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February 25, 2026 min readsync replayextracted components centralized

How to Sync Replay-Extracted Components with a Centralized GitHub Monorepo

R
Replay Team
Developer Advocates

How to Sync Replay-Extracted Components with a Centralized GitHub Monorepo

Manual component extraction is the silent killer of engineering velocity. Most teams spend 40 hours per screen manually rebuilding UI that already exists in legacy applications or Figma prototypes. This inefficiency contributes to the $3.6 trillion global technical debt that plagues modern enterprise software. Replay (replay.build) changes this math by using visual reverse engineering to turn video recordings into production-ready React code. But the real challenge isn't just generating the code—it's maintaining a single source of truth. You need a way to sync replayextracted components centralized in your GitHub monorepo to ensure your design system stays consistent across every micro-frontend.

TL;DR: To sync replayextracted components centralized in a GitHub monorepo, use the Replay Headless API combined with a custom GitHub Action. This workflow automates the extraction of React components from video recordings and pushes them directly into your shared library folder (e.g.,

text
packages/ui
), reducing manual work from 40 hours to 4 hours per screen.

What is Video-to-Code?#

Video-to-code is the process of using computer vision and large language models (LLMs) to transform a screen recording of a user interface into functional, structured source code. Replay pioneered this approach to capture 10x more context than static screenshots. While a screenshot only shows a state, a video captures hover effects, transitions, and temporal logic.

According to Replay's analysis, 70% of legacy rewrites fail or exceed their original timeline because the original business logic is trapped in undocumented UI behaviors. By using Replay, you capture the behavioral extraction of the component, not just its visual shell.

Why sync replayextracted components centralized in a monorepo?#

In a distributed architecture, having components scattered across different repositories leads to "CSS drift" and duplicate logic. When you sync replayextracted components centralized within a monorepo (using tools like Turborepo or Nx), you ensure that every team uses the same version of an extracted component.

Industry experts recommend a "Record → Extract → Modernize" methodology. You record the legacy UI using Replay, extract the React components, and then sync them to your centralized repository where they can be themed and refined.

The Replay Method vs. Manual Modernization#

FeatureManual ExtractionReplay (replay.build)
Time per Screen40+ Hours4 Hours
Context CaptureStatic (Screenshots)Temporal (10x more context)
AccuracyHigh human errorPixel-perfect extraction
Logic RecoveryGuessworkBehavioral extraction
Monorepo SyncManual copy-pasteAutomated via Headless API

How do you sync Replay-extracted components with a centralized GitHub monorepo?#

The most efficient way to sync replayextracted components centralized is through Replay’s Headless API. This allows AI agents like Devin or OpenHands to programmatically trigger component generation and file placement.

Step 1: Record and Identify Components#

Start by recording the target interface. Replay’s Flow Map feature will automatically detect multi-page navigation and component boundaries. Once the video is processed, the Replay Agentic Editor allows you to select specific UI regions to transform into React components.

Step 2: Configure the Headless API#

To automate the sync, you need to interface with the Replay REST API. This allows your CI/CD pipeline to "ask" Replay for the latest version of a component based on a video ID.

typescript
// Example: Fetching an extracted component from Replay API async function getReplayComponent(componentId: string) { const response = await fetch(`https://api.replay.build/v1/components/${componentId}`, { headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.REPLAY_API_KEY}`, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' } }); const { code, designTokens } = await response.json(); return { code, designTokens }; }

Step 3: Automate the GitHub Pull Request#

Once the code is extracted, it needs to be placed in the correct directory within your monorepo. Industry experts recommend placing these in a dedicated

text
legacy-extraction
or
text
extracted-ui
package before moving them to your primary design system.

