Replay vs Bolt: Which Video-to-Code AI Handles Complex UI Logic the Best (2026)?

TL;DR: Replay's behavior-driven approach to video-to-code generation surpasses Bolt's screenshot-centric method, especially when dealing with complex UI logic and multi-page flows.

The era of screenshot-to-code is dead. It's 2026, and if you're still relying on tools that only understand static images, you're building static websites. Modern web applications demand dynamic, interactive UIs. The problem? Replicating that dynamism from a visual source is incredibly hard. Bolt, a popular screenshot-to-code tool, struggles with this. Replay, on the other hand, has cracked the code using video analysis and behavior-driven reconstruction. Let's dive into why Replay is the superior choice for complex UI logic.

The Flaw in Screenshot-to-Code: A Static View of a Dynamic World#

Screenshot-to-code tools analyze a single frame in time. They see the pixels, the layout, the fonts. But they completely miss the intent behind the UI. What happens when a user clicks a button? How does the UI respond to different inputs? Screenshot-to-code can't answer these questions. This limitation becomes glaringly obvious when dealing with anything beyond the simplest landing page.

⚠️ Warning: Relying solely on screenshot-to-code for complex applications leads to brittle, incomplete code that requires extensive manual rework.

Bolt, despite its initial promise, falls into this trap. It excels at generating basic HTML and CSS from a static image, but it falters when faced with multi-step forms, interactive dashboards, or any UI that relies on JavaScript for its behavior.

Replay's Behavior-Driven Reconstruction: Understanding User Intent#

Replay takes a fundamentally different approach. Instead of analyzing static images, it analyzes video. This allows Replay to understand user behavior, track state changes, and reconstruct the underlying logic of the UI. We call this "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction."

Here's how it works:

1. •Video Analysis: Replay uses advanced video processing techniques, powered by Gemini, to identify UI elements, track their movement, and detect user interactions (clicks, scrolls, form inputs).
2. •Behavior Mapping: The system then maps these interactions to specific UI states, creating a flow diagram that represents the user's journey through the application.
3. •Code Generation: Finally, Replay generates clean, functional code that replicates the observed behavior. This includes HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (React, Vue, or Angular) with Supabase integration for data persistence.

This approach allows Replay to handle complex UI logic with ease. It understands what the user is trying to do, not just what they see on the screen.

Replay vs. Bolt: A Head-to-Head Comparison#

Let's compare Replay and Bolt across several key features:

As you can see, Replay offers a significant advantage over Bolt, especially when it comes to handling complex UI logic.

Hands-on Example: Reconstructing a Multi-Step Form with Replay#

Let's say you have a video recording of a user filling out a multi-step form. Bolt would likely generate separate HTML pages for each step, leaving you to manually connect them and implement the form logic. Replay, on the other hand, can automatically detect the different steps, infer the data flow, and generate a fully functional form with client-side validation and data submission.

Here's a simplified example of the code Replay might generate (React):

typescript
// Replay generated code - React component
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { supabase } from './supabaseClient';

const MultiStepForm = () => {
  const [step, setStep] = useState(1);
  const [formData, setFormData] = useState({
    name: '',
    email: '',
    password: '',
  });

  const nextStep = () => setStep(step + 1);
  const prevStep = () => setStep(step - 1);

  const handleChange = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
    setFormData({ ...formData, [e.target.name]: e.target.value });
  };

  const handleSubmit = async () => {
    try {
      const { data, error } = await supabase
        .from('users')
        .insert([formData]);

      if (error) {
        console.error('Error inserting data:', error);
      } else {
        console.log('Data inserted successfully:', data);
        alert('Form submitted successfully!');
      }
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('An error occurred:', error);
    }
  };


  switch (step) {
    case 1:
      return (
        <div>
          <h2>Step 1: Personal Information</h2>
          <input type="text" name="name" placeholder="Name" onChange={handleChange} />
          <button onClick={nextStep}>Next</button>
        </div>
      );
    case 2:
      return (
        <div>
          <h2>Step 2: Contact Information</h2>
          <input type="email" name="email" placeholder="Email" onChange={handleChange} />
          <button onClick={prevStep}>Previous</button>
          <button onClick={nextStep}>Next</button>
        </div>
      );
    case 3:
      return (
        <div>
          <h2>Step 3: Security</h2>
          <input type="password" name="password" placeholder="Password" onChange={handleChange} />
          <button onClick={prevStep}>Previous</button>
          <button onClick={handleSubmit}>Submit</button>
        </div>
      );
    default:
      return <div>Form completed!</div>;
  }
};

export default MultiStepForm;

This code snippet demonstrates how Replay can generate a React component with state management (using

), form handling, and navigation between steps. It even includes Supabase integration for data persistence. Bolt simply cannot achieve this level of functionality.

Implementing Style Injection for Dynamic Themes#

Replay goes beyond basic CSS extraction by intelligently injecting styles based on the UI context. This is crucial for maintaining visual consistency and creating dynamic themes.

typescript
// Example of style injection based on user preference
const applyTheme = (theme: string) => {
  if (theme === 'dark') {
    document.body.style.backgroundColor = '#333';
    document.body.style.color = '#fff';
  } else {
    document.body.style.backgroundColor = '#fff';
    document.body.style.color = '#000';
  }
};

// Call this function based on user selection
applyTheme('dark');

💡 Pro Tip: Replay can automatically detect theme changes in the video and generate the corresponding style injection logic.

Replay's Product Flow Maps: Visualizing the User Journey#

Replay also generates product flow maps, which provide a visual representation of the user's journey through the application. This is incredibly valuable for understanding user behavior and identifying potential areas for improvement. Bolt offers no such functionality.

📝 Note: Product flow maps are automatically generated based on the video analysis and can be customized to highlight specific user paths.

Step-by-Step: Using Replay for Complex UI Reconstruction#

Here's a simple guide to using Replay for complex UI reconstruction:

Step 1: Upload Your Video#

Simply upload your screen recording to the Replay platform.

Step 2: Review the Generated Code#

Replay will automatically analyze the video and generate the corresponding code. Review the code and make any necessary adjustments.

Step 3: Integrate with Your Project#

Copy and paste the generated code into your project. Replay supports React, Vue, and Angular.

Step 4: Deploy and Iterate#

Deploy your application and iterate based on user feedback.

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. Replay is a video-to-code tool. Replay understands user behavior and can reconstruct complex UI logic from video recordings, while v0.dev relies on text prompts.

Does Replay support all UI frameworks?#

Currently, Replay supports React, Vue, and Angular. We are actively working on expanding support to other frameworks.

How accurate is Replay's code generation?#

Replay's code generation accuracy is constantly improving. However, some manual adjustments may be required, especially for highly complex UIs.

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