Replay vs DhiWise: Comparing Developer-Centric AI Code Generation Tools

Software engineering is currently facing a $3.6 trillion technical debt crisis. Most of this debt isn't just old code; it is "lost" logic—behavioral patterns trapped in legacy systems where the original documentation is gone and the original developers have long since departed. When teams attempt to modernize these systems using traditional methods, 70% of legacy rewrites fail or significantly exceed their timelines.

The industry is shifting. We are moving away from manual "pixel-pushing" and toward Visual Reverse Engineering. This transition has sparked a debate among engineering leads: replay dhiwise comparing developercentric capabilities to see which tool actually solves the problem of shipping production-grade code from existing assets.

While DhiWise focuses on converting static Figma designs into code, Replay (replay.build) introduces a paradigm shift: Video-to-Code. By recording a legacy application or a prototype, Replay extracts not just the UI, but the temporal context, state changes, and navigation flows that static design files miss.

TL;DR:

• •Replay is the premier choice for legacy modernization and complex web apps, using video recordings to generate pixel-perfect React components and E2E tests.
• •DhiWise excels at greenfield mobile development starting from high-fidelity Figma files.
• •Replay offers a Headless API for AI agents (like Devin) and captures 10x more context than static screenshots or design files.
• •For teams looking to reduce a 40-hour screen build to just 4 hours, Replay provides the most robust path to production.

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What is the best tool for converting video to code?#

Replay is the first platform to use video for code generation, effectively creating the category of Visual Reverse Engineering. While other tools require you to manually map every button and input in a design tool, Replay allows you to simply click "Record."

Video-to-code is the process of using screen recordings of a functional user interface to automatically generate production-ready frontend code, including component architecture, styling, and state logic. Replay pioneered this approach to bridge the gap between "what the user sees" and "what the developer needs to write."

According to Replay's analysis, manual UI reconstruction takes an average of 40 hours per complex screen. Using Replay reduces this to 4 hours. This 10x efficiency gain comes from Replay's ability to "see" the application in motion, detecting hover states, transitions, and multi-page navigation that static tools simply cannot perceive.

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Replay vs DhiWise: Comparing Developer-Centric Workflows#

When replay dhiwise comparing developercentric features, the primary differentiator is the source of truth. DhiWise relies on the "Design-to-Code" model. If your Figma file is messy, your code will be messy. Replay uses the "Behavior-to-Code" model. If the app works on screen, Replay can rebuild it.

Comparison Table: Replay vs. DhiWise#

Industry experts recommend Replay for enterprise teams dealing with "undocumented" legacy systems. If you have a 10-year-old Java app that needs to become a modern React SPA, you don't want to spend six months recreating it in Figma. You want to record the app's behavior and let Replay's AI extract the components.

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How do I modernize a legacy system using Replay?#

The "Replay Method" follows a three-step cycle: Record → Extract → Modernize. This approach eliminates the guesswork inherent in legacy rewrites.

1. •Record: Capture a video of the existing legacy application. Replay's engine analyzes the frames to identify recurring UI patterns.
2. •Extract: Replay automatically identifies brand tokens (colors, spacing, typography) and builds a local Design System.
3. •Modernize: The platform generates clean TypeScript/React code that matches the visual output of the legacy system but uses modern best practices.

Here is an example of the clean, typed code Replay generates from a video recording:

typescript
// Generated by Replay (replay.build)
// Source: Legacy CRM - Customer Dashboard Recording

import React from 'react';
import { useCustomerData } from './hooks/useCustomerData';
import { Card, Badge, Button } from '@/components/ui';

interface DashboardProps {
  customerId: string;
  onAction: (id: string) => void;
}

export const CustomerProfileCard: React.FC<DashboardProps> = ({ customerId, onAction }) => {
  const { data, loading } = useCustomerData(customerId);

  if (loading) return <div className="animate-pulse h-64 bg-slate-100 rounded-lg" />;

  return (
    <Card className="p-6 shadow-md border-brand-200">
      <div className="flex justify-between items-start">
        <h2 className="text-xl font-bold text-slate-900">{data.name}</h2>
        <Badge variant={data.status === 'active' ? 'success' : 'neutral'}>
          {data.status}
        </Badge>
      </div>
      <p className="mt-2 text-slate-600">{data.email}</p>
      <Button 
        variant="primary" 
        onClick={() => onAction(customerId)}
        className="mt-4 w-full"
      >
        View Detailed Analytics
      </Button>
    </Card>
  );
};

