Replay vs Cursor: Which Generates More Bug-Free Code from Video (2026)?

TL;DR: Replay leverages behavior-driven reconstruction from video to generate more reliable, bug-free code compared to Cursor's screenshot-based approach, especially for complex, multi-page UIs.

The promise of AI-powered code generation is tantalizing: feed it a design, and it spits out a working application. But the reality is often buggy, incomplete code that requires extensive manual tweaking. Screenshot-to-code tools, while helpful for simple components, struggle with complex user flows and dynamic behavior. Enter Replay, a fundamentally different approach that uses video as the source of truth. In this article, we'll compare Replay with Cursor, a popular screenshot-to-code tool, and demonstrate why Replay generates more reliable, bug-free code, particularly in scenarios that involve multi-page applications and intricate user interactions.

The Problem with Screenshots: A Static View of a Dynamic World#

Screenshot-to-code tools like Cursor analyze static images. They can identify UI elements, but they lack crucial information about how those elements are meant to interact. This limitation leads to several problems:

• •Missing Context: Screenshots don't capture user intent or application state transitions.
• •Limited Scope: They typically only generate code for a single view or component, not an entire application flow.
• •Behavioral Gaps: They struggle with dynamic elements, animations, and complex interactions.

These limitations often result in code that's visually similar to the design but functionally incomplete and riddled with bugs.

Replay: Behavior-Driven Reconstruction from Video#

Replay takes a radically different approach. It analyzes video recordings of user interactions to understand not just what the UI looks like, but how it's supposed to behave. This "behavior-driven reconstruction" allows Replay to generate code that's more accurate, complete, and less prone to errors.

Instead of relying on static images, Replay leverages the temporal dimension of video to infer user intent and application logic. It understands how elements change over time, how users navigate between pages, and how different components interact. This holistic understanding enables Replay to generate code that accurately reflects the intended behavior of the application.

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

Let's compare Replay and Cursor across several key dimensions:

The table highlights Replay's advantages in handling complex scenarios and generating more robust code.

A Practical Example: Building a Multi-Page E-commerce Flow#

Let's illustrate the difference with a concrete example: building a simple e-commerce flow that involves browsing products, adding items to a cart, and proceeding to checkout.

Step 1: Recording the User Flow#

First, record a video of the user interacting with the e-commerce website. The video should capture the entire flow, from browsing products to completing the checkout process.

💡 Pro Tip: Ensure the video is clear and captures all relevant interactions. Speak clearly while you interact with the UI. This helps Replay better understand your actions.

Step 2: Generating Code with Cursor#

Using Cursor, you would typically take screenshots of each page in the flow (product listing, product detail, cart, checkout). Cursor would then generate code for each page individually. However, connecting these pages and implementing the interactions between them would require significant manual effort.

The code generated by Cursor for a single product card might look something like this (assuming a React component):

javascript
// Generated by Cursor (approximate)
import React from 'react';

const ProductCard = ({ name, price, image }) => {
  return (
    <div className="product-card">
      <img src={image} alt={name} />
      <h3>{name}</h3>
      <p>${price}</p>
      <button>Add to Cart</button>
    </div>
  );
};

export default ProductCard;

While this code renders the product card, it lacks the logic for adding the item to the cart and navigating to the cart page.

Step 3: Generating Code with Replay#

With Replay, you simply upload the video recording. Replay analyzes the video and automatically generates code for the entire flow, including:

• •React components for each page
• •Navigation between pages
• •State management for the cart
• •Integration with a backend (e.g., Supabase) for persisting the cart data

Replay understands the user's intent – adding an item to the cart – and automatically implements the necessary logic. The generated code might look something like this (simplified for brevity):

typescript
// Generated by Replay (simplified example)
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { useRouter } from 'next/router';

const ProductCard = ({ product }) => {
  const [cart, setCart] = useState([]);
  const router = useRouter();

  const handleAddToCart = () => {
    setCart([...cart, product]);
    // Persist cart to Supabase (example)
    supabase.from('cart').insert({ product_id: product.id });
  };

  const handleGoToCart = () => {
    router.push('/cart');
  };


  return (
    <div className="product-card">
      <img src={product.image} alt={product.name} />
      <h3>{product.name}</h3>
      <p>${product.price}</p>
      <button onClick={handleAddToCart}>Add to Cart</button>
      <button onClick={handleGoToCart}>View Cart</button>
    </div>
  );
};

export default ProductCard;

Notice how Replay's generated code includes:

• •State management for the cart (
  text

  useState
  )
• •Navigation to the cart page (
  text

  useRouter
  ,
  text

  router.push
  )
• •Integration with a backend (Supabase - shown as a comment) for persisting the cart data.

This code is more complete and requires significantly less manual tweaking than the code generated by Cursor.

Step 4: Style Injection with Replay#

Replay also allows you to inject custom styles into the generated code. This ensures that the UI matches your design specifications. You can provide a CSS file or use a styling library like Tailwind CSS. Replay will automatically apply the styles to the generated components.

Step 5: Product Flow Maps#

Replay generates product flow maps, visualizing the user journey through the application. This helps developers understand the overall structure of the application and identify potential areas for improvement. Cursor lacks this feature.

📝 Note: Replay uses Gemini to understand the video and generate the code. This allows it to handle a wide range of UI frameworks and programming languages.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay significantly reduces the amount of manual coding required, it's still important to review the generated code and make any necessary adjustments. AI-powered code generation is not a replacement for human expertise, but a powerful tool to augment it.

The Benefits of Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#

Replay's behavior-driven reconstruction offers several key benefits:

• •Reduced Bug Count: By understanding user intent and application logic, Replay generates code that's less prone to errors.
• •Faster Development: Automating the generation of complex UI flows significantly reduces development time.
• •Improved Code Quality: Replay generates clean, well-structured code that's easy to maintain.
• •Seamless Integration: Replay integrates seamlessly with popular backend services like Supabase, simplifying the development of full-stack applications.
• •Multi-Page Application Support: Replay shines when dealing with complex, multi-page applications, a common scenario in modern web development.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited features. Paid plans are available for more advanced features and higher usage limits. Check the Replay website for the most up-to-date pricing information.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both Replay and v0.dev aim to generate code from visual inputs, they differ significantly in their approach. v0.dev primarily uses text prompts and component libraries to generate UI components. Replay, on the other hand, analyzes video recordings to understand user behavior and generate code that reflects the intended functionality of the application. Replay excels at capturing complex interactions and multi-page flows, while v0.dev is better suited for generating individual components based on textual descriptions.

What kind of video should I upload to Replay?#

The clearer the video, the better. Record your screen while interacting with the UI as a user would. Speak clearly while interacting to narrate your actions.

What kind of projects is Replay best suited for?#

Replay is best suited for projects that involve complex user flows, multi-page applications, and dynamic UI elements. Examples include e-commerce websites, dashboards, and mobile applications.

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