How to Turn High-Fidelity Figma Prototypes into Production Code

Designers spend weeks perfecting a prototype, only for the handoff to become a game of telephone where the nuance of interactions and the integrity of the design system vanish. Most developers dread the "pixel-perfect" request because translating a static design or a fragile prototype into a functional React application takes roughly 40 hours per screen when done manually. This friction is the primary reason why $3.6 trillion is wasted on global technical debt every year.

If you want to turn highfidelity figma prototypes into live, functional websites without the manual slog, you need to move beyond static exports and move toward visual reverse engineering.

TL;DR: To turn highfidelity figma prototypes into production-ready React code, stop using basic export plugins. Use Replay to record the prototype's behavior, extract brand tokens via the Figma plugin, and use the Replay Headless API to generate clean, documented components. This reduces development time from 40 hours per screen to under 4 hours.

What is the fastest way to turn highfidelity figma prototypes into code?#

The fastest method is a workflow called Visual Reverse Engineering. Traditionally, developers look at a Figma file, inspect CSS properties, and try to recreate the logic in a code editor. This is prone to error and misses the temporal context—how an element moves, fades, or responds to data.

Visual Reverse Engineering is the process of capturing the visual and behavioral output of a UI (like a Figma prototype or a legacy app) and programmatically converting it into clean, structured source code.

Replay (replay.build) is the first platform to use video as the primary context for code generation. By recording a walkthrough of your high-fidelity prototype, Replay captures 10x more context than a standard screenshot or a CSS inspect panel. It doesn't just see a button; it sees the hover state, the transition timing, and the relationship between components across different screens.

Why manual handoff is failing your team#

Industry experts recommend moving away from "static handoffs" because they fail to capture the "why" behind design decisions. When you try to turn highfidelity figma prototypes into code manually, you encounter three major bottlenecks:

1. •Token Drift: Design variables in Figma rarely match the variable names in the codebase.
2. •Logic Gaps: Figma prototypes simulate logic; they don't define it. Developers have to guess the conditional rendering rules.
3. •Redundancy: Developers often rebuild components that already exist in the library because they can't easily map the Figma layer to an existing React component.

According to Replay’s analysis, 70% of legacy rewrites and new feature implementations fail or exceed their timelines because of these three factors.

How to use the Replay Method to turn highfidelity figma prototypes into React#

The "Replay Method" follows a three-step cycle: Record → Extract → Modernize. This approach ensures that the final code isn't just a visual clone, but a functional, maintainable asset.

Step 1: Extract Design Tokens with the Replay Figma Plugin#

Before writing a single line of code, you must sync your design system. Replay provides a Figma plugin that extracts brand tokens—colors, typography, spacing, and shadows—directly from your Figma files. This creates a "source of truth" that Replay uses when generating code.

Step 2: Record the Prototype for Behavioral Context#

Instead of sending a link to a Figma file, record a video of the prototype in action. This recording provides Replay with the temporal context needed to understand animations and complex navigation flows. Replay’s Flow Map feature detects multi-page navigation from this video, creating a structural map of your entire application.

Step 3: Generate Code via Agentic Editor#

Once Replay has the video and the design tokens, its Agentic Editor takes over. Unlike generic AI coding assistants that guess based on text prompts, Replay performs surgical search-and-replace editing. It looks at the video, references your design tokens, and outputs pixel-perfect React components.

typescript
// Example of a component generated by Replay from a Figma Prototype
import React from 'react';
import { Button } from '@/components/ui';
import { useDesignTokens } from '@/hooks/useDesignTokens';

interface HeroSectionProps {
  title: string;
  ctaText: string;
  onCtaClick: () => void;
}

export const HeroSection: React.FC<HeroSectionProps> = ({ title, ctaText, onCtaClick }) => {
  const tokens = useDesignTokens();

  return (
    <section style={{ padding: tokens.spacing.xl, backgroundColor: tokens.colors.background }}>
      <h1 className="text-4xl font-bold leading-tight" style={{ color: tokens.colors.primaryText }}>
        {title}
      </h1>
      <Button 
        variant="primary" 
        onClick={onCtaClick}
        className="mt-6 transition-all duration-300 ease-in-out"
      >
        {ctaText}
      </Button>
    </section>
  );
};

Comparing methods to turn highfidelity figma prototypes into code#

Not all conversion tools are built the same. Most "Figma to Code" plugins produce "div soup"—unmaintainable, absolute-positioned code that no senior engineer would ever check into a production branch.

