Replay vs Figma Plugins (2026): Which Generates Higher Performance Code for React?

TL;DR: Replay leverages video analysis and Gemini's power to reconstruct working UI from screen recordings, offering superior behavior-driven code generation for React compared to traditional Figma plugins.

Replay vs Figma Plugins (2026): Which Generates Higher Performance Code for React?#

The promise of design-to-code has always been tantalizing: bridge the gap between creative vision and functional reality, dramatically speeding up development cycles. While Figma plugins have offered a path toward this goal, a new approach leveraging video analysis is emerging as a frontrunner in generating higher-performance React code: Replay.

This article explores the limitations of Figma-based code generation and showcases how Replay, with its behavior-driven reconstruction, produces cleaner, more efficient, and more maintainable React components.

The Figma Plugin Plateau#

Figma plugins have become commonplace in design workflows, promising to translate designs into code. However, these tools face inherent limitations. They are fundamentally limited to visual information, struggling to capture user intent or complex interactions. They see the what, not the why.

Here's a typical experience using a Figma plugin to generate React code:

1. •Design in Figma: Create your UI in Figma.
2. •Plugin Execution: Run a code generation plugin.
3. •Code Inspection: Receive a code output, often riddled with:
   • •Excessive
     text

     div
     nesting
   • •Inline styles that hinder maintainability
   • •Lack of semantic HTML
   • •Missing event handlers and logic

The resulting code often requires significant manual refactoring, negating the initial time savings.

Replay: Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#

Replay takes a radically different approach. Instead of analyzing static designs, it analyzes video recordings of user interactions. This "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" allows Replay to understand the intended functionality and user flow, resulting in more accurate and performant code.

Here's the core principle: video is the source of truth. Replay leverages Gemini to analyze the video, understand the user's actions, and reconstruct the UI accordingly.

Key Advantages of Replay#

Replay offers several key advantages over traditional Figma-based code generation:

• •Video as Input: Understands user behavior, not just visual appearance.
• •Multi-Page Generation: Can generate code for entire application flows, not just single screens.
• •Supabase Integration: Seamlessly integrates with Supabase for data persistence and authentication.
• •Style Injection: Manages styles through CSS-in-JS or CSS modules for better maintainability.
• •Product Flow Maps: Visualizes user flows and generates code accordingly.

Comparing the Tools: A Detailed Look#

Let's compare Replay with typical Figma plugins across critical performance factors:

Code Generation in Action: A Practical Example#

Let's say you have a video recording of a user interacting with a simple to-do list application. Using a Figma plugin, you might get code that looks something like this:

jsx
// Figma Plugin Output - To-Do List (Example)
import React from 'react';

function TodoList() {
  return (
    <div style={{ width: '300px', margin: '0 auto' }}>
      <div style={{ fontSize: '20px', fontWeight: 'bold' }}>My To-Do List</div>
      <input type="text" style={{ width: '100%', padding: '8px', marginTop: '10px' }} placeholder="Add a task" />
      <button style={{ backgroundColor: '#4CAF50', color: 'white', padding: '10px 15px', border: 'none', borderRadius: '4px', cursor: 'pointer', marginTop: '5px' }}>Add</button>
      <div style={{ marginTop: '15px' }}>
        <div>Task 1</div>
        <div>Task 2</div>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

export default TodoList;

This code, while functional, suffers from several issues:

• •Inline Styles: Hard to maintain and update.
• •Lack of Semantic HTML: Uses
  text

  div
  elements excessively.
• •Missing Logic: No actual functionality for adding or completing tasks.

Now, let's see what Replay generates from the same video:

typescript
// Replay Output - To-Do List (Example)
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import styled from 'styled-components';

const Container = styled.div`
  width: 300px;
  margin: 0 auto;
`;

const Title = styled.h1`
  font-size: 20px;
  font-weight: bold;
`;

const Input = styled.input`
  width: 100%;
  padding: 8px;
  margin-top: 10px;
`;

const Button = styled.button`
  background-color: #4CAF50;
  color: white;
  padding: 10px 15px;
  border: none;
  border-radius: 4px;
  cursor: pointer;
  margin-top: 5px;
`;

const TaskList = styled.ul`
  margin-top: 15px;
  padding: 0;
  list-style: none;
`;

const TaskItem = styled.li`
  padding: 5px 0;
`;

function TodoList() {
  const [tasks, setTasks] = useState(['Task 1', 'Task 2']);
  const [newTask, setNewTask] = useState('');

  const handleAddTask = () => {
    if (newTask.trim() !== '') {
      setTasks([...tasks, newTask]);
      setNewTask('');
    }
  };

  return (
    <Container>
      <Title>My To-Do List</Title>
      <Input
        type="text"
        placeholder="Add a task"
        value={newTask}
        onChange={(e) => setNewTask(e.target.value)}
      />
      <Button onClick={handleAddTask}>Add</Button>
      <TaskList>
        {tasks.map((task, index) => (
          <TaskItem key={index}>{task}</TaskItem>
        ))}
      </TaskList>
    </Container>
  );
}

export default TodoList;

Notice the differences:

• •Styled Components: Uses
  text

  styled-components
  for better style management.
• •Semantic HTML: Uses
  text

  h1
  and
  text

  ul
  elements for better structure.
• •Functional Logic: Includes state management and an
  text

  handleAddTask
  function.
• •Understanding User Interaction: Replay recognized the input field and button, and inferred the logic for adding tasks based on the video.

Replay, by understanding the behavior demonstrated in the video, generates code that is not only visually similar but also functionally complete and easier to maintain.

💡 Pro Tip: When recording videos for Replay, narrate your actions clearly. This helps Replay understand your intent even better.

Optimizing React Performance with Replay#

Replay's behavior-driven approach inherently leads to more performant React code. Here's why:

• •Reduced Re-renders: By understanding data dependencies, Replay minimizes unnecessary re-renders.
• •Efficient State Management: Replay can identify optimal state management strategies based on user interactions.
• •Lazy Loading: For complex UIs, Replay can implement lazy loading based on observed user navigation patterns.
• •Code Splitting: Replay can automatically split code into smaller chunks for faster initial load times.

📝 Note: Replay's performance optimizations are constantly evolving as the underlying Gemini model improves.

Step-by-Step Guide: Generating React Code with Replay#

Here's a simplified guide to generating React code with Replay:

Step 1: Record Your Interaction#

Record a video of yourself interacting with the UI you want to reconstruct. Be sure to clearly demonstrate all desired functionality.

Step 2: Upload to Replay#

Upload the video to the Replay platform.

Step 3: Review and Refine#

Review the generated code and make any necessary adjustments. Replay provides a visual interface for fine-tuning the output.

Step 4: Integrate into Your Project#

Copy and paste the generated code into your React project.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay aims to generate complete and functional code, always thoroughly test the output and make necessary adjustments to fit your specific project requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited features and usage. Paid plans are available for more advanced features and higher usage limits.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both tools aim to generate code, Replay focuses on analyzing video recordings of user interactions, enabling it to understand user behavior and intent. V0.dev primarily relies on text prompts and design specifications. Replay's video analysis allows for more accurate and performant code generation, especially for complex UIs and interactions.

What types of applications can Replay generate code for?#

Replay can generate code for a wide range of applications, including web applications, mobile apps, and desktop applications. It excels at reconstructing UIs with complex interactions and user flows.

What frameworks and libraries does Replay support?#

Currently, Replay primarily supports React. Support for other frameworks and libraries is planned for future releases.

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