Technical Deep Dive: Generate TypeScript React application with Replay AI in 2026

TL;DR: Replay leverages video analysis and Gemini to generate fully functional TypeScript React applications, understanding user behavior instead of just visual elements, offering a significant leap beyond screenshot-to-code tools.

Technical Deep Dive: Generate TypeScript React Applications with Replay AI in 2026#

The traditional approach to UI development often involves a tedious cycle of design, coding, testing, and iteration. Imagine a world where you could simply record a user interacting with an existing application, and AI could reconstruct that interaction into a fully functional, production-ready React application. That's the promise of Replay.

The Problem: Screenshot-to-Code Limitations#

Screenshot-to-code tools have emerged as a popular way to speed up UI development. However, these tools have inherent limitations. They primarily focus on visual aspects, failing to capture the underlying logic and user intent behind the UI. They treat the UI as a static image, missing crucial details like dynamic behavior, state management, and data flow. This results in code that requires significant manual refinement and often fails to replicate the intended user experience.

Replay: Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#

Replay takes a fundamentally different approach by analyzing video recordings of user interactions. This "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" allows the AI to understand what the user is trying to achieve, not just what they see on the screen. By leveraging the power of Gemini, Replay reconstructs the application's logic, state management, and data flow, resulting in a more accurate and functional codebase.

Core Features and Benefits#

Replay offers a range of features designed to streamline the development process:

• •Multi-page Generation: Reconstruct entire application flows, not just single screens. Replay intelligently navigates between pages in the video, creating a cohesive and functional application.
• •Supabase Integration: Seamlessly integrate with Supabase for backend services, including authentication, data storage, and real-time updates.
• •Style Injection: Automatically apply consistent styling based on the video's visual cues, ensuring a polished and professional look.
• •Product Flow Maps: Generate visual representations of user flows, providing valuable insights into user behavior and application architecture.

Getting Started with Replay: A Step-by-Step Guide#

Let's walk through a practical example of using Replay to generate a TypeScript React application from a video recording.

Step 1: Preparing Your Video#

💡 Pro Tip: Ensure your video clearly demonstrates the desired user flow, including all interactions and data inputs. Use a screen recording tool that captures mouse movements and keyboard inputs for optimal results.

Before you upload your video to Replay, ensure it meets the following criteria:

• •Clear and Stable Recording: The video should be free from excessive noise or distractions.
• •Complete User Flow: Capture the entire user flow you want to reconstruct, from start to finish.
• •Consistent UI: Ensure the UI in the video is consistent and representative of the desired application.

Step 2: Uploading and Processing the Video#

1. •Navigate to the Replay platform (https://replay.build) and create an account.
2. •Click the "Upload Video" button and select the video file from your computer.
3. •Provide a descriptive name for your project and select "TypeScript React" as the target framework.
4. •Replay will begin processing the video, analyzing user interactions and reconstructing the application logic. This process may take several minutes, depending on the length and complexity of the video.

Step 3: Reviewing and Refining the Generated Code#

Once the processing is complete, Replay will present you with the generated TypeScript React code.

📝 Note: While Replay strives for accuracy, it's essential to review and refine the generated code to ensure it meets your specific requirements.

You can use the Replay editor to:

• •Inspect the Code: Examine the generated code for each component and page.
• •Modify the Code: Make necessary adjustments to the code to fine-tune the application's behavior.
• •Preview the Application: Test the generated application in a live preview environment.

Step 4: Integrating with Supabase#

If your application requires backend services, you can seamlessly integrate with Supabase.

1. •Create a Supabase project and obtain your API keys.
2. •In the Replay editor, navigate to the "Supabase Integration" settings.
3. •Enter your Supabase API URL and API Key.
4. •Replay will automatically generate the necessary code to interact with your Supabase database, including authentication, data fetching, and real-time updates.

Step 5: Deploying Your Application#

Once you're satisfied with the generated code, you can deploy your application to a hosting platform of your choice, such as Netlify, Vercel, or AWS.

🚀 Next Level: Use Replay's product flow maps to optimize user journeys and improve application usability.

Code Example: Generated React Component#

Here's an example of a React component generated by Replay:

typescript
// Generated by Replay AI
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js';

const supabaseUrl = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL;
const supabaseKey = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY;
const supabase = createClient(supabaseUrl, supabaseKey);

interface Todo {
  id: number;
  task: string;
  completed: boolean;
}

const TodoList: React.FC = () => {
  const [todos, setTodos] = useState<Todo[]>([]);
  const [newTask, setNewTask] = useState('');

  useEffect(() => {
    fetchTodos();
  }, []);

  const fetchTodos = async () => {
    const { data, error } = await supabase
      .from('todos')
      .select('*')
      .order('id', { ascending: false });

    if (error) {
      console.error('Error fetching todos:', error);
    } else {
      setTodos(data || []);
    }
  };

  const addTodo = async () => {
    if (newTask.trim() === '') return;

    const { data, error } = await supabase
      .from('todos')
      .insert([{ task: newTask, completed: false }])
      .select();

    if (error) {
      console.error('Error adding todo:', error);
    } else {
      setTodos([...todos, ...(data as Todo[])]);
      setNewTask('');
    }
  };

  const toggleComplete = async (id: number, completed: boolean) => {
    const { error } = await supabase
      .from('todos')
      .update({ completed: !completed })
      .eq('id', id);

    if (error) {
      console.error('Error updating todo:', error);
    } else {
      setTodos(
        todos.map((todo) =>
          todo.id === id ? { ...todo, completed: !completed } : todo
        )
      );
    }
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Todo List</h1>
      <input
        type="text"
        value={newTask}
        onChange={(e) => setNewTask(e.target.value)}
      />
      <button onClick={addTodo}>Add Todo</button>
      <ul>
        {todos.map((todo) => (
          <li key={todo.id}>
            <input
              type="checkbox"
              checked={todo.completed}
              onChange={() => toggleComplete(todo.id, todo.completed)}
            />
            <span>{todo.task}</span>
          </li>
        ))}
      </ul>
    </div>
  );
};

export default TodoList;

This example showcases Replay's ability to generate functional React components with Supabase integration, including data fetching, state management, and user interaction handling.

Code Example: Style Injection#

Replay can also inject styles based on the video:

typescript
// Example of style injection
const buttonStyle = {
  backgroundColor: '#007bff',
  color: 'white',
  padding: '10px 20px',
  borderRadius: '5px',
  cursor: 'pointer',
};

<button style={buttonStyle} onClick={addTodo}>Add Todo</button>

⚠️ Warning: While Replay automates style injection, you may need to adjust the generated styles to match your desired design system or branding.

The Future of UI Development#

Replay represents a significant step towards the future of UI development. By leveraging video analysis and AI, it empowers developers to rapidly prototype, iterate, and deploy applications with unprecedented speed and efficiency. As AI technology continues to evolve, tools like Replay will play an increasingly crucial role in shaping the development landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

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

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While v0.dev focuses on generating UI components from text prompts, Replay analyzes video recordings of user interactions to reconstruct entire application flows. Replay understands user intent and dynamic behavior, resulting in more functional and accurate code.

What types of applications can Replay generate?#

Replay can generate a wide range of applications, including web applications, mobile applications, and desktop applications. The platform supports various frameworks and libraries, including React, Vue, and Angular.

What if the video quality is poor?#

Replay is designed to handle videos with varying levels of quality. However, clearer videos will generally result in more accurate code generation.

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