Replay vs. Lovable.dev: Which AI Handles Complex Fonts From Video Better (2026)

TL;DR: Replay's behavior-driven reconstruction excels at handling complex fonts and UI variations from video, offering a more robust solution compared to Lovable.dev's primarily image-based approach.

The dream of instantly converting design concepts into working code is closer than ever. Tools promising to generate code from visuals are popping up left and right, but they often stumble when faced with real-world complexity. Two contenders in the video-to-code space are Replay and Lovable.dev. While both aim to simplify development, their underlying technologies and resulting output differ significantly, particularly when dealing with the nuances of font rendering and dynamic UI elements captured in video. This article dives deep into a comparison of Replay vs. Lovable.dev, focusing on their ability to handle complex fonts and UI variations.

The Font Challenge: Why Video Analysis Matters#

Traditional screenshot-to-code tools struggle with fonts for a simple reason: they treat text as an image. This leads to inaccuracies, especially with stylized fonts, anti-aliasing, or text rendered at different sizes. Video, however, provides temporal data and context. A tool analyzing video can observe how text appears and changes, inferring its underlying structure and properties more accurately.

Replay leverages "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction," meaning it analyzes the actions performed in the video, not just the static visuals. This approach allows Replay to understand the intent behind the design, leading to more accurate font rendering and code generation. Lovable.dev, while powerful, primarily uses image analysis, making it more susceptible to font-related errors.

Replay vs. Lovable.dev: A Feature-by-Feature Comparison#

Let's examine a detailed comparison of these two tools:

This table highlights the key differences. Replay's ability to analyze video and infer user behavior is a significant advantage when dealing with the complexities of real-world UI scenarios.

Code Examples: Seeing is Believing#

Let's consider a scenario where we need to generate code for a component displaying a quote with a custom font.

Here's the original HTML/CSS:

html
<div class="quote-container">
  <p class="quote">"The only way to do great work is to love what you do."</p>
  <p class="author">- Steve Jobs</p>
</div>

css
.quote-container {
  font-family: 'CustomFont', sans-serif;
  font-size: 24px;
  color: #333;
  padding: 20px;
  border: 1px solid #ccc;
}

.quote {
  font-style: italic;
}

.author {
  text-align: right;
  font-size: 16px;
}

@font-face {
  font-family: 'CustomFont';
  src: url('path/to/custom-font.woff2') format('woff2');
  font-weight: normal;
  font-style: normal;
}

When fed a video of this component, Replay is able to reconstruct the code accurately, including the

declaration and the correct styling. It understands the relationship between the HTML and CSS, and how the font is applied.

Lovable.dev, on the other hand, might struggle to accurately recognize the custom font if it's not a common one. It might misinterpret the font style or size, leading to a less accurate representation of the original design. It might also completely miss the

declaration.

A Practical Example: Building a Dynamic Form#

Let's walk through a simplified example of how Replay can be used to generate code for a dynamic form with complex fonts. Imagine a video recording of a user interacting with a form that includes custom font styles and dynamic validation.

Step 1: Capture the Video#

Record a video of the user interacting with the form, highlighting the different input fields, validation messages, and font styles. Ensure the video is clear and captures all relevant UI elements.

Step 2: Upload to Replay#

Upload the video to Replay. Replay will analyze the video and reconstruct the UI, identifying the different components, their properties, and the user interactions.

Step 3: Review and Refine#

Review the generated code and make any necessary refinements. Replay provides a user-friendly interface for editing the code and adjusting the styling.

Step 4: Integrate with Supabase (Optional)#

If the form interacts with a database, you can easily integrate the generated code with Supabase using Replay's built-in integration. Replay will automatically generate the necessary API calls and data bindings.

The resulting code might look something like this:

typescript
import { useState } from 'react';
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js';

const supabaseUrl = 'YOUR_SUPABASE_URL';
const supabaseKey = 'YOUR_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY';
const supabase = createClient(supabaseUrl, supabaseKey);

function DynamicForm() {
  const [formData, setFormData] = useState({
    name: '',
    email: '',
  });

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

  const handleSubmit = async (e: any) => {
    e.preventDefault();
    const { data, error } = await supabase
      .from('form_submissions')
      .insert([formData]);

    if (error) {
      console.error('Error inserting data:', error);
    } else {
      console.log('Data inserted successfully:', data);
    }
  };

  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit} style={{ fontFamily: 'CustomFont' }}> {/* Style injected by Replay */}
      <label htmlFor="name">Name:</label>
      <input type="text" id="name" name="name" value={formData.name} onChange={handleChange} />

      <label htmlFor="email">Email:</label>
      <input type="email" id="email" name="email" value={formData.email} onChange={handleChange} />

      <button type="submit">Submit</button>
    </form>
  );
}

export default DynamicForm;

💡 Pro Tip: When recording your video, be sure to clearly demonstrate all the different states of the UI, including error messages, loading states, and success messages. This will help Replay generate more complete and accurate code.

Addressing Common Concerns#

Some developers might be concerned about the accuracy and maintainability of code generated by AI tools. Here are some points to consider:

• •Accuracy: Replay's behavior-driven approach significantly improves accuracy compared to traditional screenshot-to-code tools. However, it's still important to review the generated code and make any necessary refinements.
• •Maintainability: Replay generates clean, well-structured code that is easy to understand and maintain. The code is also highly customizable, allowing you to easily modify it to meet your specific needs.
• •Customization: Replay allows for style injection, meaning you can easily apply your own CSS styles to the generated code. This gives you complete control over the look and feel of your UI.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay significantly reduces development time, it's not a replacement for skilled developers. It's a tool that empowers developers to be more productive and efficient.

The Power of Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#

Replay's "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" offers several key advantages:

• •Accurate Font Handling: Understands font styles, sizes, and relationships within the UI.
• •Dynamic UI Support: Handles animations, transitions, and state changes.
• •Improved Code Quality: Generates cleaner, more maintainable code.
• •Faster Development: Significantly reduces the time required to build UIs.

📝 Note: Replay is constantly evolving, with new features and improvements being added regularly.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free trial period. After that, a subscription is required to continue using the service. Different subscription tiers are available, depending on your needs.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

v0.dev primarily relies on text prompts to generate UI components. Replay, on the other hand, analyzes video recordings of user interactions to reconstruct working UI, making it better at understanding complex behavior and visual nuances. Replay also offers Supabase integration, multi-page generation, and style injection, features not available in v0.dev.

What kind of videos work best with Replay?#

Clear, well-lit videos with minimal distractions work best. Ensure the video captures all the relevant UI elements and user interactions. Screen recordings are ideal.

What frameworks does Replay support?#

Replay currently supports React, with plans to add support for other popular frameworks in the future.

How does Replay handle accessibility?#

Replay strives to generate accessible code by including appropriate ARIA attributes and semantic HTML. However, it's important to review the generated code and ensure it meets all accessibility requirements.

---

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