Replay AI for Building Dynamic Forms from Video Prototypes with JSON Schema

TL;DR: Replay AI lets you generate dynamic forms, complete with JSON schema, directly from video prototypes, eliminating manual design and coding.

The era of static prototypes is over. Stop wasting time manually translating video demos and user flows into functional forms. Current "AI" solutions that convert screenshots to code are fundamentally flawed. They only see the what, not the why. They can't understand user intent, which is crucial for building dynamic, usable forms. Replay AI offers a radically different approach: behavior-driven reconstruction.

The Problem: Static Prototypes and Manual Form Building#

Building dynamic forms is a pain. Traditionally, the process looks something like this:

1. •Create a video prototype demonstrating the desired user flow.
2. •Manually analyze the video, noting each form field, validation rule, and conditional logic.
3. •Design the form UI in a design tool like Figma or Sketch.
4. •Write the code to render the form, handle user input, and validate data.
5. •Create a JSON schema to define the form's data structure.
6. •Test and iterate, repeating steps 2-5 as needed.

This process is time-consuming, error-prone, and frankly, boring. Screenshot-to-code tools offer a marginal improvement, but they fail to capture the dynamic aspects of the form. They can't understand conditional logic, dynamic field visibility, or complex validation rules. They only see a static image. This is where Replay AI shines.

Replay AI: Behavior-Driven Form Generation from Video#

Replay AI analyzes video prototypes to understand user behavior and reconstruct working UI, including dynamic forms and their associated JSON schema. Unlike screenshot-based approaches, Replay focuses on behavior-driven reconstruction. This means it understands what the user is doing and why they're doing it, allowing it to generate more accurate and functional code.

Here's a breakdown of how Replay tackles the form generation problem:

1. •Video Analysis: Replay analyzes the video to identify form fields, input types, validation rules, and conditional logic. It uses advanced computer vision and natural language processing to understand the context of each interaction.
2. •Code Generation: Replay generates clean, well-structured code for the form UI, using your preferred framework (React, Vue, Angular, etc.).
3. •JSON Schema Creation: Replay automatically generates a JSON schema that defines the form's data structure, validation rules, and default values.
4. •Integration: Replay seamlessly integrates with your existing development workflow, allowing you to easily import the generated code and JSON schema into your project.

Benefits of Using Replay AI for Form Generation#

• •Increased Productivity: Automate the tedious task of manually building forms.
• •Improved Accuracy: Reduce errors by relying on AI-powered analysis of video prototypes.
• •Faster Iteration: Quickly iterate on form designs by simply updating the video prototype and regenerating the code.
• •Reduced Development Costs: Save time and money by automating the form building process.
• •Enhanced User Experience: Create more dynamic and user-friendly forms that adapt to user behavior.

Replay AI vs. Screenshot-to-Code Tools#

The difference is night and day.

Screenshot-to-code tools are glorified image editors. They can generate basic UI elements, but they lack the intelligence to understand user behavior and create truly dynamic forms. Replay AI, on the other hand, understands the intent behind the design, allowing it to generate more accurate and functional code.

Building a Dynamic Form with Replay AI: A Step-by-Step Guide#

Let's walk through a simple example of building a dynamic form with Replay AI. In this example, we'll create a form for collecting user feedback, with conditional logic to show different fields based on the user's initial rating.

Step 1: Create a Video Prototype#

Record a video demonstrating the desired user flow. In the video, show the user interacting with the form, selecting a rating, and filling out the corresponding fields. Make sure to clearly demonstrate the conditional logic.

Step 2: Upload the Video to Replay#

Upload the video to the Replay platform. Replay will analyze the video and automatically identify the form fields, input types, validation rules, and conditional logic.

Step 3: Review and Refine#

Review the generated form structure and JSON schema. You can make adjustments as needed to fine-tune the form's behavior.

Step 4: Generate Code#

Generate the code for the form UI. Replay supports various frameworks, including React, Vue, and Angular.

Here's an example of the generated React code:

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

const FeedbackForm = () => {
  const [rating, setRating] = useState(0);
  const [comment, setComment] = useState('');
  const [suggestion, setSuggestion] = useState('');

  const handleRatingChange = (event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLSelectElement>) => {
    setRating(parseInt(event.target.value));
  };

  const handleSubmit = (event: React.FormEvent) => {
    event.preventDefault();
    // Handle form submission logic here
    console.log({ rating, comment, suggestion });
  };

  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
      <label htmlFor="rating">Rating:</label>
      <select id="rating" value={rating} onChange={handleRatingChange}>
        <option value="0">Select a rating</option>
        <option value="1">1 - Poor</option>
        <option value="2">2 - Fair</option>
        <option value="3">3 - Good</option>
        <option value="4">4 - Very Good</option>
        <option value="5">5 - Excellent</option>
      </select>

      {rating <= 3 && (
        <>
          <label htmlFor="comment">Comment:</label>
          <textarea
            id="comment"
            value={comment}
            onChange={(event) => setComment(event.target.value)}
          />
        </>
      )}

      {rating >= 4 && (
        <>
          <label htmlFor="suggestion">Suggestion:</label>
          <input
            type="text"
            id="suggestion"
            value={suggestion}
            onChange={(event) => setSuggestion(event.target.value)}
          />
        </>
      )}

      <button type="submit">Submit</button>
    </form>
  );
};

export default FeedbackForm;

And here's an example of the generated JSON schema:

json
// Generated by Replay AI
{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "rating": {
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 1,
      "maximum": 5,
      "description": "User's rating"
    },
    "comment": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "User's comment (required if rating <= 3)"
    },
    "suggestion": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "User's suggestion (required if rating >= 4)"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "rating"
  ],
  "dependencies": {
    "comment": {
      "properties": {
        "rating": {
          "const": { "enum": [1, 2, 3] }
        }
      }
    },
    "suggestion": {
      "properties": {
        "rating": {
          "const": { "enum": [4, 5] }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

💡 Pro Tip: The quality of the video prototype directly impacts the accuracy of the generated code. Ensure the video is clear, well-lit, and demonstrates the desired user flow effectively.

Step 5: Integrate into Your Project#

Import the generated code and JSON schema into your project. You can use the JSON schema to validate user input and ensure data consistency.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay AI automates much of the form building process, it's still important to review the generated code and JSON schema to ensure they meet your specific requirements.

Replay AI: More Than Just Form Generation#

While this article focuses on form generation, Replay AI offers a wide range of capabilities, including:

• •Multi-page generation: Reconstruct entire user flows across multiple pages.
• •Supabase integration: Seamlessly integrate with Supabase for backend data storage and management.
• •Style injection: Apply custom styles to the generated UI to match your brand.
• •Product Flow maps: Visualize the user flow and identify potential bottlenecks.

📝 Note: Replay is constantly evolving, with new features and capabilities being added regularly.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited functionality. Paid plans are available for users who need more advanced features and higher usage limits.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While v0.dev is a code generation tool, it relies on text prompts as input. Replay uses video as input, providing a more natural and intuitive way to capture user behavior and intent. Replay focuses on behavior-driven reconstruction, understanding the why behind the design, not just the what.

What frameworks does Replay support?#

Replay currently supports React, Vue, and Angular. Support for other frameworks is planned for the future.

What kind of videos work best with Replay?#

Clear, well-lit videos that demonstrate the desired user flow effectively work best. Avoid videos with excessive camera movement or distracting background noise.

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