Replay for Gatsby: Static Site UI Generation from Video

TL;DR: Replay generates production-ready Gatsby UI code directly from video recordings, offering a faster, more intuitive, and behavior-driven alternative to traditional screenshot-to-code tools.

The future of UI development isn't about static mockups; it's about understanding user behavior. Screenshot-to-code tools are relics of the past. They generate code based on what the UI looks like, not how it's used. This leads to brittle, inflexible components that require constant manual tweaking. Replay changes the game.

Replay: Unleashing the Power of Video for Gatsby Development#

Replay is a video-to-code engine that leverages Gemini to reconstruct working UI from screen recordings. Unlike traditional methods, Replay uses "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction," treating video as the source of truth. This means Replay doesn't just generate code; it understands why the user interacts with the UI in a specific way. This understanding translates into more robust, user-centric Gatsby components.

Why Gatsby Developers Need Replay#

Gatsby is powerful, but it can be time-consuming to build complex UIs from scratch. Consider the typical workflow:

1. •Design mockups in Figma or similar tools.
2. •Translate those designs into React components.
3. •Implement data fetching and state management.
4. •Test and refine the UI based on user feedback.

This process is iterative and prone to errors. Replay streamlines this workflow by automating the translation of user behavior into functional Gatsby code. Imagine recording a user interacting with a prototype, uploading that video to Replay, and receiving production-ready Gatsby components in minutes.

Key Features for Gatsby Developers#

Replay offers several features that are particularly valuable for Gatsby development:

• •Multi-page Generation: Replay can analyze videos that span multiple pages, generating complete product flows. This is crucial for building complex Gatsby sites with interconnected components.
• •Supabase Integration: Seamlessly integrate your Replay-generated code with Supabase for backend data management. Replay can infer data structures and generate the necessary API calls.
• •Style Injection: Replay intelligently injects styles based on the visual appearance of the UI in the video. This ensures that the generated components match the original design.
• •Product Flow Maps: Replay visualizes the user flow captured in the video, providing a clear understanding of the interaction patterns. This helps developers optimize the UI for usability.
• •Behavior-Driven Code: Replay understands user intent, leading to more robust and adaptable components than static screenshot-to-code solutions.

Replay vs. Traditional UI Generation Tools#

Let's be honest: screenshot-to-code tools are limited. They're good for generating basic layouts, but they struggle with complex interactions and dynamic data. Here's how Replay stacks up:

Replay bridges the gap between design and development, offering a more efficient and intuitive way to build Gatsby UIs.

Building a Gatsby Blog with Replay: A Step-by-Step Guide#

Let's walk through a simple example of using Replay to generate a Gatsby blog post component.

Step 1: Record the User Flow#

Record a video of yourself interacting with a prototype or existing blog post design. Make sure to capture the key elements of the UI, such as the title, content, author, and date. This video serves as the blueprint for Replay.

💡 Pro Tip: Speak clearly while recording. This helps Replay understand your intent and generate more accurate code.

Step 2: Upload the Video to Replay#

Upload the video to the Replay platform. Replay will analyze the video and generate a set of React components.

Step 3: Review and Refine the Generated Code#

Replay provides a code preview that allows you to review and refine the generated components. You can adjust styles, modify data bindings, and add custom logic.

Step 4: Integrate with Your Gatsby Project#

Copy the generated code into your Gatsby project. You may need to adjust the data fetching logic to match your specific data source.

Here's an example of a generated Gatsby component:

typescript
// src/components/BlogPost.tsx
import React from 'react';
import { graphql, useStaticQuery } from 'gatsby';
import { GatsbyImage, getImage } from "gatsby-plugin-image"

interface BlogPostProps {
  title: string;
  author: string;
  date: string;
  content: string;
  image: any;
}

const BlogPost: React.FC<BlogPostProps> = ({ title, author, date, content, image }) => {

  return (
    <div className="blog-post">
      <h1>{title}</h1>
      <div className="meta">
        <span>By {author}</span>
        <span>{date}</span>
      </div>
       {image && (
          <GatsbyImage image={getImage(image)} alt={title} />
        )}
      <p>{content}</p>
    </div>
  );
};

export default BlogPost;

This is just a basic example, but Replay can generate much more complex components with dynamic data and interactive elements.

Step 5: Fetch data using Gatsby's GraphQL#

To make the BlogPost component dynamic, you will need to fetch the data using Gatsby's GraphQL. Here's an example of how to do that:

typescript
// src/pages/index.tsx
import React from 'react';
import { graphql, useStaticQuery } from 'gatsby';
import BlogPost from '../components/BlogPost';

const IndexPage = () => {
  const data = useStaticQuery(graphql`
    query {
      allMarkdownRemark {
        edges {
          node {
            frontmatter {
              title
              author
              date
              image {
                childImageSharp {
                  gatsbyImageData(width: 200, height: 200)
                }
              }
            }
            html
          }
        }
      }
    }
  `);

  return (
    <div>
      {data.allMarkdownRemark.edges.map(({ node }) => (
        <BlogPost
          key={node.frontmatter.title}
          title={node.frontmatter.title}
          author={node.frontmatter.author}
          date={node.frontmatter.date}
          content={node.html}
          image={node.frontmatter.image}
        />
      ))}
    </div>
  );
};

export default IndexPage;

📝 Note: This code assumes you are using Markdown files as your data source. You may need to adjust the GraphQL query to match your specific data structure.

Step 6: Style Injection for Pixel-Perfect Design#

Replay's style injection feature allows you to fine-tune the appearance of your components. You can either use the automatically generated styles or add your own custom CSS.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay generates styles, always review and refine them to ensure they meet your design standards.

Beyond Basic Components: Complex UI Generation with Replay#

Replay isn't just for simple components. It can handle complex UIs with multiple states, dynamic data, and intricate interactions. Imagine generating a complete e-commerce product page from a video of a user browsing a website. Replay makes this possible.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

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

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both tools aim to accelerate UI development, Replay focuses on video as the primary input, enabling behavior-driven code generation. v0.dev relies on text prompts, which can be less intuitive and require more manual refinement. Replay understands the intent behind user interactions, leading to more robust and user-centric code.

What types of videos can Replay process?#

Replay can process screen recordings, webcam recordings, and even videos of physical prototypes. The key is to ensure that the video clearly captures the user interactions and UI elements.

Does Replay support other frameworks besides Gatsby?#

Yes, Replay supports a variety of frameworks, including React, Vue.js, and Angular.

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