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January 7, 20268 min readReplay AI for

Replay AI for Building a Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Tracking UI from Video

R
Replay Team
Developer Advocates

TL;DR: Replay AI empowers developers to rapidly prototype and deploy Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) tracking UIs directly from video recordings, accelerating progress towards achieving global goals.

The clock is ticking on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Building impactful and accessible applications to track and visualize progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is critical. But the traditional development process can be slow and resource-intensive. Imagine needing to build a complex dashboard from scratch, complete with data visualizations, user authentication, and interactive elements. That's where Replay AI comes in, bridging the gap between vision and reality.

Accelerating SDG Progress with Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#

Replay AI offers a revolutionary approach to UI development: Behavior-Driven Reconstruction. Instead of relying on static screenshots or hand-coding, Replay analyzes video recordings of user interactions to reconstruct working UI code. This is particularly powerful for rapidly prototyping SDG tracking applications.

Why Video?#

Video captures the intent behind the UI. Replay understands the flow of user interactions, the data being manipulated, and the desired outcomes. This allows it to generate more accurate and functional code than tools that simply convert static images.

Consider a scenario where you have a video of a user interacting with a prototype SDG dashboard. The user clicks on different goals, filters data by region, and generates reports. Replay can analyze this video and automatically generate the corresponding React components, API calls, and data bindings.

Building an SDG Tracking UI with Replay: A Step-by-Step Guide#

Let's walk through the process of building a basic SDG tracking UI using Replay. We'll focus on tracking progress towards SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Step 1: Capture the User Flow#

Record a video of yourself (or a stakeholder) interacting with a mock-up of the SDG tracking UI. This can be a simple wireframe or a more polished prototype. The key is to demonstrate the desired functionality and user flow.

For example, the video might show you:

  1. Navigating to the SDG 3 dashboard.
  2. Filtering data by country (e.g., "United States").
  3. Selecting a specific indicator (e.g., "Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution, age-standardized").
  4. Viewing a chart displaying the trend over time.
  5. Downloading a report in CSV format.

Step 2: Upload and Analyze with Replay#

Upload the video to Replay. Replay's AI engine will analyze the video, identify the UI elements, and reconstruct the underlying code. This process typically takes just a few minutes.

💡 Pro Tip: Ensure the video is clear, well-lit, and focuses on the screen. Speak clearly to narrate the actions you are taking in the video, as this aids Replay's understanding of the intended behavior.

Step 3: Review and Refine the Generated Code#

Once the analysis is complete, Replay will present you with the generated code. This code will typically include:

  • React components for the UI elements (e.g., buttons, charts, tables).
  • API calls to fetch data from a backend (e.g., Supabase).
  • State management logic to handle user interactions.
  • Styling based on the observed UI in the video.

You can then review and refine the code as needed. Replay provides a visual editor that allows you to make changes directly to the UI and see the corresponding code updates in real-time.

typescript
// Example React component generated by Replay for displaying SDG 3 data import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react'; import { LineChart, Line, XAxis, YAxis, CartesianGrid, Tooltip, Legend } from 'recharts'; interface SDGData { year: number; value: number; } const SDG3Chart = ({ country }: { country: string }) => { const [data, setData] = useState<SDGData[]>([]); useEffect(() => { const fetchData = async () => { const response = await fetch(`/api/sdg3?country=${country}`); const jsonData = await response.json(); setData(jsonData); }; fetchData(); }, [country]); return ( <LineChart width={600} height={300} data={data}> <CartesianGrid strokeDasharray="3 3" /> <XAxis dataKey="year" /> <YAxis /> <Tooltip /> <Legend /> <Line type="monotone" dataKey="value" stroke="#8884d8" activeDot={{ r: 8 }} /> </LineChart> ); }; export default SDG3Chart;

Step 4: Integrate with Supabase (Optional)#

Replay seamlessly integrates with Supabase, a popular open-source Firebase alternative. This allows you to easily store and manage the SDG data. Replay can automatically generate the necessary Supabase queries and data models based on the video analysis.

