How to Convert A Figma Mobile App Video Into A React Native Expo Go App

TL;DR: Replay reconstructs a React Native Expo Go app directly from a Figma mobile app demo video, handling multi-page flows and styles automatically.

The dream of turning design concepts into functional code has always been tantalizingly close. But existing tools often fall short, treating design artifacts as static images rather than dynamic user experiences. Screenshot-to-code tools are useful, but they lack the crucial understanding of user behavior and intent. This is where Replay comes in, changing the game by using video as the source of truth. Forget painstakingly translating Figma designs into React Native – Replay analyzes your Figma mobile app demo video and generates a fully functional Expo Go app, complete with multi-page navigation, integrated styles, and even database connections.

Understanding Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#

Traditional design-to-code tools rely on static images or design files. They interpret visual elements but struggle to understand the intent behind user interactions. Replay takes a different approach: Behavior-Driven Reconstruction. By analyzing a video of a user interacting with a design prototype (in this case, a Figma mobile app demo), Replay captures the nuances of user flow, button clicks, and data entry. This allows it to reconstruct a functional application that mirrors the intended user experience, not just the visual appearance.

Key Benefits of Video-to-Code#

• •Accurate User Flows: Replay understands navigation patterns and recreates multi-page applications seamlessly.
• •Dynamic Data Handling: Replay infers data inputs and outputs, enabling integration with backend services like Supabase.
• •Style Consistency: Replay captures and applies consistent styling across the application.
• •Faster Development: Significantly reduces the time and effort required to translate designs into working code.

Converting a Figma Mobile App Video to React Native Expo Go: A Step-by-Step Guide#

Let's walk through the process of converting a Figma mobile app demo video into a functional React Native Expo Go application using Replay.

Step 1: Prepare Your Figma Mobile App Demo Video#

Your video should clearly demonstrate the key user flows and interactions within your Figma mobile app prototype. Ensure the video is:

• •Clear and Stable: Avoid shaky footage or blurry visuals.
• •Complete: Showcase all essential screens and interactions.
• •Concise: Keep the video focused on the core functionality.

💡 Pro Tip: Narrating the video while you interact with the prototype can provide valuable context for Replay, further improving the accuracy of the reconstruction.

Step 2: Upload Your Video to Replay#

Navigate to the Replay platform and upload your Figma mobile app demo video. Replay supports various video formats, including MP4, MOV, and AVI.

Step 3: Configure Reconstruction Settings#

Replay offers several configuration options to tailor the reconstruction process:

• •Target Framework: Select "React Native Expo Go" as the target framework.
• •Supabase Integration: If your app requires database interaction, configure your Supabase credentials.
• •Style Injection: Choose whether to automatically inject styles into the generated code.

Step 4: Initiate Reconstruction#

Click the "Reconstruct" button to start the process. Replay will analyze your video, identify UI elements, understand user interactions, and generate the corresponding React Native Expo Go code. This process may take a few minutes depending on the complexity of the video and the length of the recording.

Step 5: Review and Refine the Generated Code#

Once the reconstruction is complete, Replay provides a code preview and allows you to download the generated project. Review the code for accuracy and make any necessary refinements.

typescript
// Example generated component - Home Screen
import React from 'react';
import { View, Text, StyleSheet, TouchableOpacity } from 'react-native';

const HomeScreen = ({ navigation }) => {
  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      <Text style={styles.title}>Welcome to My App</Text>
      <TouchableOpacity
        style={styles.button}
        onPress={() => navigation.navigate('Details')}
      >
        <Text style={styles.buttonText}>Go to Details</Text>
      </TouchableOpacity>
    </View>
  );
};

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
    backgroundColor: '#f0f0f0',
  },
  title: {
    fontSize: 24,
    fontWeight: 'bold',
    marginBottom: 20,
  },
  button: {
    backgroundColor: '#007bff',
    padding: 15,
    borderRadius: 5,
  },
  buttonText: {
    color: '#fff',
    fontSize: 16,
  },
});

export default HomeScreen;

This code snippet demonstrates a basic React Native component generated by Replay. It includes styling based on the visual elements identified in the video and navigation functionality inferred from the user's interactions.

Step 6: Run the Expo Go App#

Navigate to the downloaded project directory and run the following command:

bash
npx expo start

This will start the Expo development server and provide a QR code that you can scan with the Expo Go app on your mobile device. You can then test and refine the generated application.

📝 Note: Ensure you have Expo CLI installed globally (

text

npm install -g expo-cli

) and the Expo Go app installed on your mobile device.

Replay vs. Traditional Design-to-Code Tools#

This table highlights the key differences between Replay and traditional design-to-code tools. Replay's video-based approach enables it to understand user behavior and generate more accurate and functional code.

Addressing Common Concerns#

Code Quality#

Replay generates clean, readable React Native code that adheres to industry best practices. While the generated code may require some manual refinement, it provides a solid foundation for building complex applications.

Accuracy#

The accuracy of the generated code depends on the quality and clarity of the input video. Ensure your video is well-lit, stable, and clearly demonstrates the intended user flows.

Scalability#

Replay is designed to handle complex applications with multiple pages and interactions. However, extremely large or complex videos may require more processing time.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay can handle complex UIs, very long videos or extremely intricate animations might require more manual adjustments after the code generation.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited functionality. Paid plans are available for more advanced features and higher usage limits. Check the pricing page for the latest details.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

v0.dev focuses primarily on generating UI components from text prompts. Replay, on the other hand, reconstructs entire applications from video, understanding user behavior and generating complete, functional code. Replay excels at capturing user flows and multi-page applications, a feature often lacking in prompt-based UI generators.

Can I use Replay with other frameworks besides React Native Expo Go?#

Replay currently supports React Native Expo Go, with plans to add support for other frameworks in the future. Stay tuned for updates.

What kind of videos work best with Replay?#

Videos showing clear user interactions with a design prototype (like a Figma or Adobe XD prototype) work best. The clearer the video, the more accurate the reconstruction.

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