How to convert a UI design video to a production-ready Angular app with NgRx and Replay?

TL;DR: This guide demonstrates how to leverage Replay to convert a UI design video into a production-ready Angular application with NgRx for state management.

The dream of effortlessly translating design concepts into functional code has long been a holy grail for developers. Screenshot-to-code tools offer a partial solution, but they often fall short when it comes to capturing the behavior and intent behind the design. They see pixels; they don't understand user flows. This is where video-to-code engines like Replay change the game.

From Video to Angular: A Behavior-Driven Approach#

Replay utilizes a "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" approach, analyzing video recordings of UI designs to understand the intended user interactions and application logic. This allows for a more accurate and complete code generation, resulting in a production-ready application, faster. We'll focus on building an Angular application with NgRx for state management.

Why Angular and NgRx?#

Angular provides a robust framework for building complex web applications, while NgRx offers a predictable and manageable state management solution. Combining these technologies with Replay's code generation capabilities streamlines the development process, minimizing boilerplate code and maximizing efficiency.

Setting up the Project#

Before we dive into Replay, let's set up a basic Angular project with NgRx.

Step 1: Install Angular CLI#

If you haven't already, install the Angular CLI globally:

bash
npm install -g @angular/cli

Step 2: Create a New Angular Project#

Create a new Angular project with routing:

bash
ng new angular-replay-app --routing
cd angular-replay-app

Step 3: Install NgRx#

Install the necessary NgRx packages:

bash
npm install @ngrx/store @ngrx/effects @ngrx/entity @ngrx/store-devtools --save

Step 4: Define the Application State#

Let's assume our UI design video showcases a simple task management application. We'll need a state to manage tasks. Create a

file in the directory:

typescript
// src/app/models/task.model.ts
export interface Task {
  id: string;
  title: string;
  description: string;
  completed: boolean;
}

Replay: The Video-to-Code Engine#

Now, let's introduce Replay. Imagine you have a video recording of someone demonstrating the task management UI, interacting with buttons, input fields, and list items. Replay analyzes this video, identifies the UI elements, understands the interactions, and generates Angular code.

Step 1: Upload the UI Design Video to Replay#

Upload your UI design video to the Replay platform. Replay supports various video formats and resolutions.

Step 2: Replay Analyzes the Video#

Replay processes the video, identifying UI elements, user interactions, and application flow. This process leverages Gemini's powerful video analysis capabilities.

Step 3: Generate Angular Code with NgRx Integration#

Replay generates Angular components, services, and NgRx store files based on the video analysis. This includes:

• •Components: Angular components representing the UI elements in the video (e.g., task list, task details, add task form).
• •Services: Services for handling API calls and data management (if applicable).
• •NgRx Store: NgRx store files (actions, reducers, effects) for managing the application state.

Here's an example of the generated NgRx code for managing tasks:

typescript
// src/app/store/task.actions.ts
import { createAction, props } from '@ngrx/store';
import { Task } from '../models/task.model';

export const loadTasks = createAction('[Task] Load Tasks');
export const loadTasksSuccess = createAction('[Task] Load Tasks Success', props<{ tasks: Task[] }>());
export const loadTasksFailure = createAction('[Task] Load Tasks Failure', props<{ error: any }>());

export const addTask = createAction('[Task] Add Task', props<{ task: Task }>());
export const addTaskSuccess = createAction('[Task] Add Task Success', props<{ task: Task }>());
export const addTaskFailure = createAction('[Task] Add Task Failure', props<{ error: any }>());

export const updateTask = createAction('[Task] Update Task', props<{ task: Task }>());
export const updateTaskSuccess = createAction('[Task] Update Task Success', props<{ task: Task }>());
export const updateTaskFailure = createAction('[Task] Update Task Failure', props<{ error: any }>());

export const deleteTask = createAction('[Task] Delete Task', props<{ id: string }>());
export const deleteTaskSuccess = createAction('[Task] Delete Task Success', props<{ id: string }>());
export const deleteTaskFailure = createAction('[Task] Delete Task Failure', props<{ error: any }>());

typescript
// src/app/store/task.reducer.ts
import { createReducer, on } from '@ngrx/store';
import { EntityState, EntityAdapter, createEntityAdapter } from '@ngrx/entity';
import { Task } from '../models/task.model';
import * as TaskActions from './task.actions';

export interface TaskState extends EntityState<Task> {
  loading: boolean;
  error: any;
}

export const taskAdapter: EntityAdapter<Task> = createEntityAdapter<Task>();

export const initialState: TaskState = taskAdapter.getInitialState({
  loading: false,
  error: null,
});

