TL;DR: Replay emerges as a superior alternative to Builder.io for building React apps from video in 2026, leveraging behavior-driven reconstruction and Gemini's AI to understand user intent, not just visual elements.
The future of UI development isn't about static mockups; it's about understanding user behavior. Screenshot-to-code tools are yesterday's news. We're talking about video-to-code engines that understand what users are trying to achieve. While Builder.io offers visual editing and content management, it falls short when it comes to capturing the dynamic nature of user flows directly from video.
The Problem with Screenshot-to-Code Tools#
The core limitation of traditional tools that rely on screenshots is their inability to capture intent. They see pixels, not purpose. A user clicking a button is just a change in color and position; the underlying logic and data flow are completely lost. This leads to brittle, incomplete code that requires extensive manual intervention. It's like trying to understand a movie from a single frame.
Introducing Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#
The paradigm shift lies in Behavior-Driven Reconstruction. Instead of analyzing static images, Replay analyzes video recordings of user interactions. This allows the engine to:
- •Understand the sequence of actions
- •Identify data inputs and outputs
- •Reconstruct the underlying application logic
This approach, powered by Gemini's advanced AI, results in significantly more accurate and functional code generation. Replay focuses on the "why" behind the "what," delivering a truly intelligent solution.
Replay: A Game Changer in Video-to-Code#
Replay takes video as the primary input, understanding user behavior through AI, and reconstructing functional UI code. It's not just about replicating what's on the screen; it's about understanding the user's journey and recreating the underlying application logic.
Key Features of Replay#
- •Multi-Page Generation: Reconstruct entire application flows from a single video recording, seamlessly handling navigation and state management.
- •Supabase Integration: Automatically connect generated code to your Supabase backend for instant data persistence and retrieval.
- •Style Injection: Apply custom styles and themes to your generated UI with ease, ensuring a consistent brand experience.
- •Product Flow Maps: Visualize user journeys and identify areas for optimization with automatically generated flow maps.
Replay vs. Builder.io and Other Alternatives: A 2026 Comparison#
Let's see how Replay stacks up against Builder.io and other popular UI building tools in 2026.
| Feature | Builder.io | TeleportHQ | DhiWise | Replay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input Type | Visual Editor, Code Components | Visual Editor, Sketch/Figma Import | Visual Editor, Figma/Adobe XD Import | Video |
| AI-Powered Code Generation | Limited (mostly layout-based) | Limited (mostly layout-based) | Some (Component recognition) | ✅ Full Behavior-Driven Reconstruction via Gemini AI |
| Behavior Analysis | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Analyzes user interactions to understand intent and data flow |
| Multi-Page Support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Backend Integration | Limited, requires custom code | Limited, requires custom code | Firebase, custom API | ✅ Supabase (Automatic) |
| Code Quality | Highly dependent on editor skills | Highly dependent on design file quality | Varies, often requires significant refactoring | Consistently high, optimized for readability and maintainability |
| Learning Curve | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Low (Focus on recording user flows) |
As you can see, Replay's video-centric approach and AI-powered behavior analysis set it apart from traditional UI builders. While Builder.io and others excel at visual editing, they lack the ability to truly understand user behavior and translate it into functional code.
Building a React App from Video with Replay: A Step-by-Step Guide#
Here's how you can use Replay to build a React application from a video recording.
Step 1: Record Your User Flow#
Use any screen recording tool to capture the desired user flow. Make sure the video is clear and captures all relevant interactions.
💡 Pro Tip: Narrate your actions while recording to provide additional context for the AI engine.
Step 2: Upload to Replay#
Upload the video to the Replay platform. The AI engine will automatically analyze the video and reconstruct the UI code.
Step 3: Review and Refine#
Review the generated code and make any necessary adjustments. Replay provides a visual editor that allows you to fine-tune the UI and add custom logic.
📝 Note: The initial code generated by Replay is typically 80-90% complete, significantly reducing the amount of manual coding required.
Step 4: Integrate with Supabase#
Connect your Replay project to your Supabase backend. Replay will automatically generate the necessary API calls and data models to seamlessly integrate your UI with your database.
typescript// Example: Fetching data from Supabase using Replay-generated code const fetchData = async () => { const { data, error } = await supabase .from('products') .select('*'); if (error) { console.error('Error fetching data:', error); return []; } return data; };
Step 5: Deploy Your App#
Deploy your React application to your preferred hosting platform. You now have a fully functional application built from a simple video recording.
Replay in Action: Real-World Use Cases#
- •Rapid Prototyping: Quickly create prototypes from user research videos, allowing for faster iteration and validation.
- •Legacy Code Modernization: Reconstruct UI components from video recordings of legacy applications, simplifying the modernization process.
- •Automated Testing: Generate automated UI tests from video recordings, ensuring consistent and reliable application behavior.
- •Documentation Generation: Automatically generate documentation from video tutorials, saving time and effort.
The Future is Behavior-Driven#
The future of UI development is about understanding user behavior, not just replicating visual elements. Replay is at the forefront of this revolution, empowering developers to build applications faster, more efficiently, and with a deeper understanding of their users.
⚠️ Warning: While Replay significantly reduces development time, it's crucial to review and refine the generated code to ensure optimal performance and security.
Frequently Asked Questions#
Is Replay free to use?#
Replay offers a free tier with limited features and usage. Paid plans are available for more advanced features and higher usage limits.
How is Replay different from v0.dev?#
v0.dev focuses on generating UI components from text prompts. Replay, on the other hand, generates entire applications from video recordings, capturing user behavior and intent. Replay understands how the UI is used, not just what it looks like.
What kind of videos work best with Replay?#
Clear, well-lit videos with minimal background noise and consistent user interactions produce the best results. Shorter, focused videos are generally preferred over longer, more complex recordings.
What frameworks does Replay support?#
Currently, Replay primarily supports React. Support for other frameworks like Vue.js and Angular is planned for future releases.
How accurate is the code generated by Replay?#
Replay's AI engine is constantly improving, and the accuracy of the generated code is typically very high (80-90% complete). However, it's always recommended to review and refine the code to ensure optimal performance and security.
Ready to try behavior-driven code generation? Get started with Replay - transform any video into working code in seconds.