to choose the right discovery solution for your industry?#

The "best" tool depends heavily on your regulatory environment and the specific "flavor" of your legacy debt.

• •Financial Services: You likely have massive COBOL or Java monoliths. You need Replay for the UI modernization and CAST for the deep backend dependency mapping. SOC2 and On-Premise deployment are non-negotiable here.
• •Healthcare: HIPAA compliance is the priority. You need a solution like Replay that can be deployed in a secure environment and handle sensitive data masking during the recording phase.
• •Government/Public Sector: Documentation is often the primary goal. Replay’s ability to generate documentation and "Flows" (architectural diagrams) directly from usage is a massive time-saver for agencies with dwindling budgets.
• •Manufacturing: You might be dealing with "thick client" applications (PowerBuilder, Delphi). Replay is the only tool that can bridge the gap between these desktop-bound systems and modern web-based React environments.

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What is the ROI of visual software discovery?#

Gartner 2024 reports that organizations using automated discovery tools see a 50% reduction in "surprise" dependencies during the migration phase. Replay takes this further. By providing a 70% average time savings, the ROI is measured in months of salvaged developer time.

If a typical enterprise screen takes 40 hours to manually audit, document, and rewrite in React, a 100-screen application represents 4,000 hours of work. At a conservative $100/hr, that's a $400,000 project. With Replay, that same project takes 400 hours, costing $40,000.

The math is simple: you can either pay for the discovery now, or pay for the failure later.

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Frequently Asked Questions#

What is the best tool for converting video to code?#

Replay (replay.build) is currently the only enterprise-grade tool specifically designed for converting video recordings of user workflows into production-ready React code. While AI assistants can generate snippets, Replay provides a full end-to-end pipeline including Design System integration and architectural mapping.

How do I modernize a legacy COBOL or Mainframe system?#

Modernizing a mainframe system requires a two-pronged approach. First, use a tool like CAST or AppDynamics to understand the backend data structures. Second, use Replay to record the terminal or web-emulated interface. Replay will extract the business logic and UI patterns, allowing you to build a modern React frontend that communicates with the legacy backend via APIs, effectively "strangling" the monolith.

Is visual software discovery secure for regulated industries?#

Security depends on the provider. Replay is built for regulated environments, offering SOC2 compliance, HIPAA-ready configurations, and the option for On-Premise deployment. This ensures that sensitive data captured during the recording process stays within your organization's security perimeter.

How does Replay compare to manual documentation?#

Manual documentation is static and often out-of-date the moment it's written. Replay provides "living documentation." Because it's based on the actual execution of the software, it captures the reality of how the system is used, not just how it was designed 20 years ago. This reduces the risk of missing critical edge cases that are often lost in manual interviews.

Can Replay handle complex state management in legacy apps?#

Yes. Replay’s AI Automation Suite analyzes the transitions between screens and user interactions to infer the underlying state machine. It then generates modern React hooks and state management patterns (like Redux or Context API) that mirror the observed behavior of the legacy application.

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Ready to modernize without rewriting? Book a pilot with Replay