Replay: From Competitor Website Video to Working React Code

TL;DR: Replay uses video analysis and AI to reconstruct competitor website UIs into working React code, enabling rapid prototyping and feature inspiration.

The race to build better, faster, and more engaging user interfaces is relentless. Developers often spend hours reverse-engineering competitor websites, trying to understand their design choices and user flows. This process is time-consuming, error-prone, and frankly, boring. What if you could simply record a video of a competitor's website and have a working React codebase generated for you? That's the power of Replay.

From Video to Code: A New Paradigm#

Traditional screenshot-to-code tools fall short because they only capture static images. They don't understand the intent behind user interactions. Replay, on the other hand, analyzes video recordings, using Behavior-Driven Reconstruction to understand user behavior and generate code that reflects that behavior. This means you get more than just a pretty picture; you get functional components that mimic the user experience.

Replay leverages Gemini, Google's state-of-the-art AI model, to interpret the video and generate accurate and maintainable code. This includes:

• •Understanding UI elements (buttons, forms, menus)
• •Identifying user interactions (clicks, scrolls, form submissions)
• •Reconstructing application state and data flow

Replay vs. The Competition#

Let's see how Replay stacks up against traditional methods and other code generation tools:

Real-World Example: Reconstructing a Competitor's Pricing Page#

Let's say you admire the pricing page of a competitor. Instead of manually inspecting the HTML and CSS, you can simply record a video of you interacting with the page. Here's how Replay can turn that video into React code:

Step 1: Capture the Video#

Use your favorite screen recording tool (Loom, QuickTime, etc.) to record yourself navigating the competitor's pricing page. Make sure to demonstrate key interactions, such as selecting different plans, toggling billing cycles, and viewing feature comparisons.

💡 Pro Tip: Speak clearly while recording to help Replay understand your intent. For example, say "I'm selecting the 'Pro' plan" while clicking the corresponding button.

Step 2: Upload to Replay#

Upload the video to the Replay platform. Replay's AI engine will begin analyzing the video, identifying UI elements, user interactions, and overall page structure.

Step 3: Review and Refine#

Replay generates a React codebase based on the video analysis. You can review the code, make adjustments, and customize the styling to match your brand.

Step 4: Integrate into Your Project#

Download the generated code and integrate it into your existing React project. You now have a working pricing page based on your competitor's design, but with your own branding and functionality.

Code Example: Generated React Component#

Here's an example of what the generated React code might look like:

typescript
// Generated by Replay
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import styled from 'styled-components';

const PricingPage = () => {
  const [selectedPlan, setSelectedPlan] = useState('basic');
  const [billingCycle, setBillingCycle] = useState('monthly');

  const handlePlanChange = (plan: string) => {
    setSelectedPlan(plan);
  };

  const handleBillingCycleChange = (cycle: string) => {
    setBillingCycle(cycle);
  };

  return (
    <Container>
      <Title>Choose Your Plan</Title>
      <PlanSelector>
        <PlanButton
          active={selectedPlan === 'basic'}
          onClick={() => handlePlanChange('basic')}
        >
          Basic
        </PlanButton>
        <PlanButton
          active={selectedPlan === 'pro'}
          onClick={() => handlePlanChange('pro')}
        >
          Pro
        </PlanButton>
        <PlanButton
          active={selectedPlan === 'enterprise'}
          onClick={() => handlePlanChange('enterprise')}
        >
          Enterprise
        </PlanButton>
      </PlanSelector>
      <BillingCycleSelector>
        <CycleButton
          active={billingCycle === 'monthly'}
          onClick={() => handleBillingCycleChange('monthly')}
        >
          Monthly
        </CycleButton>
        <CycleButton
          active={billingCycle === 'yearly'}
          onClick={() => handleBillingCycleChange('yearly')}
        >
          Yearly
        </CycleButton>
      </BillingCycleSelector>
      {/* ... Rest of the pricing page content ... */}
    </Container>
  );
};

const Container = styled.div`
  /* Styles generated by Replay based on the video */
  padding: 20px;
  font-family: sans-serif;
`;

const Title = styled.h1`
  font-size: 24px;
  text-align: center;
`;

const PlanSelector = styled.div`
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  margin-bottom: 20px;
`;

const PlanButton = styled.button<{ active: boolean }>`
  padding: 10px 20px;
  border: 1px solid #ccc;
  background-color: ${(props) => (props.active ? '#eee' : '#fff')};
  cursor: pointer;
`;

const BillingCycleSelector = styled.div`
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  margin-bottom: 20px;
`;

const CycleButton = styled.button<{ active: boolean }>`
  padding: 10px 20px;
  border: 1px solid #ccc;
  background-color: ${(props) => (props.active ? '#eee' : '#fff')};
  cursor: pointer;
`;

export default PricingPage;

This code, while simplified, demonstrates how Replay can generate functional React components with styled-components based on video analysis. The generated styles closely mimic the original website's appearance.

Key Features of Replay#

• •Multi-Page Generation: Replay can analyze videos that span multiple pages, reconstructing entire user flows.
• •Supabase Integration: Seamlessly integrate with Supabase for data storage and authentication.
• •Style Injection: Replay automatically generates CSS or styled-components code to match the original website's appearance.
• •Product Flow Maps: Visualize user flows and identify key interaction points.

Benefits of Using Replay#

• •Speed Up Development: Replay dramatically reduces the time it takes to prototype and build new features.
• •Gain Competitive Insights: Analyze competitor websites and quickly implement their best ideas.
• •Improve Code Quality: Replay generates clean, maintainable code that adheres to best practices.
• •Reduce Errors: Automate the reverse-engineering process and minimize human error.
• •Unleash Creativity: Free up your time to focus on innovation and user experience.

📝 Note: Replay is not meant to be a replacement for skilled developers. It's a tool to augment their abilities and accelerate the development process. The generated code may require further refinement and customization to meet specific project requirements.

Advanced Usage: Fine-Tuning Replay's Output#

Replay offers several advanced options for fine-tuning the generated code:

• •Custom Prompts: Provide custom prompts to guide Replay's AI engine and influence the generated code.
• •Style Customization: Specify your preferred styling library (CSS, styled-components, Material UI, etc.).
• •Component Mapping: Map UI elements to existing components in your codebase.

For instance, you might want to ensure that all buttons are styled using your existing

component. You can achieve this by providing a component mapping to Replay.

The Future of UI Development#

Replay represents a significant step forward in UI development. By leveraging video analysis and AI, Replay empowers developers to build better, faster, and more engaging user interfaces. It's a game-changer for prototyping, feature development, and competitive analysis.

⚠️ Warning: Replay is a powerful tool, but it's important to use it responsibly. Respect copyright laws and ethical considerations when analyzing competitor websites.

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?#

v0.dev is a text-to-code tool, while Replay is a video-to-code engine. Replay analyzes user behavior and intent, providing a more accurate and comprehensive reconstruction of the UI. Replay focuses on recreating existing UIs, whereas v0.dev generates new ones from scratch.

What frameworks does Replay support?#

Currently, Replay primarily supports React. Support for other frameworks, such as Vue.js and Angular, is planned for future releases.

How accurate is the generated code?#

The accuracy of the generated code depends on the quality of the video and the complexity of the UI. Replay's AI engine is constantly improving, and the generated code is typically highly accurate. However, some manual adjustments may be required.

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