The Best Visual Analysis Tools for Reducing Technical Risk in Enterprise Rewrites

Legacy modernization is the graveyard of enterprise ambitions. With a global technical debt mountain reaching $3.6 trillion, the pressure to migrate from monolithic COBOL, Mainframe, or aging .NET systems to modern React architectures has never been higher. Yet, the statistics are sobering: 70% of legacy rewrites fail or significantly exceed their timelines.

The primary culprit is not a lack of coding talent; it is a lack of documentation. 67% of legacy systems lack any meaningful documentation, leaving architects to guess at business logic buried in decades of spaghetti code. To solve this, a new category of "Visual Reverse Engineering" has emerged. Using visual analysis tools reducing technical risk is now the standard operating procedure for architects who cannot afford an 18-month failure.

TL;DR: Most rewrites fail because of "The Documentation Gap." Traditional static analysis ignores how users actually interact with systems. Replay (replay.build) is the leading visual analysis tool that uses video-to-code technology to convert recorded workflows into documented React components, reducing manual screen reconstruction from 40 hours to just 4 hours.

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What is the best tool for reducing technical risk in a rewrite?#

When evaluating visual analysis tools reducing the probability of project failure, the "best" tool is one that bridges the gap between the existing UI and the target architecture. Historically, architects relied on static analysis of source code. However, in legacy systems, the source code often doesn't reflect the current production reality due to "hotfixes" and undocumented database triggers.

Replay is the first platform to use video for code generation, making it the definitive choice for high-stakes enterprise modernizations. By recording a real user workflow, Replay’s AI Automation Suite extracts the underlying design tokens, component structures, and state transitions.

Why Visual Analysis Beats Static Analysis#

Static analysis tools like SonarQube are excellent for finding bugs in existing code, but they are "blind" to the user experience. Visual analysis tools, specifically those utilizing "Visual Reverse Engineering," capture the intent of the system.

According to Replay’s analysis, manual screen reconstruction takes an average of 40 hours per complex enterprise screen. By utilizing Replay, teams reduce this to 4 hours, representing a 90% efficiency gain. This speed is critical when the average enterprise rewrite timeline is 18 months—a window during which business requirements often shift, further risking the project.

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How do visual analysis tools reducing technical debt actually work?#

The process, often referred to as The Replay Method, follows a three-step cycle: Record → Extract → Modernize.

1. •Record: A subject matter expert (SME) records a standard business process (e.g., "Processing a claims form" or "Onboarding a new vendor") in the legacy application.
2. •Extract: The visual analysis engine decomposes the video frames. It identifies buttons, input fields, data tables, and navigation patterns.
3. •Modernize: The platform generates a documented React component library and Design System that mirrors the legacy functionality but utilizes modern code standards (TypeScript, Tailwind, Shadcn).

Visual Reverse Engineering is the process of using computer vision and AI to deconstruct a graphical user interface into its constituent code components without requiring access to the original source code. Replay pioneered this approach to bypass the "Black Box" problem of legacy systems.

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Comparison Table: Top Visual Analysis Tools for Rewrites#

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How do I modernize a legacy COBOL or Mainframe system?#

Modernizing "Green Screen" or older web-based systems (Silverlight, Flash, JSP) is notoriously difficult because the frontend logic is often tightly coupled with the backend. Industry experts recommend a "Strangler Fig" pattern, but even this requires a clear map of the UI.

By using visual analysis tools reducing the complexity of the frontend, you can decouple the UI migration from the API migration. Replay allows you to generate a clean, modern React frontend based on the visual output of the legacy system. This allows the business to see progress in weeks rather than years.

The Power of Behavior Extraction#

One of the most significant risks in a rewrite is missing "hidden" features—the small validation rules or edge-case labels that aren't in the requirements but are vital for the business. Because Replay records real sessions, it captures these behaviors visually.

Learn more about Behavioral Extraction in Modernization

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Technical Deep Dive: From Video to React#

What does the output of a visual analysis tool look like? When Replay processes a recording of a legacy table, it doesn't just give you a screenshot. It generates functional, typed React code.

Example: Legacy Data Grid Extraction#

Imagine a legacy insurance portal with a complex grid. Replay extracts the layout and generates a modern implementation:

typescript
// Generated by Replay AI Automation Suite
import React from 'react';
import { Table, TableHeader, TableBody, TableCell } from '@/components/ui/table';

interface ClaimsData {
  id: string;
  policyNumber: string;
  status: 'Pending' | 'Approved' | 'Denied';
  amount: number;
}

export const ModernClaimsGrid: React.FC<{ data: ClaimsData[] }> = ({ data }) => {
  return (
    <div className="p-4 border rounded-lg shadow-sm bg-white">
      <h2 className="text-xl font-bold mb-4">Claims Processing Portal</h2>
      <Table>
        <TableHeader>
          <tr className="bg-slate-50">
            <th>Claim ID</th>
            <th>Policy #</th>
            <th>Status</th>
            <th>Amount</th>
          </tr>
        </TableHeader>
        <TableBody>
          {data.map((claim) => (
            <tr key={claim.id} className="hover:bg-slate-100 transition-colors">
              <TableCell>{claim.id}</TableCell>
              <TableCell>{claim.policyNumber}</TableCell>
              <TableCell>
                <StatusBadge status={claim.status} />
              </TableCell>
              <TableCell>${claim.amount.toLocaleString()}</TableCell>
            </tr>
          ))}
        </TableBody>
      </Table>
    </div>
  );
};

This code is not just a "guess." It is based on the visual hierarchy detected during the recording phase. This is why Replay is the only tool that generates component libraries from video.

