How to Convert Design into Production Code with React Native & Replay AI - 2026 guide

TL;DR: Replay uses video analysis powered by Gemini to reconstruct React Native UI components, understanding user behavior for accurate and functional code generation, bridging the gap between design and production.

Stop Manually Translating Designs: Automate React Native Code Generation in 2026#

Tired of spending hours translating design mockups into React Native code? The traditional design-to-code workflow is slow, error-prone, and a major bottleneck in mobile app development. In 2026, there’s a better way: behavior-driven reconstruction using video.

Replay is a video-to-code engine that leverages the power of Gemini to analyze screen recordings and reconstruct fully functional React Native UI components. Unlike screenshot-based tools, Replay understands the intent behind user interactions, resulting in more accurate and maintainable code.

The Problem with Traditional Design-to-Code#

Design-to-code tools have been around for a while, but they often fall short. Most rely on static screenshots or design files, which lack the crucial context of user behavior. This leads to:

• •Incomplete Code: Missing event handlers, state management, and dynamic behavior.
• •Inaccurate Reconstructions: Misinterpretations of UI elements and their relationships.
• •Manual Intervention: Significant post-generation tweaking and debugging.
• •Lack of Context: Difficulty in understanding the intended user flow and application logic.

This manual process is time-consuming, expensive, and prone to errors. Developers spend valuable time translating designs instead of focusing on core features and innovation.

Replay: Behavior-Driven Reconstruction Explained#

Replay addresses these limitations by analyzing video recordings of user interactions. By understanding the sequence of events, gestures, and user inputs, Replay can accurately reconstruct the intended behavior of the UI.

Here's how it works:

1. •Record: Capture a video of the desired UI interaction using a screen recorder or simulator.
2. •Upload: Upload the video to Replay.
3. •Analyze: Replay's AI engine analyzes the video, identifying UI elements, user actions, and application state changes.
4. •Reconstruct: Replay generates clean, functional React Native code, including components, styles, and event handlers.
5. •Integrate: Integrate the generated code into your React Native project.

This approach, which we call "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction", provides a more accurate and complete representation of the intended UI, significantly reducing the need for manual intervention.

Key Features of Replay#

Replay offers several key features that set it apart from traditional design-to-code tools:

• •Multi-Page Generation: Reconstruct entire user flows spanning multiple screens.
• •Supabase Integration: Seamlessly connect your UI to a Supabase backend.
• •Style Injection: Customize the appearance of your UI with CSS-in-JS or other styling solutions.
• •Product Flow Maps: Visualize the user journey through your application.
• •Video Input: Analyzes video recordings, not just static screenshots, capturing user behavior.

Replay vs. The Competition: A Head-to-Head Comparison#

As you can see, Replay offers a significant advantage in terms of accuracy, completeness, and automation.

Hands-on Example: Converting a Simple Form to React Native Code#

Let's walk through a simple example of converting a basic form interaction into React Native code using Replay.

Step 1: Record the Interaction#

Record a video of yourself interacting with a simple form in a mobile app simulator or on a device. The form should include:

• •Input fields for name and email
• •A submit button

Make sure to clearly demonstrate the interaction: typing in the fields and tapping the submit button.

Step 2: Upload to Replay#

Upload the video to Replay's platform. Replay will automatically analyze the video and identify the UI elements and user actions.

Step 3: Review and Adjust#

Review the generated code. Replay provides a visual interface for inspecting the reconstructed components and adjusting their properties.

Step 4: Integrate into Your React Native Project#

Copy the generated React Native code into your project.

typescript
// Generated by Replay
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { View, Text, TextInput, Button, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';

const MyForm = () => {
  const [name, setName] = useState('');
  const [email, setEmail] = useState('');

  const handleSubmit = () => {
    // Handle form submission logic here
    console.log('Name:', name);
    console.log('Email:', email);
  };

  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      <Text style={styles.label}>Name:</Text>
      <TextInput
        style={styles.input}
        value={name}
        onChangeText={setName}
        placeholder="Enter your name"
      />
      <Text style={styles.label}>Email:</Text>
      <TextInput
        style={styles.input}
        value={email}
        onChangeText={setEmail}
        placeholder="Enter your email"
        keyboardType="email-address"
      />
      <Button title="Submit" onPress={handleSubmit} />
    </View>
  );
};

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    padding: 20,
  },
  label: {
    fontSize: 16,
    marginBottom: 5,
  },
  input: {
    borderWidth: 1,
    borderColor: '#ccc',
    padding: 10,
    marginBottom: 15,
  },
});

export default MyForm;

This is a basic example, but it demonstrates the core functionality of Replay. For more complex UIs, Replay can generate more sophisticated code, including state management, event handling, and data binding.

💡 Pro Tip: For best results, ensure the video is clear, well-lit, and focuses on the UI interaction.

Advanced Features: Supabase Integration and Style Injection#

Replay goes beyond basic code generation by offering advanced features like Supabase integration and style injection.

Supabase Integration#

Replay can automatically generate code to connect your UI to a Supabase backend. This allows you to quickly build data-driven applications without writing boilerplate code.

typescript
// Example of Supabase integration
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js';

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

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

  if (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching data:', error);
  } else {
    console.log('Data:', data);
  }
};

Replay can generate this code based on your video interaction, automatically configuring the Supabase client and handling data fetching.

Style Injection#

Replay supports style injection, allowing you to customize the appearance of your UI using CSS-in-JS or other styling solutions. You can define styles in a separate file and inject them into the generated components.

⚠️ Warning: Ensure your video is recorded in a stable environment with consistent lighting for optimal analysis.

Benefits of Using Replay#

• •Faster Development: Automate code generation and reduce manual coding effort.
• •Improved Accuracy: Capture user behavior and generate more accurate code.
• •Reduced Errors: Minimize the risk of errors and inconsistencies.
• •Enhanced Collaboration: Facilitate communication between designers and developers.
• •Increased Productivity: Free up developers to focus on core features and innovation.

Real-World Use Cases#

Replay can be used in a variety of real-world scenarios:

• •Prototyping: Quickly create interactive prototypes from video recordings.
• •UI Modernization: Convert legacy UI designs into modern React Native components.
• •Design System Implementation: Generate code for design system components.
• •Mobile App Development: Accelerate the development of mobile applications.

📝 Note: Replay is continuously learning and improving. Expect even more advanced features and capabilities in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

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

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While v0.dev focuses on generating UI components from text prompts, Replay analyzes video recordings to understand user behavior and reconstruct the UI accordingly. Replay provides a more accurate and complete representation of the intended UI, especially for complex interactions and multi-page flows.

What kind of video quality is needed for Replay to work effectively?#

Clear and stable video recordings are essential. Ensure good lighting and minimal background noise. A resolution of 720p or higher is recommended.

What if Replay misinterprets a UI element?#

Replay provides a visual interface for reviewing and adjusting the generated code. You can manually correct any misinterpretations and regenerate the code.

What React Native versions are supported?#

Replay currently supports React Native versions 0.60 and above.

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