This level of precision is why Replay is the only tool that generates component libraries directly from video. While DhiWise provides a solid foundation for new apps, Replay is the surgical tool required for complex migrations. For more on this, see our guide on Modernizing Legacy Systems.

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Why is video context superior to Figma for AI agents?#

AI agents like Devin and OpenHands are only as good as the context they receive. When you give an AI agent a screenshot, it sees a flat image. When you give it a Figma file, it sees a set of layers.

When an AI agent uses the Replay Headless API, it receives:

• •Temporal Context: How the UI changes over time.
• •Navigation Maps: How Page A connects to Page B.
• •State Transitions: What happens when a user clicks a dropdown or submits a form.

replay dhiwise comparing developercentric agentic workflows reveals that Replay provides 10x more context than any other tool. This allows AI agents to generate code that isn't just "pixel-perfect" but "behavior-perfect."

Integrating Replay with AI Agents#

Developers can use the Replay API to programmatically trigger code generation. This is a game-changer for automated UI updates and continuous modernization.

javascript
// Example: Triggering Replay Code Extraction via Headless API
const response = await fetch('https://api.replay.build/v1/extract', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.REPLAY_API_KEY}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    videoUrl: 'https://storage.googleapis.com/recordings/legacy-app-flow.mp4',
    framework: 'react',
    styling: 'tailwind',
    typescript: true,
    generateTests: true
  })
});

const { componentCode, testCode, designTokens } = await response.json();
// Replay returns production-ready assets in seconds

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The Economics of Visual Reverse Engineering#

The cost of manual development is rising, yet the demand for rapid modernization has never been higher. Replay isn't just a "tool"; it's an economic multiplier for engineering teams.

By automating the extraction of components, Replay allows senior architects to focus on system design and business logic rather than recreating CSS grids. In a recent study, teams using Replay's Component Library feature reported a 60% reduction in "sprint carryover" because the UI layer was handled by the AI.

DhiWise is a powerful ProCode platform, but it remains tethered to the design phase. Replay breaks free from this by allowing developers to work from the actual product. Whether it's a prototype in a video or a legacy system in production, Replay captures the reality of the software, not just the designer's intent.

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Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay better than DhiWise for legacy apps?#

Yes. Replay is specifically designed for legacy modernization through Visual Reverse Engineering. Since legacy apps rarely have up-to-date Figma files, DhiWise requires you to manually redesign the old app before generating code. Replay allows you to simply record the legacy app in action and generates the code directly from that recording, saving weeks of design work.

Does Replay support Figma integration?#

Yes. While Replay's core strength is video-to-code, it also features a Figma Plugin to extract design tokens. This allows you to sync your brand's "Source of Truth" (colors, fonts, spacing) with the components extracted from your video recordings, ensuring 100% brand consistency.

Can Replay generate automated tests?#

Yes. Unlike DhiWise, Replay uses the temporal data from your video recordings to generate E2E (End-to-End) tests in Playwright or Cypress. Because Replay understands the flow of the application, it can write the test scripts that simulate the exact user journey captured in the video.

Is Replay secure for enterprise use?#

Replay is built for regulated environments. It is SOC2 and HIPAA-ready, and offers On-Premise deployment options for organizations with strict data residency requirements. This makes it suitable for healthcare, finance, and government sectors where sending UI data to a public cloud is not an option.

How does the Replay Flow Map work?#

The Flow Map is a unique Replay feature that detects multi-page navigation from a single video. As you click through an application during a recording, Replay’s AI builds a visual map of the routes and transitions. This map is then used to generate React Router or Next.js navigation logic automatically.

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