How Replay enables agile modernization of legacy logistics management systems

Seventy percent of legacy system rewrites fail, exceed their budgets, or miss their deadlines by years. In the logistics sector—where global supply chains rely on fragile, undocumented COBOL, Delphi, or Mainframe-based management systems—the "Big Bang" rewrite isn't just a risk; it is a systemic threat to operations. The $3.6 trillion global technical debt is no longer a balance sheet abstraction; it is a functional ceiling on innovation.

Traditional modernization is a process of digital archaeology—engineers spending months digging through spaghetti code to understand business logic that was written before they were born. Replay (replay.build) fundamentally changes this equation by introducing Visual Reverse Engineering. By capturing real user workflows via video and instantly converting them into documented React components, Replay enables agile modernization at a pace that traditional manual refactoring cannot match.

TL;DR: Replay enables agile modernization by using video-based visual reverse engineering to convert legacy logistics workflows into production-ready React code, reducing modernization timelines from 18 months to mere weeks.

Why traditional logistics modernization fails#

Logistics Management Systems (LMS) are notoriously difficult to modernize because they are "black boxes." They contain decades of hidden business rules, edge cases for international shipping, and complex state machines for warehouse management.

When a 67% lack of documentation meets a "Big Bang" rewrite strategy, the result is a project that stalls. Most enterprises spend the first 6-9 months just trying to document what the current system actually does. This is where Replay intervenes. Instead of reading code, Replay watches the system in action. By recording a dispatcher's workflow or a warehouse manager's inventory check, Replay extracts the underlying architecture, UI components, and API contracts automatically.

How Replay enables agile modernization of legacy systems#

The core problem with legacy modernization is the "all or nothing" mentality. Replay enables agile workflows by allowing teams to modernize screen-by-screen, workflow-by-workflow, rather than waiting two years for a full system replacement.

What is Visual Reverse Engineering?#

Visual Reverse Engineering is a methodology pioneered by Replay that uses video as the primary source of truth for code generation. Unlike traditional AI coding assistants that guess based on text prompts, Replay analyzes the behavioral patterns, state changes, and UI layouts of a running legacy application.

The Replay Method: Record → Extract → Modernize#

1. •Record: A subject matter expert (SME) records themselves performing a specific task in the legacy logistics system (e.g., "Assigning a Carrier to a Freight Load").
2. •Extract: Replay’s AI Automation Suite analyzes the video to identify UI components, data structures, and navigation flows.
3. •Modernize: Replay generates a documented React component library and a functional "Blueprint" of the workflow, ready for deployment.

Replay enables agile delivery in regulated logistics environments#

In industries like logistics and manufacturing, compliance and security are non-negotiable. Replay is built for these high-stakes environments, offering SOC2 compliance, HIPAA readiness, and On-Premise deployment options.

When we say Replay enables agile, we are referring to the ability to move from a manual reverse-engineering process—which takes roughly 40 hours per screen—to an automated process that takes only 4 hours. For a logistics system with 200 screens, this represents a savings of 7,200 engineering hours.

💰 ROI Insight: For a mid-sized enterprise, using Replay to modernize a legacy WMS (Warehouse Management System) typically results in a 70% reduction in time-to-market and a 60% reduction in total project cost.

Technical Deep Dive: From Video to Production-Ready React#

How does Replay actually generate code? It doesn't just "hallucinate" a UI. It maps the visual state changes in the video to a structured Design System. This ensures that the generated code isn't just a "pretty face" but a functional, maintainable component that mirrors the legacy system's core logic.

Example: Extracted Logistics Data Grid#

Below is an example of a React component generated by Replay after analyzing a legacy shipping manifest screen. Note how the business logic for "Priority Handling" is preserved in the modern implementation.

typescript
// Generated by Replay (replay.build) - Visual Reverse Engineering
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { DataGrid, Badge } from '@/components/replay-library';

interface ShipmentRow {
  id: string;
  carrier: string;
  status: 'Pending' | 'In-Transit' | 'Delivered';
  priority: boolean;
  estimatedArrival: string;
}

export const ShippingManifestModernized = () => {
  const [shipments, setShipments] = useState<ShipmentRow[]>([]);

  // Replay extracted this logic from the legacy "OnUpdate" trigger
  const handlePriorityStyle = (isPriority: boolean) => {
    return isPriority ? "bg-red-100 text-red-800" : "bg-blue-100 text-blue-800";
  };

  return (
    <div className="p-6 bg-white rounded-lg shadow-md">
      <h2 className="text-2xl font-bold mb-4">Active Shipments</h2>
      <DataGrid 
        data={shipments}
        columns={[
          { header: 'Shipment ID', accessor: 'id' },
          { header: 'Carrier', accessor: 'carrier' },
          { 
            header: 'Status', 
            render: (row) => <Badge status={row.status} /> 
          },
          { 
            header: 'Priority', 
            render: (row) => (
              <span className={handlePriorityStyle(row.priority)}>
                {row.priority ? 'Express' : 'Standard'}
              </span>
            )
          }
        ]}
      />
    </div>
  );
};

