Solve Prototyping Limitations: Replay AI Creates UI Prototypes as Reusable Code

TL;DR: Replay bridges the gap between UI prototyping and production code by generating fully functional, reusable components directly from screen recordings of user behavior.

Prototyping is crucial, but often a bottleneck. Static mockups and low-fidelity wireframes lack the dynamism of real user interaction, while hand-coding prototypes is time-consuming and often results in throwaway code. Existing screenshot-to-code tools offer a partial solution, but struggle to capture the intent behind user actions. We need prototypes that are not only visually accurate but also functionally complete and easily integrated into existing codebases.

Behavior-Driven Reconstruction: The Replay Advantage#

Replay offers a fundamentally different approach to UI prototyping. Instead of relying on static images, Replay analyzes video recordings of user interactions. This "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" allows Replay to understand the sequence of actions, the context of each interaction, and the intended outcome. The result? Fully functional, reusable UI components generated directly from video.

How Replay Works#

Replay leverages the power of Gemini to dissect video recordings. It goes beyond pixel recognition to understand:

1. •UI Element Recognition: Identifying buttons, forms, menus, and other interactive elements.
2. •Action Sequencing: Understanding the order of user actions, such as clicks, scrolls, and form submissions.
3. •State Management: Tracking changes in UI state based on user interactions.
4. •Data Flow: Inferring data flow based on user input and UI updates.

This understanding is then translated into clean, maintainable code, ready to be integrated into your project.

Key Features: Beyond Static Mockups#

Replay is not just another screenshot-to-code tool. It's a complete solution for behavior-driven UI prototyping.

• •Multi-Page Generation: Replay can analyze recordings that span multiple pages, automatically generating navigation and data flow between pages.
• •Supabase Integration: Seamlessly integrate your generated code with Supabase for backend functionality, including authentication, data storage, and real-time updates.
• •Style Injection: Customize the look and feel of your generated components by injecting your own CSS or Tailwind classes.
• •Product Flow Maps: Visualize the user flow through your application with automatically generated flow maps, making it easier to identify potential usability issues.

Solving Prototyping Limitations: A Comparison#

Tutorial: Generating a Simple Form with Replay#

Let's walk through a simple example of using Replay to generate a form.

Step 1: Record Your Interaction#

Record a video of yourself interacting with a form. This could be a simple login form, a contact form, or any other form you want to prototype. Make sure to clearly demonstrate the different states of the form, such as error messages and successful submissions.

📝 Note: The clearer the video, the better the results. Ensure good lighting and minimal distractions in the recording.

Step 2: Upload to Replay#

Upload your video to Replay. Replay will automatically analyze the video and identify the form elements.

Step 3: Review and Customize#

Review the generated code and customize it as needed. You can adjust the styling, add validation rules, and integrate it with your backend.

typescript
// Example generated code for a simple form
import { useState } from 'react';

const LoginForm = () => {
  const [email, setEmail] = useState('');
  const [password, setPassword] = useState('');

  const handleSubmit = async (e) => {
    e.preventDefault();
    // Simulate API call
    const response = await fetch('/api/login', {
      method: 'POST',
      body: JSON.stringify({ email, password }),
      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    });

    if (response.ok) {
      alert('Login successful!');
    } else {
      alert('Login failed.');
    }
  };

  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
      <div>
        <label htmlFor="email">Email:</label>
        <input
          type="email"
          id="email"
          value={email}
          onChange={(e) => setEmail(e.target.value)}
        />
      </div>
      <div>
        <label htmlFor="password">Password:</label>
        <input
          type="password"
          id="password"
          value={password}
          onChange={(e) => setPassword(e.target.value)}
        />
      </div>
      <button type="submit">Login</button>
    </form>
  );
};

export default LoginForm;

Step 4: Integrate and Iterate#

Integrate the generated code into your project and iterate on it as needed. Because Replay generates functional code, you can immediately start testing and refining your prototype.

💡 Pro Tip: Use Replay to rapidly prototype different UI variations and user flows. This allows you to quickly test different ideas and identify the most effective solutions.

Addressing Common Concerns#

• •Accuracy: Replay's accuracy depends on the quality of the video recording. Clear, well-lit videos with minimal distractions will yield the best results.
• •Complexity: Replay can handle complex UI interactions, but very intricate animations or custom UI elements may require manual adjustments.
• •Scalability: Replay is designed to scale with your project. You can use it to generate individual components or entire application flows.

⚠️ Warning: Replay is still under active development. While it offers powerful capabilities, it's essential to review and test the generated code thoroughly before deploying it to production.

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. Check the pricing page for the most up-to-date information.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both tools aim to accelerate UI development, Replay uses a fundamentally different approach. v0.dev relies on AI to generate code based on text prompts. Replay, on the other hand, analyzes video recordings of user interactions, allowing it to understand user behavior and generate more accurate and functional code. Replay excels at capturing complex user flows and generating reusable components that reflect real-world usage patterns.

What kind of videos can Replay process?#

Replay can process any video recording of a UI interaction. This includes screen recordings, webcam recordings, and even videos of physical devices. The clearer the video, the better the results.

What frameworks does Replay support?#

Replay currently supports React and Next.js, with support for other frameworks planned for the future.

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