Replay vs Figma: Generating clean UI code with better typography and Scalability

TL;DR: Replay generates cleaner, more scalable UI code from video by understanding user behavior, offering superior typography and maintainability compared to Figma-to-code solutions.

Figma-to-code tools promise speed, but often deliver a tangled mess of divs that barely resemble the original design, let alone a functional application. The result? Hours spent untangling CSS, refactoring components, and wrestling with responsiveness. Figma excels at design, but falls short when it comes to generating truly production-ready code. This is where a behavior-driven approach, like the one Replay uses, shines.

The Problem with Pixel-Perfect: Figma's Limitations#

Figma's code generation focuses on visual fidelity. It translates designs into code based on pixel positions and properties. While this seems straightforward, it leads to several problems:

• •Div Soup: Figma-generated code often relies heavily on absolute positioning and nested divs, creating deeply complex and difficult-to-maintain layouts.
• •Lack of Semantic Structure: The code lacks semantic meaning, making it harder for search engines and assistive technologies to understand the content.
• •Poor Responsiveness: Achieving responsiveness requires significant manual adjustments, negating the initial time savings.
• •Typography Issues: Figma's rendering of text doesn't always translate well to the browser, leading to inconsistencies and rendering issues.
• •No Understanding of User Flow: Figma has no understanding of how a user interacts with the design, resulting in static code that doesn't capture dynamic behavior.

Replay: Behavior-Driven Reconstruction for Scalable UI#

Replay offers a radically different approach. Instead of simply converting pixels to code, Replay analyzes video recordings of user interactions. This "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" allows Replay to understand the intent behind the design and generate code that reflects that intent.

Replay leverages Gemini to not just see what's on the screen, but to understand why it's there. This results in code that is:

• •Clean and Maintainable: Replay generates code with a clear component structure and minimal reliance on absolute positioning.
• •Naturally Responsive: By understanding the flow of the application, Replay creates layouts that adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes.
• •Optimized for Typography: Replay uses browser-native rendering techniques to ensure consistent and accurate typography across all devices.
• •Dynamic and Interactive: Replay captures the dynamic behavior of the application, generating code that reflects user interactions.
• •Easily Integratable: With built-in Supabase integration, Replay makes it easy to connect your UI to a backend.

Generating Clean UI Code with Replay: A Step-by-Step Guide#

Here's how to use Replay to generate clean UI code from a video recording:

Step 1: Record Your Product Flow#

Record a video of yourself interacting with the UI you want to recreate. Be sure to demonstrate all the key features and user flows. Focus on the behavior you want to capture.

💡 Pro Tip: Speak clearly while recording, describing each action you are taking. This helps Replay better understand your intent.

Step 2: Upload Your Recording to Replay#

Upload the video recording to the Replay platform. Replay will automatically analyze the video and begin reconstructing the UI.

Step 3: Review and Refine the Generated Code#

Once Replay has finished analyzing the video, you can review the generated code. Replay provides a visual editor that allows you to make adjustments and refine the UI.

📝 Note: Replay's AI is constantly learning. The more videos you upload, the better it will become at generating accurate and clean code.

Step 4: Download and Integrate the Code#

Download the generated code and integrate it into your project. Replay supports a variety of frameworks, including React, Vue, and Angular.

Here's an example of code generated by Replay, demonstrating clean component structure and semantic HTML:

typescript
// Example React Component Generated by Replay
import React from 'react';

interface Props {
  title: string;
  description: string;
}

const FeatureCard: React.FC<Props> = ({ title, description }) => {
  return (
    <div className="feature-card">
      <h3>{title}</h3>
      <p>{description}</p>
    </div>
  );
};

export default FeatureCard;

This is a simple example, but it illustrates the key principles of Replay's code generation: clean, component-based, and semantic.

Step 5: Style Injection#

Replay also offers Style Injection. This enables the user to inject styling preferences directly into the generated code, ensuring a consistent and unified look across the entire application. Simply define your CSS variables or styling rules, and Replay will seamlessly apply them to the generated components.

Superior Typography with Replay#

Typography is a critical aspect of UI design. Figma's rendering of text can sometimes be inconsistent with how it appears in the browser. Replay addresses this issue by:

• •Using Browser-Native Rendering: Replay relies on browser-native text rendering techniques to ensure accurate and consistent typography.
• •Optimizing Font Loading: Replay optimizes font loading to prevent flash of unstyled text (FOUT) and improve page load performance.
• •Generating Semantic HTML: Replay generates semantic HTML that is easily styled with CSS, giving you complete control over the typography.

⚠️ Warning: Be mindful of font licensing when using custom fonts. Ensure you have the necessary licenses to use the fonts in your project.

Scalability: Replay's Advantage#

Replay's behavior-driven approach leads to code that is inherently more scalable than Figma-generated code. By understanding the intent behind the design, Replay can create components that are reusable and adaptable.

Here's why Replay is more scalable:

• •Component-Based Architecture: Replay generates code with a clear component structure, making it easy to reuse and maintain components across your application.
• •Semantic HTML: Semantic HTML makes it easier to style and modify the UI, without breaking the underlying structure.
• •Responsive Design: Replay's natural responsiveness ensures that your UI adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes, without requiring significant manual adjustments.
• •Supabase Integration: Easily connect your UI to a robust backend for data storage and management.

Product Flow Maps#

Replay offers a unique feature called Product Flow Maps. This feature automatically generates a visual representation of the user flows captured in the video recording. This allows you to quickly understand how users interact with your application and identify areas for improvement. The Product Flow Map can also be used to generate automated tests, ensuring that your application behaves as expected.

Replay vs Screenshot-to-Code Tools#

Many tools claim to convert images or screenshots to code. However, these tools suffer from the same limitations as Figma-to-code tools. They simply convert pixels to code, without understanding the underlying intent. Replay is different. By analyzing video recordings, Replay can understand the behavior of the user and generate code that reflects that behavior.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited features. Paid plans are available for users who need more advanced capabilities.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both aim to generate code, v0.dev focuses on AI-powered code generation based on prompts. Replay reconstructs UI from video, understanding user flows and generating more accurate and maintainable code. Replay also offers features like Supabase integration and Style Injection.

What frameworks does Replay support?#

Replay currently supports React, Vue, and Angular. Support for other frameworks is planned for the future.

Can I use Replay to generate code for mobile apps?#

Replay can generate code that is compatible with mobile app development frameworks like React Native and Flutter.

How accurate is Replay's code generation?#

Replay's accuracy is constantly improving. The more videos you upload, the better it will become at generating accurate and clean code.

---

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