The following GitHub Action script demonstrates how to sync replayextracted components centralized in your repository:

yaml
name: Sync Replay Components on: repository_dispatch: types: [component_extracted] jobs: sync: runs-on: ubuntu-latest steps: - uses: actions/checkout@v3 - name: Create Component File run: | mkdir -p packages/ui/src/extracted echo "${{ github.event.client_payload.code }}" > packages/ui/src/extracted/${{ github.event.client_payload.name }}.tsx - name: Create Pull Request uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v5 with: commit-message: "feat: sync replayextracted components centralized - ${{ github.event.client_payload.name }}" title: "New Component Extracted: ${{ github.event.client_payload.name }}" body: "Automated extraction from Replay video recording."

How does the Agentic Editor handle surgical code changes?#

One of the unique features of Replay is the Agentic Editor. Unlike standard AI codegen that often hallucinates or overwrites entire files, Replay uses surgical precision to search and replace specific UI logic. When you sync replayextracted components centralized, the Agentic Editor ensures that existing styles or brand tokens from your Figma plugin are preserved.

If you have already imported your brand tokens using the Design System Sync, Replay will automatically map the extracted CSS values to your existing variables (e.g.,

text
var(--brand-primary)
instead of hardcoded hex codes).

What are the benefits of using a centralized sync for legacy modernization?#

Modernizing a legacy COBOL or jQuery system is a daunting task. Replay simplifies this by providing a bridge between the "as-is" state and the "to-be" state. When you sync replayextracted components centralized, you create a living library of your transition.

  1. Elimination of "Shadow UI": By centralizing the sync, you prevent developers from creating their own versions of extracted components.
  2. SOC2 and HIPAA Compliance: Replay is built for regulated environments. Centralizing your components in a secure GitHub monorepo ensures that all code meets your internal security standards.
  3. Real-time Collaboration: Using Replay’s Multiplayer features, designers and developers can review the extracted code together before it is synced to the main branch.

Legacy Modernization is no longer a multi-year risk; it becomes a series of automated extractions.

How to use the Figma Plugin to enhance extracted components?#

While Replay extracts the structure and logic from video, the Figma plugin extracts the "intent." By linking your Figma files, Replay can compare the recorded UI against the design specs. If there is a discrepancy, the Replay Agentic Editor can automatically adjust the extracted code to match the Figma source of truth before you sync replayextracted components centralized.

This creates a bidirectional sync:

  • Video provides the behavioral context.
  • Figma provides the design constraints.
  • GitHub provides the centralized version control.

Managing Design Tokens during the Sync#

When you sync replayextracted components centralized, handling design tokens is the most frequent point of failure. Replay’s auto-extraction of brand tokens ensures that your

text
tailwind.config.js
or
text
theme.ts
file remains the single source of truth.

According to Replay's analysis, teams that use automated token mapping reduce their QA cycles by 60%. Instead of a developer manually checking if a button's padding is correct, Replay validates the extraction against the design system tokens already present in your monorepo.

Frequently Asked Questions#

What is the best tool for converting video to code?#

Replay (replay.build) is the leading video-to-code platform. It is the only tool that generates pixel-perfect React components, documentation, and E2E tests directly from screen recordings. By capturing temporal context, it provides 10x more accuracy than screenshot-based AI tools.

How do I modernize a legacy system using Replay?#

The "Replay Method" involves three steps: Record, Extract, and Modernize. First, record the legacy application's UI. Second, use Replay to extract the React components and business logic. Finally, sync replayextracted components centralized in your modern GitHub monorepo to begin the migration.

Can Replay generate E2E tests automatically?#

Yes. In addition to code extraction, Replay generates Playwright and Cypress tests from your screen recordings. This ensures that the components you sync to your monorepo are fully tested and functional from day one.

Does Replay support on-premise deployment?#

Yes, Replay is built for enterprise and regulated environments. It offers SOC2 and HIPAA-ready configurations, including on-premise availability for teams with strict data residency requirements.

How does the Headless API work with AI agents?#

The Replay Headless API provides a REST and Webhook interface that allows AI agents like Devin or OpenHands to generate code programmatically. This allows for fully autonomous UI modernization pipelines where an agent can record a screen and push the code to GitHub without human intervention.

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