How to Rebuild a Complex React Native App from Video with Replay AI in 2026

TL;DR: Rebuild a complete React Native application from a screen recording using Replay's behavior-driven AI, leveraging multi-page generation, Supabase integration, and style injection for a fully functional prototype.

Rebuilding an application from scratch is a daunting task. What if you could skip the manual coding and instead leverage AI to reconstruct a fully functional prototype from a simple screen recording? That's the power of Replay, a video-to-code engine that uses Gemini to analyze user behavior and generate working UI. Forget static screenshots – Replay understands intent.

The Problem: Traditional Development Bottlenecks#

Traditional app development is plagued by time-consuming processes:

• •Requirements Gathering: Translating user needs into concrete specifications.
• •UI/UX Design: Creating mockups and prototypes.
• •Manual Coding: Implementing the UI and backend logic.
• •Testing and Iteration: Refining the application based on feedback.

These steps are often sequential, creating bottlenecks and slowing down the development cycle. Tools that convert screenshots to code offer a limited solution, focusing only on visual elements without understanding the underlying logic or user flow.

The Solution: Behavior-Driven Reconstruction with Replay#

Replay offers a revolutionary approach: behavior-driven reconstruction. By analyzing video recordings of user interactions, Replay understands the why behind the what, enabling it to generate more accurate and functional code.

Here's how Replay stands apart from traditional methods and screenshot-to-code tools:

Replay leverages Gemini's advanced AI capabilities to bridge the gap between user intent and functional code, significantly accelerating the development process.

Rebuilding a React Native App: A Step-by-Step Guide#

Let's walk through the process of rebuilding a complex React Native app from a video recording using Replay. Imagine we want to recreate a simplified e-commerce application.

Step 1: Record the User Flow#

Record a video of yourself interacting with the existing e-commerce app. Make sure to capture key user flows, such as:

• •Browsing product listings
• •Adding items to the cart
• •Navigating to the checkout page
• •Completing the order

The more detail you provide in the video, the better Replay can understand the application's logic.

💡 Pro Tip: Narrate your actions while recording. This provides Replay with valuable context and improves the accuracy of the code generation.

Step 2: Upload the Video to Replay#

Upload the recorded video to the Replay platform. Replay will automatically analyze the video and begin reconstructing the application's UI and logic.

Step 3: Review and Refine the Generated Code#

Once Replay has finished processing the video, you'll be presented with a generated React Native codebase. This includes:

• •React Native components for each screen in the application
• •Navigation logic to handle transitions between screens
• •Basic styling to match the look and feel of the original app
• •Data fetching logic (if applicable)

Review the generated code and make any necessary refinements.

typescript
// Example generated React Native component
import React from 'react';
import { View, Text, StyleSheet, FlatList, Image } from 'react-native';

interface Product {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  price: number;
  imageUrl: string;
}

const ProductList: React.FC<{ products: Product[] }> = ({ products }) => {
  return (
    <FlatList
      data={products}
      keyExtractor={(item) => item.id}
      renderItem={({ item }) => (
        <View style={styles.productItem}>
          <Image source={{ uri: item.imageUrl }} style={styles.productImage} />
          <Text style={styles.productName}>{item.name}</Text>
          <Text style={styles.productPrice}>${item.price.toFixed(2)}</Text>
        </View>
      )}
    />
  );
};

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  productItem: {
    padding: 10,
    borderBottomWidth: 1,
    borderBottomColor: '#eee',
  },
  productImage: {
    width: 100,
    height: 100,
  },
  productName: {
    fontSize: 16,
    fontWeight: 'bold',
  },
  productPrice: {
    fontSize: 14,
    color: 'green',
  },
});

export default ProductList;

Step 4: Integrate with Supabase (Optional)#

Replay seamlessly integrates with Supabase, allowing you to easily connect your reconstructed application to a backend database. This enables you to store and retrieve data, implement user authentication, and add other advanced features.

To integrate with Supabase, simply provide your Supabase API key and URL to Replay. Replay will automatically generate the necessary code to interact with your Supabase database.

Step 5: Inject Styles and Customize the UI#

Replay allows you to inject custom styles into the generated application, enabling you to fine-tune the look and feel of the UI. You can use CSS, Tailwind CSS, or any other styling framework.

📝 Note: Replay's style injection feature allows you to maintain a consistent design language across your entire application.

Step 6: Map Product Flows#

Replay generates product flow maps based on the video analysis. These maps visualize the user journey through the application, helping you identify potential bottlenecks and optimize the user experience.

Step 7: Deploy and Iterate#

Once you're satisfied with the reconstructed application, you can deploy it to your preferred platform. Replay generates clean, well-structured code that is easy to maintain and extend.

Key Benefits of Using Replay#

• •Accelerated Development: Rebuild applications in a fraction of the time compared to traditional methods.
• •Improved Accuracy: Behavior-driven reconstruction ensures that the generated code accurately reflects the user's intent.
• •Seamless Integration: Integrate with Supabase and other popular tools for a complete development workflow.
• •Enhanced Collaboration: Share video recordings and generated code with your team for improved collaboration.
• •Reduced Costs: Automate the code generation process and reduce the need for manual coding.

Real-World Use Cases#

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

• •Rapid Prototyping: Quickly create prototypes of new applications based on user feedback.
• •Legacy App Migration: Rebuild legacy applications from video recordings to modernize the codebase.
• •Competitive Analysis: Reconstruct competitor applications to understand their features and functionality.
• •User Training: Generate interactive tutorials based on video recordings of application usage.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay significantly accelerates the development process, it's crucial to review and refine the generated code to ensure it meets your specific requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited functionality. Paid plans are available for users who require more advanced features and higher usage limits. Check the pricing page on the Replay website for the most up-to-date information.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both Replay and v0.dev aim to accelerate UI development, they differ significantly in their approach. v0.dev relies on text prompts to generate UI components, whereas Replay analyzes video recordings to understand user behavior and reconstruct entire applications. Replay's behavior-driven approach allows it to generate more accurate and functional code, especially for complex applications with intricate user flows. Replay focuses on understanding intent through video, not just visual elements.

What types of applications can Replay rebuild?#

Replay is capable of rebuilding a wide range of applications, including mobile apps, web apps, and desktop applications. The complexity of the application and the quality of the video recording will affect the accuracy of the generated code.

What if the video quality is poor?#

While Replay works best with clear, high-resolution video recordings, it can still process videos with lower quality. However, the accuracy of the generated code may be reduced. Try to record videos in a well-lit environment with minimal background noise.

---

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