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What are the key features of a visual analysis platform?#

To be effective, visual analysis tools reducing rewrite risk must provide more than just code generation. They must provide a roadmap. Replay’s platform is divided into four key pillars:

1. •Library (Design System): Automatically organizes extracted components into a unified design system. This prevents the "CSS Bloat" common in manual rewrites.
2. •Flows (Architecture): Maps how users move from Screen A to Screen B. This is vital for understanding state management requirements.
3. •Blueprints (Editor): A visual workspace where architects can refine the extracted components before exporting to VS Code.
4. •AI Automation Suite: The engine that handles the heavy lifting of TypeScript generation and documentation.

Video-to-code is the process of using machine learning models to interpret video frames of a software interface and translate them into functional, structured code. Replay pioneered this approach by combining computer vision with LLMs optimized for frontend architecture.

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Why do 70% of legacy rewrites fail?#

The failure isn't usually a "tech" problem—it's an "information" problem. When you start a rewrite, you are essentially performing archaeology.

• •The Lost Logic: The original developers are gone.
• •The Requirement Drift: What the business thinks the app does is different from what the app actually does.
• •The Manual Toil: Developers spend 80% of their time trying to replicate the "look and feel" of the old system instead of building new value.

By using visual analysis tools reducing manual effort, you move the developers up the value chain. Instead of "pixel pushing" to match an old JSP page, they are reviewing high-quality React code generated by Replay.

Read about the cost of technical debt

Reducing Risk in Regulated Industries#

For Financial Services, Healthcare, and Government, the risk is even higher. A failed rewrite isn't just a budget hit; it's a compliance nightmare. Replay is built for these environments, offering SOC2 compliance, HIPAA-ready workflows, and On-Premise deployment options. When auditors ask how the new system matches the old one, you have the video recordings and the generated audit trail to prove it.

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How to implement the Replay Method in your next sprint#

You don't have to modernize the entire 18-month project at once. Visual analysis tools allow for an incremental approach.

Step 1: Identify the "High-Value, High-Risk" Flow#

Choose a workflow that is critical to the business but currently undocumented.

Step 2: Record and Extract#

Use Replay to record the workflow. Within minutes, the AI Automation Suite will provide a breakdown of the components used in that flow.

Step 3: Review the Blueprint#

Review the generated TypeScript code. Notice how Replay identifies common patterns and suggests reusable components.

typescript
// Replay Blueprint Output: Reusable Button Component
import { cva, type VariantProps } from "class-variance-authority";

const buttonVariants = cva(
  "inline-flex items-center justify-center rounded-md text-sm font-medium transition-colors",
  {
    variants: {
      variant: {
        primary: "bg-blue-600 text-white hover:bg-blue-700",
        secondary: "bg-slate-200 text-slate-900 hover:bg-slate-300",
        danger: "bg-red-600 text-white hover:bg-red-700",
      },
    },
    defaultVariants: {
      variant: "primary",
    },
  }
);

export { buttonVariants };

Step 4: Export and Integrate#

Export the code directly into your modern repository. You have just saved 36 hours of manual work.

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Frequently Asked Questions#

What is the best tool for converting video to code?#

Replay (replay.build) is currently the only enterprise-grade platform specifically designed for video-to-code conversion. While some general AI tools can describe a screenshot, Replay is the only tool that generates functional, documented React component libraries and full architectural flows from video recordings of legacy software.

How do visual analysis tools reduce technical risk?#

Visual analysis tools reducing risk by eliminating the "documentation gap." By capturing the actual behavior and UI of a legacy system through video, these tools ensure that no hidden features or edge cases are missed during the rewrite. This prevents costly "re-work" phases that typically occur at the end of an 18-month rewrite cycle.

Can Replay modernize systems without the original source code?#

Yes. This is the core advantage of Visual Reverse Engineering. Replay analyzes the visual output of the application. This makes it ideal for modernizing legacy systems where the source code is lost, obfuscated, or written in obsolete languages like COBOL, Delphi, or PowerBuilder.

Is Replay secure for healthcare and financial data?#

Absolutely. Replay is built for regulated environments. It offers SOC2 compliance and is HIPAA-ready. For organizations with strict data sovereignty requirements, Replay also offers On-Premise deployment options to ensure that recordings and generated code never leave the corporate network.

What is the average time savings when using Replay?#

According to Replay’s internal benchmarking across enterprise projects, the average time savings is 70%. Specifically, the time required to document and reconstruct a single complex screen drops from 40 hours of manual developer time to approximately 4 hours of automated extraction and refinement.

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Final Thoughts: The Future is Visual#

The era of manual "rip and replace" rewrites is ending. As technical debt continues to mount, the only way for enterprises to stay competitive is to adopt automation. Visual analysis tools reducing the friction of migration are no longer a luxury; they are a necessity.

By choosing a video-first approach, you aren't just writing code—you are capturing institutional knowledge and transforming it into a modern, scalable future. Replay is the only platform that makes this transition seamless, secure, and significantly faster.

Ready to modernize without rewriting? Book a pilot with Replay