How to Recreate a Real Estate Website from Video to Next.js with Replay: A Step-by-Step Guide

TL;DR: Recreate a fully functional Next.js real estate website from a screen recording using Replay's behavior-driven code generation, complete with Supabase integration and custom styling.

The dream of instantly converting ideas into functional code is closer than ever. While screenshot-to-code tools offer a glimpse of this future, they often fall short when dealing with dynamic UIs and complex user flows. They can’t understand intent. That’s where Replay comes in. Replay analyzes video – the ultimate record of user behavior – and uses Gemini to reconstruct working UI, bridging the gap between concept and code.

This guide walks you through recreating a real estate website from a simple screen recording using Replay. We'll leverage Replay's multi-page generation, Supabase integration for data management, and style injection for customization.

Understanding Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#

Traditional code generation tools rely on static images. They can generate markup based on what they see, but they can't understand the why behind the design. Replay, on the other hand, uses Behavior-Driven Reconstruction. This means it analyzes the video to understand user interactions, navigation patterns, and data flow.

This approach enables Replay to generate not just static layouts, but also:

• •Dynamic components that respond to user input.
• •Multi-page applications with seamless navigation.
• •Integrated data fetching and management.

Step 1: Capturing the Video#

The first step is to record a video of the real estate website you want to recreate. Keep the recording concise and focused, showcasing key features like:

• •Homepage with property listings.
• •Individual property pages with detailed information.
• •Search and filtering functionality.
• •User authentication (optional).

💡 Pro Tip: Narrate your actions while recording. This provides valuable context for Replay's AI engine, improving the accuracy of the generated code. For example, say "Now I'm clicking on the search button" or "Filtering by price range."

Step 2: Uploading to Replay#

Once you have your video, upload it to the Replay platform. Replay will process the video and analyze the user behavior within. This process involves:

1. •Frame Extraction: Replay extracts key frames from the video.
2. •Object Detection: Identifies UI elements like buttons, text fields, and images.
3. •Behavior Analysis: Analyzes user interactions (clicks, scrolls, form submissions) to understand the application's logic.
4. •Code Generation: Generates Next.js code based on the analyzed behavior.

Step 3: Configuring Supabase Integration#

Replay seamlessly integrates with Supabase, a popular open-source Firebase alternative. This allows you to easily manage the data for your real estate website. To configure Supabase integration:

1. •Create a Supabase Project: If you don't have one already, create a new project on the Supabase platform (https://supabase.com/).
2. •Define Your Database Schema: Create a table to store your property data. This table should include columns for properties like address, price, bedrooms, bathrooms, description, and images.

sql
-- Example Supabase table schema
CREATE TABLE properties (
  id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
  address TEXT NOT NULL,
  price INTEGER NOT NULL,
  bedrooms INTEGER NOT NULL,
  bathrooms INTEGER NOT NULL,
  description TEXT,
  image_url TEXT
);

1. •Connect Replay to Supabase: In the Replay interface, provide your Supabase URL and API key. Replay will automatically generate the necessary data fetching logic to populate your website with data from your Supabase database.

📝 Note: Ensure your Supabase database has CORS enabled for your Replay-generated application's domain.

Step 4: Reviewing and Customizing the Generated Code#

After Replay processes the video and connects to Supabase, it will generate a Next.js project. This project will include:

• •React components for each page of the website.
• •Data fetching logic using Supabase client libraries.
• •Basic styling based on the visual appearance of the video.

Review the generated code and make any necessary adjustments. You can customize the components, modify the data fetching logic, and add your own styling.

