How to Recreate a Real Estate Listing App with Supabase Backend & React Replay

TL;DR: Learn how to rapidly recreate a real estate listing application from a simple screen recording using Replay, Supabase, and React, leveraging behavior-driven code generation.

From Video to Code: Recreating a Real Estate Listing App with Replay, Supabase, and React#

The traditional approach to building applications involves painstaking design, coding, and testing cycles. What if you could skip a significant portion of that process? Replay allows you to do just that. Instead of starting from scratch, you can use a video recording of an existing app's user flow as the blueprint for a new, functional application. Let's walk through recreating a real estate listing app using Replay, Supabase for the backend, and React for the frontend.

Understanding Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#

Replay stands apart from other code generation tools because it uses video as the primary input. This is crucial because video captures user behavior and intent, not just the static appearance of a screen. This "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" allows Replay to generate code that accurately reflects how users interact with the app. It's not just about the pixels; it's about the process.

Setting Up Your Environment#

Before diving into Replay, let's prepare our development environment.

Step 1: Install Node.js and npm#

Ensure you have Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager) installed. You can download them from the official Node.js website.

Step 2: Create a React Application#

Use Create React App to scaffold a new React project:

bash
npx create-react-app real-estate-app
cd real-estate-app

Step 3: Install Dependencies#

Install necessary dependencies like Material UI for styling and Supabase for the backend:

bash
npm install @mui/material @emotion/react @emotion/styled @supabase/supabase-js

Integrating Supabase for Backend Functionality#

Supabase provides a powerful and easy-to-use backend-as-a-service. We'll use it to store our real estate listing data.

Step 1: Create a Supabase Project#

Sign up for a free Supabase account and create a new project. Note down your project URL and API key.

Step 2: Define the Database Schema#

In the Supabase dashboard, create a table named

with the following columns:

• •
  text

  id
  (UUID, primary key)
• •
  text

  title
  (text)
• •
  text

  description
  (text)
• •
  text

  price
  (integer)
• •
  text

  location
  (text)
• •
  text

  image_url
  (text)

Step 3: Initialize Supabase Client in React#

Create a

file:

typescript
// supabaseClient.js
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js';

const supabaseUrl = process.env.REACT_APP_SUPABASE_URL;
const supabaseKey = process.env.REACT_APP_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY;

if (!supabaseUrl || !supabaseKey) {
  throw new Error('Supabase URL and Key are required.  Ensure REACT_APP_SUPABASE_URL and REACT_APP_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY are set in your .env file.');
}

export const supabase = createClient(supabaseUrl, supabaseKey);

⚠️ Warning: Never commit your Supabase API key directly to your repository. Use environment variables. Prefix with

text

REACT_APP_

to be picked up by Create React App.

Recording the App Flow#

Now, let's create the video that Replay will use to generate our code.

1. •Plan the Flow: Decide on the key user interactions you want to capture, such as browsing listings, viewing details, and potentially adding new listings (if you want to include a creation flow).
2. •Record the Video: Use a screen recording tool (like QuickTime on macOS or OBS Studio) to record yourself interacting with a real estate listing app. Focus on smooth, deliberate actions. Speak clearly while recording to add context for Replay.
3. •Upload to Replay: Upload the video to the Replay platform.

Generating Code with Replay#

Replay analyzes the video and generates React code, including components, styles, and event handlers. It also identifies data inputs and outputs, which it can use to connect to your Supabase backend.

Here's how Replay streamlines the process:

1. •Multi-Page Generation: Replay automatically detects different pages and states within the application flow, creating separate React components for each.
2. •Supabase Integration: Replay infers the data model from the video and generates Supabase queries to fetch and update data.
3. •Style Injection: Replay extracts CSS styles from the video and applies them to the generated components, maintaining visual consistency.
4. •Product Flow Maps: Replay visualizes the user flow as a diagram, making it easy to understand the application's structure.

Implementing the React Components#

After Replay generates the initial code, you'll need to refine and integrate it into your React application.

Step 1: Fetch Listings from Supabase#

In your

or a dedicated component, fetch the listings data from Supabase:

typescript
// Listings.js
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { supabase } from './supabaseClient';
import { Card, CardContent, Typography, Grid } from '@mui/material';

const Listings = () => {
  const [listings, setListings] = useState([]);

  useEffect(() => {
    const fetchListings = async () => {
      const { data, error } = await supabase
        .from('listings')
        .select('*');

      if (error) {
        console.error("Error fetching listings:", error);
      } else {
        setListings(data);
      }
    };

    fetchListings();
  }, []);

  return (
    <Grid container spacing={2}>
      {listings.map((listing) => (
        <Grid item xs={12} sm={6} md={4} key={listing.id}>
          <Card>
            <CardContent>
              <Typography variant="h5" component="div">
                {listing.title}
              </Typography>
              <Typography variant="body2" color="text.secondary">
                {listing.location} - ${listing.price}
              </Typography>
              <Typography variant="body1">
                {listing.description}
              </Typography>
            </CardContent>
          </Card>
        </Grid>
      ))}
    </Grid>
  );
};

export default Listings;

Step 2: Display Listings#

Use Material UI components to display the listings in a visually appealing format. The code above already demonstrates this, using

and components.

Step 3: Implement Navigation#

Based on the user flow captured in the video, implement navigation between different pages (e.g., listing details, search results). React Router can be used for this.

Refining the Generated Code#

Replay provides a solid foundation, but you'll likely need to refine the generated code to meet your specific requirements.

• •Component Structure: Review the generated component structure and refactor as needed to improve maintainability.
• •Styling: Adjust the CSS styles to match your desired design.
• •Data Handling: Implement error handling and data validation.
• •User Interactions: Add custom event handlers and logic to enhance the user experience.

💡 Pro Tip: Use Replay's "Style Injection" feature to quickly apply consistent styling across your application. This saves significant time compared to manually writing CSS.

Benefits of Using Replay#

• •Rapid Prototyping: Quickly create working prototypes from video recordings.
• •Reduced Development Time: Automate code generation and backend integration.
• •Improved Accuracy: Capture user behavior and intent, resulting in more accurate and functional code.
• •Enhanced Collaboration: Use video recordings as a common language between designers, developers, and stakeholders.

📝 Note: While Replay significantly accelerates development, it's not a "magic bullet." You'll still need to understand React, Supabase, and web development principles to effectively use and refine the generated code.

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 higher usage limits. Check the Replay website for the most up-to-date pricing information.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both tools aim to accelerate UI development, they differ significantly in their approach. v0.dev relies on text prompts and AI to generate code, while Replay uses video analysis to understand user behavior and reconstruct the UI. Replay excels at capturing complex user flows and integrating with backend services like Supabase.

What types of applications can I recreate with Replay?#

Replay is suitable for recreating a wide range of applications, including e-commerce sites, dashboards, mobile apps (screen recordings from emulators), and internal tools. The key is to have a clear video recording of the desired user flow.

Can I use Replay with other backend services besides Supabase?#

Yes, Replay can be customized to integrate with other backend services. However, the automated Supabase integration provides a streamlined experience for many common use cases.

---

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