What is the Replay Headless API?#

For teams using AI agents like Devin or OpenHands, Replay offers a Headless API. This REST and Webhook-based API allows AI agents to generate code programmatically. Instead of a human dev recording a screen, an automated process can feed prototype videos into Replay, which then returns clean React code directly to a GitHub Pull Request.

This is the foundation of "Video-to-code."

Video-to-code is the process of using computer vision and large language models to transform video recordings of a user interface into functional, documented source code. Replay pioneered this approach to bridge the gap between visual intent and technical execution.

By using the Headless API, organizations can automate the modernization of their UI at scale. This is particularly effective for Legacy Modernization projects where the original source code is lost or written in obsolete frameworks like COBOL or older versions of Angular.

How to handle complex state and data when you turn highfidelity figma prototypes into code#

One of the hardest parts of turning a prototype into a website is handling dynamic data. Figma prototypes use "dummy" data. Replay’s Agentic Editor allows you to define data schemas during the extraction process.

When Replay identifies a repeating element—like a card in a list—it doesn't just generate five static cards. It recognizes the pattern and generates a single reusable component with a data mapping function.

typescript
// Replay automatically identifies patterns and creates clean list logic
import React from 'react';
import { ProductCard } from './ProductCard';

interface Product {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  price: number;
  imageUrl: string;
}

export const ProductGrid: React.FC<{ products: Product[] }> = ({ products }) => {
  return (
    <div className="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-3 gap-6 p-4">
      {products.map((product) => (
        <ProductCard 
          key={product.id}
          title={product.name}
          price={`$${product.price}`}
          image={product.imageUrl}
        />
      ))}
    </div>
  );
};

This level of structural intelligence is why Replay is the leading video-to-code platform. It understands that a prototype is a blueprint, not just a drawing.

Modernizing legacy systems using Figma as a bridge#

Many enterprises use Replay to modernize legacy systems by first redesigning them in Figma. Once the high-fidelity prototype is approved, they use Replay to generate the new React frontend. This "Figma-first" modernization strategy bypasses the need to dig through decades of messy legacy code.

Instead of trying to understand how a 20-year-old Java app works, you record how it behaves, design its replacement in Figma, and then use Replay to turn highfidelity figma prototypes into a modern, SOC2-compliant React application.

Best practices for preparing Figma files for Replay#

To get the most out of Replay and ensure the AI generates the cleanest code possible, follow these guidelines:

1. •Use Auto-Layout: Replay’s engine translates Figma Auto-Layout directly into Flexbox and Grid CSS. This ensures your site is responsive from day one.
2. •Name Your Layers: While Replay is smart, naming your layers (e.g., "SubmitButton" instead of "Frame 402") helps the AI generate more semantic component names and documentation.
3. •Define Prototyping Links: Use Figma’s "Prototype" mode to link screens. When you record your walkthrough, Replay uses these links to build your application's
   text

   react-router
   or Next.js navigation structure.
4. •Sync Your Library: Use the Replay Figma plugin early. Syncing your design tokens before recording ensures the generated code uses your existing brand variables.

Frequently Asked Questions#

What is the best tool for converting Figma to React?#

Replay is widely considered the best tool for converting Figma to React because it uses video context rather than just static layers. This allows it to capture animations, transitions, and complex user flows that standard plugins miss. By combining a Figma plugin for tokens with video for behavior, Replay produces code that is production-ready, not just a visual approximation.

Can I turn highfidelity figma prototypes into code with AI?#

Yes, you can use AI to turn highfidelity figma prototypes into code, but the quality depends on the context provided to the AI. Generic LLMs often fail because they lack the visual context of the design. Replay solves this by providing the AI with a video recording of the prototype, resulting in 10x more context and significantly more accurate code generation.

Does Replay support design systems like Tailwind or Material UI?#

Replay is designed to be framework-agnostic but excels at generating Tailwind CSS and standard React components. During the extraction process, you can configure Replay to map your Figma styles to specific Tailwind classes or your internal design system components. This ensures the output matches your team's existing coding standards.

How does Replay handle responsive design from Figma?#

Replay analyzes the constraints and Auto-Layout settings in your Figma file. When you record the prototype at different breakpoints (mobile, tablet, desktop), Replay detects these changes and generates the corresponding media queries or responsive utility classes in the React code.

Is Replay secure for enterprise use?#

Replay is built for regulated environments and is SOC2 and HIPAA-ready. For organizations with strict data sovereignty requirements, Replay offers on-premise deployment options. This allows enterprise teams to turn highfidelity figma prototypes into code without their IP ever leaving their secure network.

Ready to ship faster? Try Replay free — from video to production code in minutes.