Replay AI: Generating Code for Interactive Prototypes with User Feedback

TL;DR: Replay AI uses video analysis to generate interactive UI prototypes that accurately reflect user behavior, offering a faster and more insightful approach than traditional screenshot-to-code or manual methods.

Forget static mockups. Interactive prototypes are the lifeblood of modern UI/UX design, but building them is often a slow, tedious process. Current "AI" solutions mostly repackage screenshot-to-code, giving you a visual representation, but not the behavior that drives a successful user experience. That's where Replay changes the game.

The Problem with Traditional Prototype Generation#

We've all been there: meticulously crafting prototypes, only to find they don't quite resonate with users. Why? Because they're based on static designs, not real user interactions. Screenshot-to-code tools exacerbate this problem. They create code from visual elements, completely missing the crucial element of behavior. This results in prototypes that look right but feel wrong.

Manually coding interactive prototypes is even worse. It's time-consuming, expensive, and prone to errors. You're essentially guessing at user needs and coding them into existence. This is a recipe for wasted development time and ultimately, a subpar user experience.

Behavior-Driven Reconstruction: The Replay Advantage#

Replay takes a radically different approach: behavior-driven reconstruction. Instead of relying on static images, Replay analyzes video of user interactions to understand intent and generate code that accurately reflects that behavior. This means your prototypes are not just visually appealing, but also functionally sound and aligned with actual user needs.

Replay uses Gemini to analyze the video input, identifying UI elements, user actions, and the relationships between them. This allows it to reconstruct the UI as working code, complete with interactive elements and data bindings.

Key Features of Replay#

Replay isn't just another code generation tool; it's a comprehensive platform for building interactive prototypes:

• •Multi-Page Generation: Replay can handle complex user flows that span multiple pages, creating seamless prototypes that mimic real-world applications.
• •Supabase Integration: Connect your Replay prototypes to Supabase for instant data persistence and dynamic content.
• •Style Injection: Customize the look and feel of your prototypes with ease using CSS or your preferred styling framework.
• •Product Flow Maps: Visualize user flows and identify potential bottlenecks with Replay's built-in product flow mapping.

Generating Interactive Prototypes with Replay: A Step-by-Step Guide#

Here's how you can use Replay to generate interactive prototypes from user feedback:

Step 1: Capture User Interactions#

Record a video of users interacting with your existing product or a competitor's product. The more detailed the video, the better Replay can understand user behavior.

💡 Pro Tip: Encourage users to think aloud while interacting with the product to provide valuable context for Replay's analysis.

Step 2: Upload to Replay#

Upload the video to the Replay platform. Replay will automatically analyze the video and identify UI elements, user actions, and data bindings.

Step 3: Review and Refine#

Review the generated code and make any necessary adjustments. Replay's intuitive interface makes it easy to edit the code and customize the prototype to your specific needs.

Step 4: Integrate with Supabase (Optional)#

Connect your prototype to Supabase to enable data persistence and dynamic content. This allows you to create truly interactive prototypes that mimic real-world applications.

Step 5: Share and Iterate#

Share your prototype with users and gather feedback. Use the feedback to further refine the prototype and iterate on your design.

typescript
// Example of fetching data from Supabase in a Replay-generated component
const fetchData = async () => {
  try {
    const { data, error } = await supabase
      .from('your_table')
      .select('*');

    if (error) {
      console.error('Error fetching data:', error);
      return [];
    }

    return data;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Unexpected error:', error);
    return [];
  }
};

// Example of using the fetched data in the UI
const MyComponent = () => {
  const [data, setData] = React.useState([]);

  React.useEffect(() => {
    fetchData().then(setData);
  }, []);

  return (
    <ul>
      {data.map(item => (
        <li key={item.id}>{item.name}</li>
      ))}
    </ul>
  );
};

📝 Note: Remember to replace

text

'your_table'

with the actual name of your Supabase table.

The Power of Video: Beyond Screenshots#

Replay's use of video as input unlocks a new level of understanding user behavior. Here's why video is superior to screenshots:

• •Contextual Awareness: Video captures the context surrounding user actions, providing valuable insights into their motivations and intentions.
• •Temporal Data: Video captures the sequence of user actions, allowing Replay to understand the flow of interactions.
• •Dynamic Elements: Video captures dynamic elements like animations and transitions, ensuring that the generated prototype accurately reflects the user experience.

⚠️ Warning: Ensure you have proper permissions and consent before recording and using user videos. Privacy is paramount.

Real-World Applications#

Replay can be used in a variety of scenarios:

• •User Testing: Generate interactive prototypes from user testing sessions to quickly validate design decisions.
• •Competitive Analysis: Analyze videos of users interacting with competitor products to identify areas for improvement.
• •Product Discovery: Create interactive prototypes from user interviews to explore new product ideas.
• •Rapid Prototyping: Quickly generate interactive prototypes from screen recordings to iterate on designs faster.

css
/* Example of injecting custom styles into a Replay-generated component */
.my-component {
  background-color: #f0f0f0;
  padding: 10px;
  border: 1px solid #ccc;
}

.my-component h2 {
  color: #333;
  font-size: 1.2em;
}

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited features. Paid plans are available for users who need more advanced functionality. Check the Replay pricing page for the most up-to-date information.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

V0.dev primarily relies on text-based prompts and code generation based on predefined components. Replay, on the other hand, analyzes video of user interactions to understand intent and generate code that accurately reflects that behavior. Replay excels at capturing and replicating complex user flows that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with text prompts alone. Replay is focused on behavior-driven reconstruction, while v0.dev focuses on component-driven code generation.

What types of videos can Replay process?#

Replay can process a variety of video formats, including MP4, MOV, and AVI. The video should be clear and well-lit to ensure accurate analysis.

What frameworks and libraries does Replay support?#

Replay supports a wide range of popular frameworks and libraries, including React, Vue.js, Angular, and more.

Ready to try behavior-driven code generation? Get started with Replay - transform any video into working code in seconds.