How to Recreate a Modern Startup MVP from Video to React with Replay: A Full Tutorial

TL;DR: Recreate a functional React-based MVP from a screen recording using Replay, leveraging its behavior-driven reconstruction capabilities and Supabase integration for rapid development.

The Future is Behavior-Driven: From Video to MVP#

Forget pixel-perfect mockups and endless design iterations. The future of rapid prototyping is here, and it’s powered by video. Imagine being able to record a user flow, hand it to an AI, and receive working code in return. That's the promise of Replay.

Traditional screenshot-to-code tools fall short because they only capture static visuals. They don't understand why a user clicks a button or how they navigate a multi-page flow. Replay, on the other hand, uses advanced video analysis and Gemini's power to understand user behavior and intent, generating code that's not just visually similar, but functionally equivalent.

This tutorial will guide you through recreating a modern startup MVP from a simple screen recording using Replay, focusing on a hypothetical task management application. We'll cover everything from video preparation to deploying a functional React app with Supabase integration.

Why Video? Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#

Video as a source of truth unlocks several key advantages:

• •Captures User Flow: Video inherently records the sequence of actions, providing crucial context for UI reconstruction.
• •Understands Intent: Replay analyzes mouse movements, clicks, and keyboard input to infer user intent, leading to more accurate and functional code generation.
• •Iterative Refinement: Easily iterate on your design by simply recording new video flows.

Preparing Your Video#

The quality of your video directly impacts the accuracy of the generated code. Follow these guidelines:

1. •Clear and Consistent: Ensure the video is well-lit and the UI elements are clearly visible.
2. •Smooth Navigation: Avoid jerky mouse movements and abrupt transitions.
3. •Realistic User Flow: Perform the tasks as a real user would, including typical errors and corrections.
4. •Narration (Optional): While not required, narrating your actions can provide additional context for Replay.
5. •Limit Distractions: Close unnecessary applications and browser tabs to minimize visual clutter.

💡 Pro Tip: Use a screen recording tool that allows you to highlight mouse clicks for enhanced clarity.

Recreating a Task Management MVP: Step-by-Step#

Let's assume we have a video recording of a user creating a new task, assigning it to a team member, and marking it as complete in our hypothetical task management application.

Step 1: Uploading and Analyzing the Video#

Upload your video to the Replay platform. Replay will automatically analyze the video, identifying UI elements, user interactions, and page transitions. This process can take a few minutes depending on the video length and complexity.

Step 2: Configuring Project Settings#

Once the analysis is complete, you'll be prompted to configure your project settings. This includes:

• •Framework: Select React as your desired framework.
• •Styling: Choose your preferred styling library (e.g., CSS Modules, Styled Components, Tailwind CSS). Replay supports style injection for seamless integration.
• •Data Backend: Connect to your Supabase project. Replay automatically generates the necessary API calls and data models.
• •Multi-Page Generation: Ensure this feature is enabled to handle the task management application's multi-page flow.

Step 3: Reviewing and Refining the Generated Code#

Replay generates a React codebase based on the video analysis. Review the code carefully, paying attention to:

• •Component Structure: Verify that the components are logically organized and reusable.
• •Event Handlers: Ensure that the event handlers (e.g.,
  text

  onClick
  ,
  text

  onChange
  ) are correctly implemented.
• •Data Binding: Confirm that the data is correctly bound to the UI elements.
• •Supabase Integration: Check that the Supabase API calls are properly configured for data fetching and manipulation.

Here's an example of a generated React component for creating a new task:

typescript
// Generated by Replay
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js';

const supabaseUrl = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL;
const supabaseKey = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY;
const supabase = createClient(supabaseUrl, supabaseKey);

interface Task {
  title: string;
  description: string;
  assigned_to: string;
  completed: boolean;
}

const CreateTask = () => {
  const [title, setTitle] = useState('');
  const [description, setDescription] = useState('');
  const [assignedTo, setAssignedTo] = useState('');

  const handleSubmit = async (e: React.FormEvent) => {
    e.preventDefault();

    const newTask: Task = {
      title,
      description,
      assigned_to: assignedTo,
      completed: false,
    };

    const { data, error } = await supabase
      .from('tasks')
      .insert([newTask]);

    if (error) {
      console.error('Error creating task:', error);
    } else {
      console.log('Task created successfully:', data);
      // Reset form fields
      setTitle('');
      setDescription('');
      setAssignedTo('');
    }
  };

  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
      <div>
        <label htmlFor="title">Title:</label>
        <input
          type="text"
          id="title"
          value={title}
          onChange={(e) => setTitle(e.target.value)}
        />
      </div>
      <div>
        <label htmlFor="description">Description:</label>
        <textarea
          id="description"
          value={description}
          onChange={(e) => setDescription(e.target.value)}
        />
      </div>
      <div>
        <label htmlFor="assignedTo">Assigned To:</label>
        <input
          type="text"
          id="assignedTo"
          value={assignedTo}
          onChange={(e) => setAssignedTo(e.target.value)}
        />
      </div>
      <button type="submit">Create Task</button>
    </form>
  );
};

export default CreateTask;

This code snippet demonstrates how Replay automatically generates a React component with state management (using

) and Supabase integration for creating new tasks.

Step 4: Customizing and Enhancing the Code#

While Replay generates a functional codebase, you'll likely need to customize and enhance it to meet your specific requirements. This may involve:

• •Adding Custom Logic: Implement any business logic that's not directly captured in the video.
• •Improving UI/UX: Refine the UI and UX based on user feedback and design principles.
• •Optimizing Performance: Optimize the code for performance and scalability.

📝 Note: Replay's generated code serves as a solid foundation, allowing you to focus on the unique aspects of your application.

Step 5: Deploying Your MVP#

Once you're satisfied with the code, deploy your MVP to a hosting platform like Netlify or Vercel.

Benefits of Using Replay#

• •Rapid Prototyping: Accelerate the development process by generating working code from video recordings.
• •Reduced Development Costs: Minimize the need for manual coding and design iterations.
• •Improved Accuracy: Capture user intent and behavior more accurately than traditional methods.
• •Seamless Integration: Integrate with popular frameworks, styling libraries, and data backends.

Replay vs. Traditional Methods and Other Tools#

⚠️ Warning: Replay is not a replacement for experienced developers. It's a powerful tool that can significantly accelerate the development process, but it still requires human oversight and customization.

Product Flow Maps#

Replay also automatically generates a product flow map from the video, visualizing the user's journey through the application. This map helps you understand how users interact with your product and identify potential areas for improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

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

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both Replay and v0.dev aim to accelerate UI development, Replay distinguishes itself by using video as the primary input and focusing on behavior-driven reconstruction. v0.dev primarily uses text prompts and AI to generate UI components, while Replay reconstructs entire user flows based on observed behavior. Replay's Supabase integration and multi-page generation capabilities are also more robust.

What frameworks and libraries does Replay support?#

Replay currently supports React, CSS Modules, Styled Components, Tailwind CSS, and Supabase. Support for other frameworks and libraries is planned for future releases.

What type of videos work best with Replay?#

Videos with clear visuals, smooth navigation, and realistic user flows tend to produce the best results. Avoid videos with excessive noise, distractions, or abrupt transitions.

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