Generate Internal Tool UIs From Screen Recordings with Replay

TL;DR: Replay allows you to generate fully functional internal tool UIs directly from screen recordings, drastically reducing development time and improving accuracy by understanding user behavior.

The Pain of Building Internal Tools (And How Video Can Solve It)#

Building internal tools is often a necessary evil. They're essential for streamlining workflows, managing data, and empowering teams, but they're also notorious for being time-consuming and resource-intensive to develop. Traditional methods rely on manual specification, wireframing, and iterative development, often resulting in tools that don't quite meet the actual needs of the users.

What if you could bypass the lengthy design and specification process and jump straight to a working UI? That's the promise of behavior-driven reconstruction, and it's exactly what Replay delivers.

Replay: From Video to Working Code#

Replay is a revolutionary video-to-code engine powered by Gemini. It analyzes screen recordings of users interacting with existing tools or mockups and reconstructs a fully functional UI, complete with logic and styling. Unlike traditional screenshot-to-code tools, Replay understands what users are trying to accomplish, not just what they see on the screen. This "behavior-driven reconstruction" approach results in more accurate, usable, and maintainable code.

Here's why this is a game-changer for internal tool development:

• •Rapid Prototyping: Generate a working prototype in minutes instead of days.
• •Accurate Representation: Capture real user workflows and translate them directly into code.
• •Reduced Development Time: Minimize manual coding and debugging.
• •Improved User Adoption: Create tools that are intuitive and aligned with user expectations.

Understanding Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#

The core innovation behind Replay is its ability to analyze video as a source of truth. Instead of relying on static images, Replay examines the sequence of actions, mouse movements, and data inputs within the recording. This allows it to infer the user's intent and reconstruct the underlying logic of the UI.

Consider a user adding a new customer to a CRM. A screenshot-to-code tool might only capture the visual appearance of the form. Replay, on the other hand, will analyze the entire process:

1. •Clicking the "Add Customer" button
2. •Typing data into specific fields
3. •Selecting options from dropdown menus
4. •Saving the form

This understanding of the behavior allows Replay to generate code that accurately reflects the intended functionality.

Key Features of Replay#

Replay offers a suite of features designed to streamline the internal tool development process:

• •Multi-page Generation: Reconstruct complex UIs spanning multiple pages and interactions.
• •Supabase Integration: Seamlessly connect your generated UI to a Supabase backend for data persistence and authentication.
• •Style Injection: Customize the look and feel of your UI with CSS or Tailwind CSS.
• •Product Flow Maps: Visualize the user flow captured in the video, providing a clear overview of the application's logic.

Comparing Replay to Other Approaches#

Let's see how Replay stacks up against traditional methods and other code generation tools:

As you can see, Replay offers a unique combination of speed, accuracy, and customization, making it an ideal solution for generating internal tool UIs.

Building a Simple Internal Tool with Replay: A Step-by-Step Guide#

Let's walk through a simplified example of how you can use Replay to generate an internal tool UI from a screen recording. Imagine you want to create a simple interface for managing customer support tickets.

Step 1: Capture a Screen Recording#

Record yourself interacting with a mockup or existing tool that represents the desired functionality. This recording should demonstrate the following actions:

1. •Viewing a list of tickets.
2. •Opening a specific ticket.
3. •Adding a comment to the ticket.
4. •Changing the ticket status (e.g., "Open," "In Progress," "Closed").

💡 Pro Tip: Speak clearly during the recording, describing your actions and intentions. This will help Replay better understand the context.

Step 2: Upload the Video to Replay#

Upload the screen recording to the Replay platform. Replay will automatically analyze the video and reconstruct the UI.

Step 3: Review and Refine the Generated Code#

Once the reconstruction is complete, review the generated code. Replay provides a visual interface for inspecting the UI elements and their corresponding code.

📝 Note: The initial output might require some adjustments. Replay aims for accuracy, but human review is always recommended.

Step 4: Integrate with Supabase (Optional)#

Connect your generated UI to a Supabase backend for data storage and authentication. Replay provides built-in integration for seamless data binding.

Here's an example of how you might fetch data from Supabase within the generated code:

typescript
// Example: Fetching tickets from Supabase
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js';

const supabaseUrl = 'YOUR_SUPABASE_URL';
const supabaseKey = 'YOUR_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY';
const supabase = createClient(supabaseUrl, supabaseKey);

const fetchTickets = async () => {
  const { data, error } = await supabase
    .from('tickets')
    .select('*');

  if (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching tickets:', error);
    return [];
  }

  return data;
};

// Example usage within a React component (assuming React is the generated framework)
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';

function TicketList() {
  const [tickets, setTickets] = useState([]);

  useEffect(() => {
    fetchTickets().then(setTickets);
  }, []);

  return (
    <ul>
      {tickets.map(ticket => (
        <li key={ticket.id}>{ticket.title}</li>
      ))}
    </ul>
  );
}

export default TicketList;

Step 5: Customize and Deploy#

Customize the look and feel of your UI using CSS or Tailwind CSS. Deploy the generated code to your preferred hosting platform.

⚠️ Warning: Remember to secure your Supabase credentials and implement proper authentication and authorization mechanisms to protect your data.

Addressing Common Concerns#

• •Code Quality: While Replay generates functional code, it might not always be perfectly optimized. Expect to refactor and improve the code as needed.
• •Accuracy: The accuracy of the generated code depends on the clarity and completeness of the screen recording. Ensure that the recording captures all relevant interactions and data inputs.
• •Complexity: Replay is best suited for generating UIs with well-defined workflows. Complex applications with intricate logic might require more manual intervention.

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. Check the Replay pricing page for details.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

v0.dev primarily generates UI components based on text prompts. Replay, on the other hand, analyzes video recordings of user interactions to reconstruct entire UIs with a focus on behavior and workflow. Replay understands how the UI is used, not just how it looks.

What frameworks does Replay support?#

Replay currently supports generating code for React, Vue, and Angular. Support for other frameworks is planned for future releases.

Can Replay handle dynamic data?#

Yes, Replay can be integrated with various backend services, including Supabase, to handle dynamic data.

---

Ready to try behavior-driven code generation? Get started with Replay - transform any video into working code in seconds.