📝 Note: To leverage Supabase integration, ensure your video includes interactions with data input fields or data manipulation actions that would typically trigger database updates.

Step 5: Deploy and Iterate#

Once you are satisfied with the generated code, you can deploy the SDG tracking UI to a hosting platform of your choice. Replay supports various deployment options, including Netlify, Vercel, and AWS.

The beauty of Replay is that it enables rapid iteration. As you gather feedback from users, you can simply record new videos demonstrating the desired changes and use Replay to update the UI accordingly.

Replay vs. Traditional Development and Screenshot-to-Code Tools#

Here's a comparison of Replay with traditional development methods and screenshot-to-code tools:

FeatureTraditional DevelopmentScreenshot-to-CodeReplay
Development SpeedSlowMediumFast
AccuracyHighLowMedium-High
Understanding User IntentRequires manual effortLimitedHigh (Behavior-Driven)
Code QualityHigh (if well-written)LowMedium
Video Input
Behavior AnalysisPartial (limited OCR)
Multi-Page Generation
Supabase IntegrationRequires manual setupRequires manual setup✅ (Automated)
Style InjectionRequires manual effortBasicAdvanced
Product Flow MapsRequires manual effort✅ (Automated)

Screenshot-to-code tools offer a quick way to generate UI code from images, but they often struggle with complex layouts, dynamic content, and user interactions. They lack the ability to understand the intent behind the UI.

Traditional development, while offering the highest level of control and accuracy, can be time-consuming and expensive.

Replay strikes a balance between speed, accuracy, and understanding of user intent. It accelerates the development process by automating the generation of UI code, while also ensuring that the code reflects the desired user experience.

Addressing Common Concerns#

  • Code Quality: Replay generates functional code, but it may not always be perfectly optimized or follow best practices. It's important to review and refactor the code as needed.
  • Accuracy: Replay's accuracy depends on the quality of the video and the complexity of the UI. For complex UIs, some manual adjustments may be required.
  • Learning Curve: Replay is designed to be easy to use, but some familiarity with React and web development concepts is helpful.

⚠️ Warning: Replay is not a replacement for skilled developers. It's a tool that empowers developers to be more productive and efficient. Human oversight and refinement are still crucial for ensuring code quality and functionality.

The Power of Replay: Beyond Initial Development#

Replay's advantages extend beyond the initial development phase. The ability to quickly iterate on the UI based on user feedback is invaluable for creating truly impactful SDG tracking applications.

  • Rapid Prototyping: Quickly create and test different UI designs.
  • User-Centric Development: Ensure that the UI meets the needs of the end-users.
  • Data-Driven Optimization: Track user behavior and identify areas for improvement.
  • Accessibility Focus: Replay's understanding of user flows allows for better accessibility implementation.

By leveraging Replay, developers can focus on the core mission of achieving the SDGs, rather than spending countless hours on tedious coding tasks.

typescript
// Example API endpoint for fetching SDG 3 data (using Supabase) import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js'; const supabaseUrl = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL || ''; const supabaseKey = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY || ''; const supabase = createClient(supabaseUrl, supabaseKey); export default async function handler(req: any, res: any) { const { country } = req.query; const { data, error } = await supabase .from('sdg3_data') .select('*') .eq('country', country); if (error) { return res.status(500).json({ error: error.message }); } res.status(200).json(data); }

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?#

While both tools aim to generate code from visual inputs, Replay analyzes video recordings of user interactions, enabling it to understand user behavior and intent. v0.dev primarily relies on text prompts and design specifications. Replay's behavior-driven reconstruction leads to more functional and user-centric code.

What types of applications can Replay be used for?#

Replay can be used for a wide range of applications, including dashboards, e-commerce sites, mobile apps, and internal tools. Any application where user interaction is important can benefit from Replay's behavior-driven reconstruction.

What frameworks and libraries does Replay support?#

Replay primarily supports React, but it can be extended to support other frameworks and libraries. The generated code is clean and modular, making it easy to integrate with existing projects.


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