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January 4, 20267 min readReplay AI: How

Replay AI: How Replay Generates Tailwind UI Components from a Video Design in 2026

R
Replay Team
Developer Advocates

TL;DR: Replay AI leverages video analysis and Gemini to reconstruct fully functional Tailwind UI components, understanding user behavior and intent far beyond simple screenshot-to-code conversion.

The Future is Now: Video-First UI Development with Replay AI#

The traditional design-to-code workflow is broken. Static mockups and hand-offs are time-consuming and prone to misinterpretation. In 2026, the future of UI development is dynamic and behavior-driven, powered by tools like Replay AI. We're moving beyond pixel-perfect replication and embracing a system that understands why a user interacts with an interface in a specific way. Replay analyzes video recordings of user flows and translates them into working, customizable Tailwind UI components.

What's Wrong with Screenshot-to-Code?#

Screenshot-to-code solutions are a dead end. They only capture a single static image and lack the crucial context of user interaction. They produce brittle code that requires extensive manual tweaking. Replay solves this by analyzing video, understanding the sequence of events, and reconstructing the underlying logic.

Consider this comparison:

FeatureScreenshot-to-CodeReplay AI
Input TypeStatic ImageVideo
Behavior Analysis
Multi-Page SupportLimitedFull
Dynamic State Handling
Code QualityBasicHigh, optimized for Tailwind
Understanding of User Intent

Replay's "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" approach allows it to understand user intent by analyzing the sequence of actions in the video. This goes far beyond pixel-perfect replication, enabling the generation of truly functional and maintainable UI components.

Replay AI in Action: Generating Tailwind Components#

Let's dive into how Replay AI generates Tailwind UI components from a video design. The process can be broken down into several key steps:

Step 1: Video Upload and Analysis#

The user uploads a video recording of the desired UI interaction to the Replay platform. This video captures the entire user flow, including mouse movements, clicks, and form inputs.

📝 Note: The quality of the video significantly impacts the accuracy of the generated code. Clear, well-lit recordings with minimal distractions yield the best results.

Step 2: Behavior Extraction with Gemini#

Replay leverages Google's Gemini model to analyze the video and extract key behavioral data. This includes:

  • Identifying UI elements (buttons, inputs, text fields, etc.)
  • Tracking user interactions (clicks, hovers, form submissions)
  • Understanding the sequence of events and dependencies
  • Inferring the underlying logic and state management

This is where Replay truly shines. Instead of just seeing pixels, it understands the user's actions.

Step 3: Tailwind Component Reconstruction#

Based on the extracted behavioral data, Replay reconstructs the UI using Tailwind CSS. This involves:

  • Generating HTML structure with semantic elements
  • Applying Tailwind utility classes for styling and layout
  • Implementing JavaScript logic for dynamic behavior
  • Integrating with state management libraries (if necessary)

Here's a simplified example of how Replay might generate a Tailwind component for a simple button:

typescript
// Generated by Replay AI const Button = ({ onClick, children }) => { return ( <button className="bg-blue-500 hover:bg-blue-700 text-white font-bold py-2 px-4 rounded" onClick={onClick} > {children} </button> ); }; export default Button;

This code snippet demonstrates how Replay uses Tailwind utility classes to style the button, creating a visually appealing and functional component. The

text
onClick
prop allows for dynamic behavior, enabling the button to trigger specific actions when clicked.

Step 4: Multi-Page Flow Generation#

Replay's ability to handle multi-page flows is a game-changer. By analyzing the video, it can understand how users navigate between different pages and generate code that accurately reflects this behavior.

For example, if the video shows a user clicking a button on page A that navigates to page B, Replay will generate the necessary routing logic to ensure that this navigation works seamlessly in the generated code.

Step 5: Supabase Integration#

Replay seamlessly integrates with Supabase, allowing you to easily connect your generated UI to a backend database. This integration enables you to:

  • Fetch data from Supabase and display it in your UI
  • Submit form data to Supabase
  • Implement authentication and authorization

This simplifies the process of building full-stack applications, allowing you to focus on the UI and user experience.

Step 6: Style Injection and Customization#

Replay allows you to inject custom styles into the generated code, giving you complete control over the look and feel of your UI. This can be done through:

  • Adding custom CSS classes to the generated components
  • Modifying the Tailwind configuration file
  • Overriding the default styles with your own

This ensures that the generated UI aligns with your brand guidelines and design preferences.

💡 Pro Tip: For optimal results, ensure the video includes clear transitions between states and pages. This helps Replay accurately reconstruct the underlying logic.

Replay vs. Traditional Development: A Paradigm Shift#

Replay represents a significant shift in the way we approach UI development. Instead of starting with static designs and manually writing code, we can now leverage video analysis and AI to generate working UI components in seconds.

FeatureTraditional DevelopmentReplay AI
Development TimeWeeks/MonthsHours/Days
Code QualityVariable, dependent on developer skillConsistent, optimized for Tailwind
Maintenance EffortHigh, requires manual updatesLow, code is generated from source video
CollaborationDifficult, requires constant communicationEasy, video serves as single source of truth
Understanding of User IntentLimited, based on assumptionsHigh, based on video analysis

Replay empowers developers to:

  • Rapidly prototype and iterate on UI designs
  • Reduce development time and costs
  • Improve code quality and maintainability
  • Enhance collaboration between designers and developers
  • Focus on the user experience

⚠️ Warning: While Replay significantly accelerates the development process, it's essential to review and refine the generated code to ensure it meets your specific requirements.

Real-World Use Cases#

Replay is already being used by companies of all sizes to:

  • Generate UI components for web and mobile applications
  • Create interactive prototypes for user testing
  • Rebuild legacy UIs from screen recordings
  • Automate the process of converting designs into code

One compelling use case is rebuilding UIs from legacy applications where the original source code is lost or unavailable. By simply recording a video of the application in action, Replay can generate a functional replica, saving countless hours of manual reverse engineering.

typescript
// Example of fetching data from Supabase using Replay-generated code const fetchData = async () => { const { data, error } = await supabase .from('products') .select('*'); if (error) { console.error('Error fetching data:', error); return []; } return data; };

This code snippet demonstrates how Replay integrates with Supabase to fetch data and display it in the UI. The

text
supabase
object is a pre-configured Supabase client, allowing you to easily interact with your database.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited functionality, allowing you to explore its capabilities. Paid plans are available for more advanced features and usage.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both tools aim to generate code from designs, Replay focuses on video analysis and behavior-driven reconstruction. v0.dev typically relies on text prompts and existing component libraries. Replay understands how a user interacts with the UI, not just what it looks like.

What kind of videos work best with Replay?#

Clear, well-lit videos with minimal distractions yield the best results. Ensure the video captures the entire user flow, including all interactions and transitions.

Can I customize the generated code?#

Yes, Replay allows you to inject custom styles, modify the Tailwind configuration, and override the default styles with your own.

What frameworks are supported?#

Currently, Replay primarily focuses on generating React components with Tailwind CSS. Support for other frameworks is planned for future releases.


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