Replay AI: Build Reusable Web App From UI Videos Using Typescript and ReactJS

TL;DR: Replay AI lets you build fully functional, reusable React components and web applications directly from screen recordings, using behavior-driven reconstruction to understand user intent and generate clean, maintainable TypeScript code.

Stop building UIs the hard way. Static mockups and pixel-perfect designs are relics of the past. The future is understanding user behavior and translating that directly into working code. That's where Replay comes in.

We're not just another screenshot-to-code tool. Replay analyzes video of user interactions, leveraging Gemini to understand the why behind the clicks, scrolls, and form submissions. This allows us to reconstruct not just the visual appearance of a UI, but its underlying logic and functionality. The result? Production-ready React components and entire web applications, generated in seconds.

The Problem with Screenshot-to-Code#

Screenshot-to-code tools offer a quick fix, but they fundamentally misunderstand the problem. They treat UI as a static image, ignoring the dynamic interactions and user flows that define a modern web application. This leads to brittle code, difficult to maintain and extend.

Consider this table:

As you can see, the limitations of screenshot-to-code are significant. They're good for generating basic static layouts, but fall short when it comes to building complex, interactive applications. Replay, on the other hand, offers a fundamentally different approach.

Behavior-Driven Reconstruction: The Replay Advantage#

Replay uses "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" (BDR). Instead of just looking at the pixels on the screen, Replay analyzes the actions performed in the video. This includes:

• •Mouse movements: Where does the user hover? What elements do they target?
• •Clicks and taps: What buttons are pressed? What links are followed?
• •Form submissions: What data is entered? How is it validated?
• •Page transitions: How does the UI change in response to user actions?

By understanding these behaviors, Replay can generate code that accurately reflects the user's intent. This results in:

• •Higher fidelity code: The generated code is more accurate and complete, requiring less manual tweaking.
• •Improved maintainability: The code is structured in a way that is easy to understand and modify.
• •Faster development: You can quickly prototype and iterate on new UI designs.

Building a React App from a UI Video: A Step-by-Step Guide#

Let's walk through the process of building a React application from a UI video using Replay.

Step 1: Recording Your UI Flow#

The first step is to record a video of the UI flow you want to recreate. This can be anything from a simple login form to a complex e-commerce checkout process. Make sure the video is clear and captures all the relevant user interactions.

💡 Pro Tip: Speak clearly while recording to give Replay more context on the purpose of each element.

Step 2: Uploading to Replay#

Once you have your video, upload it to the Replay platform. Replay will then process the video and analyze the user behavior.

Step 3: Reviewing and Refining#

After processing, Replay will present you with a reconstructed UI. You can then review and refine the generated code, making any necessary adjustments.

📝 Note: Replay automatically detects the type of application, but you can override this.

Step 4: Downloading the Code#

Finally, you can download the generated React/TypeScript code and integrate it into your project.

Here's an example of the type of React code Replay can generate:

typescript
// Generated by Replay AI
import React, { useState } from 'react';

interface Props {
  initialValue: string;
}

const SearchBar: React.FC<Props> = ({ initialValue }) => {
  const [searchTerm, setSearchTerm] = useState(initialValue);

  const handleInputChange = (event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
    setSearchTerm(event.target.value);
  };

  const handleSubmit = (event: React.FormEvent) => {
    event.preventDefault();
    // Handle search logic here
    console.log('Searching for:', searchTerm);
  };

  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
      <input
        type="text"
        placeholder="Search..."
        value={searchTerm}
        onChange={handleInputChange}
      />
      <button type="submit">Search</button>
    </form>
  );
};

export default SearchBar;

This code includes:

• •TypeScript types: Ensures type safety and improves code maintainability.
• •React Hooks: Uses
  text

  useState
  for managing the search term.
• •Event handlers: Handles input changes and form submissions.

Step 5: Integration with Supabase#

Replay seamlessly integrates with Supabase, allowing you to quickly connect your UI to a backend database. This makes it easy to build full-stack applications from video recordings. After Replay generates the UI, you can configure the Supabase integration to automatically generate the database schema and API endpoints needed to support the application.

Key Features of Replay#

• •Multi-page generation: Replay can generate entire multi-page applications from a single video.
• •Supabase integration: Easily connect your UI to a backend database.
• •Style injection: Customize the look and feel of your UI with CSS.
• •Product Flow maps: Visualize the user flow and identify potential bottlenecks.

Replay vs. the Competition#

Let's compare Replay to some other popular UI development tools:

As you can see, Replay stands out from the competition with its ability to analyze video input and generate high-quality, maintainable code.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay strives for accuracy, always review the generated code and make any necessary adjustments.

Why Replay is a Game Changer#

Replay is more than just a code generation tool. It's a paradigm shift in how we build UIs. By focusing on user behavior, Replay unlocks a new level of efficiency and accuracy in the development process.

• •Accelerated Development: Replay significantly reduces the time and effort required to build UIs.
• •Improved Code Quality: Replay generates clean, maintainable code that is easy to understand and modify.
• •Enhanced User Experience: By understanding user behavior, Replay helps you build UIs that are more intuitive and user-friendly.

Replay is revolutionizing the way we build web applications. Stop wasting time on tedious manual coding and start leveraging the power of behavior-driven reconstruction.

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?#

v0.dev generates UI components based on text prompts, while Replay generates UI components and entire applications based on video recordings of user interactions. Replay's behavior-driven approach allows it to understand user intent and generate more accurate and functional code.

What kind of videos work best with Replay?#

Clear, well-lit videos with minimal background noise tend to produce the best results. Make sure to capture all the relevant user interactions and speak clearly to provide additional context.

What frameworks are supported?#

Currently, Replay primarily supports React and TypeScript. Support for other frameworks is planned for future releases.

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