How to Reconstruct an Interactive Map UI from Video to React with Leaflet and Replay

TL;DR: Reconstruct a fully interactive map UI with Leaflet in React directly from a screen recording using Replay's video-to-code engine, bypassing traditional screenshot-to-code limitations.

The era of static mockups and tedious manual coding for interactive UIs is over. Screenshot-to-code tools offer a superficial solution, capturing only visual elements without understanding underlying user behavior. What if you could capture the intent behind the interaction, the flow of the user, and translate that into working code?

Enter Replay, a revolutionary video-to-code engine powered by Gemini, that reconstructs working UI from screen recordings. This means you can now capture a video of an interactive map in action, and Replay will generate a React component with Leaflet integration, complete with interactive markers, zoom functionality, and custom popups.

Why Video-to-Code is a Game Changer#

Traditional methods of UI development are inherently limited. Static designs lack interactivity, and manual coding is time-consuming and prone to errors. Even advanced screenshot-to-code tools fall short because they only capture the visual representation, missing the crucial behavioral aspect.

Replay addresses this limitation by analyzing video – the ultimate source of truth for user interaction. By understanding the sequence of events, the duration of interactions, and the specific elements being manipulated, Replay can reconstruct the behavior of the UI, not just its appearance. This "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" is what sets Replay apart.

Reconstructing an Interactive Map UI with Leaflet and React#

Let's dive into a practical example: reconstructing an interactive map UI built with Leaflet in React. Imagine you have a screen recording of a user interacting with a map, zooming in, clicking on markers, and viewing popups. Instead of manually recreating this UI, you can use Replay to automate the process.

Step 1: Capture the Video#

The first step is to capture a clear and concise video of the interactive map UI in action. Ensure the video captures all key interactions, including:

• •Zooming in and out
• •Panning the map
• •Clicking on markers
• •Viewing popups
• •Any custom UI elements

💡 Pro Tip: Record a video with minimal distractions and clear, deliberate interactions for optimal results.

Step 2: Upload to Replay#

Upload the video to Replay. The engine will automatically analyze the video, identify UI elements, and understand the user's interactions.

Step 3: Generate the React Component#

Replay will then generate a React component with Leaflet integration, complete with:

• •Map initialization and configuration
• •Marker placement based on video data
• •Popup content reconstruction
• •Zoom and pan functionality
• •Style injection to match the original UI

Here's an example of the generated code:

typescript
// Generated by Replay
import React, { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
import L from 'leaflet';
import 'leaflet/dist/leaflet.css';

const MapComponent = () => {
  const mapRef = useRef(null);

  useEffect(() => {
    if (!mapRef.current) {
      mapRef.current = L.map('map', {
        center: [51.505, -0.09], // Example center, Replay detects this from the video
        zoom: 13,                // Example zoom level, Replay detects this from the video
      });

      L.tileLayer('https://{s}.tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png', {
        attribution: '&copy; <a href="https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright">OpenStreetMap</a> contributors'
      }).addTo(mapRef.current);

      // Example marker, Replay detects coordinates from the video
      L.marker([51.5, -0.1]).addTo(mapRef.current)
        .bindPopup('A popup generated from Replay.'); // Replay reconstructs popup content
    }

    return () => {
      if (mapRef.current) {
        mapRef.current.remove();
      }
    };
  }, []);

  return <div id="map" style={{ height: '500px' }}></div>;
};

export default MapComponent;

This code snippet demonstrates how Replay reconstructs the map initialization, tile layer integration, and marker placement directly from the video. The center coordinates, zoom level, and popup content are all derived from the user's interactions captured in the video.

Step 4: Customize and Integrate#

The generated code is a fully functional React component that you can easily customize and integrate into your existing application. You can modify the map configuration, add more markers, customize popups, and integrate with your backend data.

📝 Note: Replay also supports Supabase integration, allowing you to seamlessly connect your map UI to your database for dynamic data loading.

Replay vs. Traditional Methods and Screenshot-to-Code#

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

This table clearly demonstrates Replay's advantages over traditional methods and screenshot-to-code tools. Replay significantly reduces development time, ensures high accuracy, and provides fully interactive UIs with behavior analysis and seamless integration with other services.

Key Features of Replay#

• •Multi-page generation: Replay can reconstruct entire product flows across multiple pages, capturing the user's journey from start to finish.
• •Supabase integration: Seamlessly connect your UI to your Supabase database for dynamic data loading and real-time updates.
• •Style injection: Replay automatically extracts and applies styles from the video to ensure a visually accurate reconstruction.
• •Product Flow maps: Visualize the user's journey through your application with automatically generated product flow maps.

The Power of Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#

Replay's behavior-driven reconstruction is a paradigm shift in UI development. By focusing on the intent behind the interaction, Replay can generate more accurate, functional, and engaging UIs. This approach unlocks new possibilities for rapid prototyping, UI testing, and code generation.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay significantly automates UI reconstruction, it's essential to review and customize the generated code to ensure it meets your specific requirements.

Step-by-Step Guide: Reconstructing a Simple Button Click#

Here's a simplified example to illustrate the power of Replay with a basic button click:

Step 1: Record the Interaction#

Record a short video of a user clicking a button that triggers an alert.

Step 2: Upload to Replay#

Upload the video to Replay.

Step 3: Generate the Code#

Replay will generate the following React code (or similar):

typescript
import React from 'react';

const ButtonComponent = () => {
  const handleClick = () => {
    alert('Button Clicked! - Replay detected this action'); // Replay reconstructs the alert
  };

  return (
    <button onClick={handleClick}>Click Me</button>
  );
};

export default ButtonComponent;

This simple example demonstrates how Replay can reconstruct even basic interactions, capturing the event handler and the associated action.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited usage. Paid plans are available for more extensive use and advanced features.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both tools aim to generate code, Replay focuses on video input and behavior-driven reconstruction, while v0.dev primarily uses text prompts. Replay understands what users are trying to do based on their actions in the video, whereas v0.dev relies on the accuracy of the prompt.

What types of UIs can Replay reconstruct?#

Replay can reconstruct a wide range of UIs, including maps, dashboards, forms, and interactive components. The more complex and interactive the UI, the greater the value of Replay.

Does Replay support different JavaScript frameworks?#

Currently, Replay primarily supports React. Support for other frameworks is planned for future releases.

How accurate is Replay's code generation?#

Replay's code generation accuracy is high, especially for well-defined interactions. However, it's always recommended to review and customize the generated code to ensure it meets your specific requirements.

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