Back to Blog
January 18, 20267 min readReplay: Building Dynamic

Replay: Building Dynamic UIs with AI

R
Replay Team
Developer Advocates

TL;DR: Replay uses AI to analyze video recordings of user interactions and reconstruct fully functional, multi-page UIs, offering a behavior-driven approach to code generation.

Replay: Building Dynamic UIs with AI - The Future is Here#

Tired of static prototypes and tedious manual coding? The traditional method of building UIs, relying on mockups and screenshot-to-code tools, often falls short. They capture the appearance but miss the crucial element: user behavior. What if you could translate the entire user flow, from initial interaction to completed task, directly into working code?

That's the power of Replay.

Replay isn't just another code generation tool. It's a revolutionary video-to-code engine that leverages the power of AI, specifically Gemini, to reconstruct fully functional UIs directly from screen recordings. This "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" approach uses video as the source of truth, capturing the nuances of user interaction and intent that static images simply can't.

The Problem with Traditional UI Development#

Developing dynamic UIs has always been a challenge. The process often involves:

  1. Creating static mockups or prototypes.
  2. Manually translating these designs into code.
  3. Iterating based on user feedback, which can be time-consuming and costly.

Screenshot-to-code tools offer a limited solution, converting images into basic HTML and CSS. However, they fail to capture the dynamic aspects of user interaction, such as button clicks, form submissions, and page transitions. This limitation results in incomplete or non-functional code that requires significant manual effort to complete.

Replay: A Behavior-Driven Approach#

Replay addresses these limitations by analyzing video recordings of user interactions. It understands what the user is doing, why they're doing it, and how the UI responds. This deep understanding allows Replay to generate code that accurately reflects the intended user experience.

Here's how it works:

  1. Record: Capture a video of the user interacting with the desired UI flow. This could be a recording of an existing website, a prototype, or even a hand-drawn mockup.
  2. Analyze: Upload the video to Replay. Our AI engine analyzes the video, identifying UI elements, user actions, and page transitions.
  3. Reconstruct: Replay reconstructs the UI as working code, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
  4. Customize: Fine-tune the generated code, integrate with your existing codebase, and deploy your dynamic UI.

Key Features of Replay#

Replay offers a range of features that make it a powerful tool for UI development:

  • Multi-page Generation: Replay can generate code for entire multi-page applications, capturing complex user flows.
  • Supabase Integration: Seamlessly integrate with Supabase for backend functionality, including data storage and authentication.
  • Style Injection: Inject custom styles to match your brand and design preferences.
  • Product Flow Maps: Visualize the user flow and interactions captured in the video.
  • Behavior-Driven Reconstruction: Understands user intent and behavior, not just visual appearance.

Replay vs. Screenshot-to-Code#

FeatureScreenshot-to-CodeReplay
Video Input
Behavior Analysis
Multi-Page SupportLimited
Dynamic UI GenerationLimited
Supabase Integration
Style InjectionLimited

Building a Simple UI with Replay: A Step-by-Step Guide#

Let's walk through a simple example of using Replay to build a basic login form.

Step 1: Record the User Flow#

Record a video of yourself interacting with a login form. Include the following steps:

  1. Navigate to the login page.
  2. Enter a username and password.
  3. Click the "Login" button.

Step 2: Upload and Analyze the Video#

Upload the video to Replay. The AI engine will analyze the video and identify the UI elements and user actions.

Step 3: Review and Customize the Generated Code#

Replay will generate the code for the login form. Review the code and make any necessary adjustments.

typescript
// Example of generated code for a login form (simplified) import { useState } from 'react'; const LoginForm = () => { const [username, setUsername] = useState(''); const [password, setPassword] = useState(''); const handleSubmit = async (e: React.FormEvent) => { e.preventDefault(); // Replace with your actual authentication logic const response = await fetch('/api/login', { method: 'POST', headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json', }, body: JSON.stringify({ username, password }), }); if (response.ok) { // Redirect to dashboard or success page window.location.href = '/dashboard'; } else { // Display error message alert('Invalid username or password'); } }; return ( <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}> <label htmlFor="username">Username:</label> <input type="text" id="username" value={username} onChange={(e) => setUsername(e.target.value)} /> <label htmlFor="password">Password:</label> <input type="password" id="password" value={password} onChange={(e) => setPassword(e.target.value)} /> <button type="submit">Login</button> </form> ); }; export default LoginForm;

Step 4: Integrate with Supabase (Optional)#

If you want to use Supabase for backend functionality, you can easily integrate the generated code with your Supabase project. Replay provides tools and documentation to simplify this process.

javascript
// Example of Supabase integration (simplified) import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js'; const supabaseUrl = 'YOUR_SUPABASE_URL'; const supabaseKey = 'YOUR_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY'; const supabase = createClient(supabaseUrl, supabaseKey); const handleSubmit = async (e) => { e.preventDefault(); const { data, error } = await supabase.auth.signInWithPassword({ email: username, // Assuming username is used as email for authentication password: password, }); if (error) { console.error('Error signing in:', error.message); alert('Invalid username or password'); } else { console.log('Signed in:', data); // Redirect to dashboard or success page window.location.href = '/dashboard'; } };

💡 Pro Tip: For complex UI flows, break down the recording into smaller segments to improve accuracy and reduce processing time.

⚠️ Warning: Ensure the video recording is clear and stable to ensure accurate analysis by Replay.

📝 Note: Replay is constantly evolving, and new features and improvements are being added regularly.

Benefits of Using Replay#

  • Faster Development: Accelerate UI development by automatically generating code from video recordings.
  • Improved Accuracy: Capture user intent and behavior for more accurate and functional UIs.
  • Reduced Manual Effort: Minimize manual coding and debugging.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: Facilitate collaboration between designers and developers.
  • Better User Experience: Create UIs that are optimized for user interaction.
  • Clear benefit one
  • Clear benefit two
  • Clear benefit three

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. Check the Replay pricing page for the latest details.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both tools aim to generate code, Replay's core differentiator is its video-to-code engine. v0.dev primarily relies on text prompts and predefined templates. Replay, on the other hand, analyzes actual user behavior captured in video recordings, leading to more accurate and context-aware code generation. Replay truly understands the flow and intent behind the UI.

What types of applications can I build with Replay?#

Replay is suitable for building a wide range of applications, including web applications, mobile apps, and desktop applications. It's particularly well-suited for building dynamic UIs that require complex user interactions.

What programming languages and frameworks does Replay support?#

Replay currently supports HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Support for other languages and frameworks is planned for future releases.


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

Ready to try Replay?

Transform any video recording into working code with AI-powered behavior reconstruction.

Launch Replay Free