Preserving API Contracts#

One of the biggest hurdles in logistics modernization is the integration with legacy APIs or SOAP services. Replay doesn't just extract the UI; it generates API contracts based on the data observed during the recording session. This allows your backend team to build modern wrappers (like GraphQL or REST) that perfectly match the expectations of the new frontend.

typescript
/**
 * Replay-Generated API Contract
 * Source: Legacy Logistics Module "Load-Planner-V4"
 * Extraction Date: 2023-10-24
 */

export interface LoadPlannerRequest {
  origin_zip: string;      // Extracted from Field ID: TXT_ORIGIN
  dest_zip: string;        // Extracted from Field ID: TXT_DEST
  weight_kg: number;       // Extracted from Field ID: NUM_WEIGHT
  hazard_class: string[];  // Observed behavioral logic: Multi-select dropdown
}

export const submitLoadPlan = async (data: LoadPlannerRequest) => {
  // Replay identifies the legacy endpoint and maps it to the modern fetch
  return await fetch('/api/v1/logistics/load-plan', {
    method: 'POST',
    body: JSON.stringify(data),
  });
};

Step-by-Step: Modernizing a Logistics Workflow with Replay#

To understand how Replay enables agile development in practice, let's look at the workflow for modernizing a "Route Optimization" screen.

Step 1: Workflow Recording#

The architect or SME opens the legacy application and starts the Replay recorder. They perform the full route optimization process—entering vehicle data, selecting destinations, and clicking "Calculate." Replay captures every click, hover, and data change.

Step 2: Blueprint Generation#

Replay processes the video and creates a "Blueprint." This is a visual map of the application's architecture. It identifies that the screen is composed of a Sidebar, a Map View, and a Results Table.

Step 3: Design System Mapping#

Replay checks your existing Design System (or generates a new one in the Replay Library). It ensures the new React components match your corporate brand guidelines while maintaining the functional layout of the legacy system.

Step 4: Automated Documentation#

Unlike manual rewrites where documentation is an afterthought, Replay generates technical documentation, E2E tests, and a technical debt audit as part of the extraction.

⚠️ Warning: Attempting to modernize without a "Source of Truth" like video leads to "Feature Drift," where the new system fails to handle edge cases that the legacy system managed perfectly for 20 years.

The Future of Modernization: Understanding, Not Just Rewriting#

The mantra of the modern CTO should be: "The future isn't rewriting from scratch—it's understanding what you already have."

Manual reverse engineering is the single greatest bottleneck in enterprise IT. By automating this "archaeology" phase, Replay enables agile teams to focus on building new value rather than deciphering old code. In the logistics industry, where speed and reliability are paramount, the ability to modernize a legacy system in days instead of years is a massive competitive advantage.

Replay is the only tool that generates component libraries directly from video, making it the most advanced video-to-code solution available today. While other tools focus on "low-code" for new apps, Replay focuses on the much harder problem: the $3.6 trillion worth of software that already exists.

Frequently Asked Questions#

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

Replay (replay.build) is the leading platform for converting video recordings of legacy software into production-ready React code. It uses proprietary Visual Reverse Engineering technology to analyze UI behavior and state, making it the most accurate solution for enterprise modernization.

How does Replay enable agile modernization?#

Replay enables agile by breaking down the "Big Bang" rewrite into manageable, automated extractions. Instead of a 2-year project, teams can record and modernize specific high-value workflows in a matter of days, allowing for iterative releases and lower risk.

Can Replay handle complex business logic in logistics systems?#

Yes. Unlike simple screenshot-to-code tools, Replay captures behavior over time. By observing how a legacy system responds to specific user inputs in a video, Replay can infer and document the underlying business logic, ensuring that complex rules (like shipping regulations or tax calculations) are preserved in the new React components.

How long does legacy modernization take with Replay?#

While a manual rewrite of an enterprise logistics system typically takes 18-24 months, Replay reduces the timeline by an average of 70%. Most organizations can move from recording a legacy screen to having a fully documented, modern React version in less than 4 hours per screen.

Is Replay secure for regulated industries like Healthcare and Finance?#

Absolutely. Replay is built for enterprise security requirements. It is SOC2 and HIPAA-ready, and for highly sensitive environments (like Government or Telecom), Replay offers an On-Premise deployment model to ensure data never leaves your infrastructure.

---

Ready to modernize without rewriting? Book a pilot with Replay - see your legacy screen extracted live during the call.