Example Generated Component#

typescript
// Example generated component for a property listing
import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { supabase } from '../utils/supabaseClient';

interface Property {
  id: string;
  address: string;
  price: number;
  bedrooms: number;
  bathrooms: number;
  description: string;
  image_url: string;
}

const PropertyCard = ({ id }: { id: string }) => {
  const [property, setProperty] = useState<Property | null>(null);
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);

  useEffect(() => {
    const fetchProperty = async () => {
      setLoading(true);
      const { data, error } = await supabase
        .from('properties')
        .select('*')
        .eq('id', id)
        .single();

      if (error) {
        console.error('Error fetching property:', error);
      } else {
        setProperty(data);
      }
      setLoading(false);
    };

    fetchProperty();
  }, [id]);

  if (loading) {
    return <div>Loading...</div>;
  }

  if (!property) {
    return <div>Property not found.</div>;
  }

  return (
    <div className="property-card">
      <img src={property.image_url} alt={property.address} />
      <h3>{property.address}</h3>
      <p>Price: ${property.price}</p>
      <p>{property.bedrooms} bedrooms, {property.bathrooms} bathrooms</p>
      <p>{property.description}</p>
    </div>
  );
};

export default PropertyCard;

Step 5: Implementing Search and Filtering#

Replay's generated code might include basic search and filtering functionality based on the video analysis. However, you may need to refine this functionality to meet your specific requirements.

To implement search and filtering:

1. •Update the Supabase Query: Modify the Supabase query to include search and filter parameters.
2. •Create UI Elements: Add input fields and dropdowns for users to enter search terms and select filter options.
3. •Update Component State: Update the component's state based on user input and trigger a re-fetch of the data.

typescript
// Example Supabase query with filtering
const fetchProperties = async (searchTerm: string, minPrice: number, maxPrice: number) => {
  let query = supabase
    .from('properties')
    .select('*')
    .ilike('address', `%${searchTerm}%`); // Case-insensitive search

  if (minPrice) {
    query = query.gte('price', minPrice);
  }

  if (maxPrice) {
    query = query.lte('price', maxPrice);
  }

  const { data, error } = await query;

  if (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching properties:', error);
    return [];
  }

  return data;
};

Step 6: Style Injection#

Replay offers style injection capabilities, allowing you to quickly apply custom styles to your generated components. You can use CSS, Tailwind CSS, or any other styling framework.

To inject styles:

1. •Identify the Target Element: Determine the CSS selector for the element you want to style.
2. •Define Your Styles: Create a CSS rule with the desired styles.
3. •Inject the Styles: Use Replay's style injection feature to apply the styles to the target element.

For example, to change the background color of all property cards to light gray, you could inject the following CSS:

css
.property-card {
  background-color: #f0f0f0;
  padding: 16px;
  border: 1px solid #ccc;
  margin-bottom: 16px;
}

⚠️ Warning: Be careful when injecting styles, as it can potentially break the layout or functionality of your website. Always test your changes thoroughly.

Step 7: Product Flow Maps#

Replay doesn't just generate code; it also creates product flow maps based on the video analysis. These maps visualize the user's journey through the application, highlighting key interactions and navigation patterns. This can be invaluable for understanding how users interact with your website and identifying areas for improvement.

You can use these flow maps to:

• •Identify drop-off points in the user journey.
• •Optimize the navigation structure.
• •Improve the overall user experience.

Benefits of Using Replay#

• •Rapid Prototyping: Quickly generate functional prototypes from video recordings.
• •Accelerated Development: Reduce development time by automating code generation.
• •Improved Accuracy: Behavior-driven reconstruction ensures accurate representation of user intent.
• •Seamless Integration: Integrate with popular tools like Supabase for data management.
• •Enhanced Collaboration: Share product flow maps with stakeholders for better communication.

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 Replay and v0.dev aim to accelerate UI development, they differ significantly in their approach. v0.dev primarily uses text prompts to generate code, while Replay analyzes video recordings to understand user behavior and generate code based on that behavior. Replay excels at capturing complex user flows and interactions, while v0.dev is more suited for generating individual components based on specific requirements.

What kind of videos work best with Replay?#

Videos that clearly demonstrate the user's intended interactions and the desired functionality of the application work best with Replay. Narrating your actions while recording can further improve the accuracy of the generated code. Short, focused videos are generally better than long, rambling ones.

Can I use Replay to recreate complex web applications?#

Yes, Replay can handle complex web applications with multiple pages and intricate user flows. However, the accuracy of the generated code may vary depending on the quality of the video recording and the complexity of the application.

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