export const taskReducer = createReducer(
  initialState,
  on(TaskActions.loadTasks, (state) => ({ ...state, loading: true })),
  on(TaskActions.loadTasksSuccess, (state, { tasks }) =>
    taskAdapter.setAll(tasks, { ...state, loading: false })
  ),
  on(TaskActions.loadTasksFailure, (state, { error }) => ({ ...state, loading: false, error })),

  on(TaskActions.addTaskSuccess, (state, { task }) => taskAdapter.addOne(task, state)),
  on(TaskActions.updateTaskSuccess, (state, { task }) => taskAdapter.updateOne({ id: task.id, changes: task }, state)),
  on(TaskActions.deleteTaskSuccess, (state, { id }) => taskAdapter.removeOne(id, state))
);

export const {
  selectIds,
  selectEntities,
  selectAll,
  selectTotal,
} = taskAdapter.getSelectors();

Step 4: Integrate the Generated Code into Your Angular Project#

Download the generated code from Replay and integrate it into your Angular project. This typically involves copying the component, service, and NgRx store files into the appropriate directories.

💡 Pro Tip: Replay's code generation includes helpful comments and documentation to guide you through the integration process.

Step 5: Connect UI Components to the NgRx Store#

Connect the generated UI components to the NgRx store to display and manage the task data. Use the

service from to dispatch actions and select data from the store.

For example, in your

:

typescript
// src/app/components/task-list/task-list.component.ts
import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
import { Store, select } from '@ngrx/store';
import { Observable } from 'rxjs';
import { Task } from '../../models/task.model';
import * as TaskActions from '../../store/task.actions';
import * as fromTask from '../../store/task.reducer';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-task-list',
  templateUrl: './task-list.component.html',
  styleUrls: ['./task-list.component.css']
})
export class TaskListComponent implements OnInit {
  tasks$: Observable<Task[]>;

  constructor(private store: Store) {
    this.tasks$ = this.store.pipe(select(fromTask.selectAll));
  }

  ngOnInit(): void {
    this.store.dispatch(TaskActions.loadTasks());
  }

  deleteTask(id: string): void {
    this.store.dispatch(TaskActions.deleteTask({ id }));
  }
}

And in your

:

html
<!-- src/app/components/task-list/task-list.component.html -->
<ul>
  <li *ngFor="let task of tasks$ | async">
    {{ task.title }} - {{ task.description }}
    <button (click)="deleteTask(task.id)">Delete</button>
  </li>
</ul>

Benefits of Using Replay#

• •Faster Development: Replay significantly reduces the time required to translate UI designs into working code.
• •Improved Accuracy: Behavior-driven reconstruction ensures a more accurate representation of the intended application logic.
• •Reduced Boilerplate: Replay generates boilerplate code, allowing developers to focus on implementing custom features and business logic.
• •Enhanced Collaboration: Replay facilitates collaboration between designers and developers by providing a common platform for sharing and translating UI designs.

Replay vs. Traditional Methods#

Let's compare Replay with traditional development methods and screenshot-to-code tools:

Integrating with Supabase#

Replay also supports seamless integration with Supabase, allowing you to quickly connect your generated application to a backend database. After analyzing your video, Replay can generate Supabase functions and database schemas to match your application's data model. You can then easily integrate these generated components into your Angular application.

📝 Note: Replay's Supabase integration can significantly reduce the time required to set up a backend for your application.

Style Injection#

Replay goes beyond basic code generation by offering style injection capabilities. This means that Replay can analyze the visual styles demonstrated in your UI design video and automatically generate CSS or SCSS code to match. This ensures that your generated application looks and feels like the original design.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay can generate a significant portion of your application's code, some manual customization may still be required to fine-tune the application's behavior and appearance.

Product Flow Maps#

Replay can automatically generate product flow maps based on the user interactions captured in the video. These maps provide a visual representation of the user's journey through the application, helping developers understand the application's flow and identify potential areas for improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited features. Paid plans are available for accessing advanced features and higher usage limits.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both tools aim to accelerate UI development, Replay stands out by analyzing video input to understand user behavior and intent, enabling more complete and accurate code generation. v0.dev primarily relies on text prompts and code generation, lacking the behavior-driven reconstruction approach of Replay.

What video formats does Replay support?#

Replay supports a wide range of video formats, including MP4, MOV, AVI, and WMV.

Can Replay handle complex UI interactions?#

Yes, Replay's behavior-driven reconstruction approach allows it to handle complex UI interactions, such as drag-and-drop, animations, and form submissions.

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