Video-to-Code vs Figma-to-Code: Accuracy Showdown 2026

TL;DR: Replay's video-to-code engine, powered by behavior-driven reconstruction, offers significantly higher accuracy and functional fidelity compared to traditional Figma-to-code tools, especially when capturing complex user flows.

The promise of automatically generating code from design assets or visual inputs has long tantalized developers. While Figma-to-code tools have gained traction, a new paradigm is emerging: video-to-code. This approach, exemplified by Replay, leverages video analysis and AI to reconstruct user interfaces and interactions directly from screen recordings, offering a more accurate and behaviorally rich representation of the intended application. Let's dive into a head-to-head accuracy showdown between these two approaches.

The Core Difference: Source of Truth#

Figma-to-code relies on the fidelity of the design file. If the Figma file is incomplete, inconsistent, or doesn't fully capture the intended behavior, the generated code will inherit those flaws. In contrast, Replay treats the video as the source of truth. The video captures the actual user flow, interactions, and intended functionality. This "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" allows Replay to generate code that mirrors real-world usage, even if the design file is imperfect or non-existent.

💡 Pro Tip: Think of Figma-to-code as translating a blueprint, while Replay is reverse-engineering a working prototype.

Accuracy Showdown: Feature by Feature#

Let's break down the accuracy differences across key areas:

UI Element Recognition#

Figma-to-code tools excel at recognizing static UI elements defined within the design file. However, they struggle with dynamic elements or elements that change state based on user interaction.

Replay, on the other hand, analyzes the video to understand how UI elements change in response to user actions. This allows it to accurately reconstruct dynamic elements and their associated behavior.

Interaction Fidelity#

This is where video-to-code truly shines. Figma-to-code tools often generate placeholder interactions or require manual configuration to define the intended behavior. They typically rely on predefined interaction patterns and may not accurately capture complex or custom interactions.

Replay analyzes the video to understand the user's intent and reconstruct the underlying logic. It can infer complex interactions, such as form validation, data submission, and state transitions, directly from the video.

Data Handling#

Figma files rarely contain real data. Figma-to-code tools typically generate placeholder data or require manual integration with a backend data source.

Replay can infer data structures and API interactions from the video. By observing how the user interacts with the UI and the data that is displayed, Replay can generate code that seamlessly integrates with backend systems. This is especially powerful when combined with Replay's Supabase integration.

Multi-Page Flows#

Many applications consist of multiple pages or views. Figma-to-code tools often struggle to generate code for multi-page flows, especially when the transitions between pages are complex or involve dynamic data.

Replay's multi-page generation feature allows it to reconstruct entire application flows from a single video. It can automatically identify page transitions, track data across pages, and generate code that accurately reflects the user's journey.

Here's a comparison table summarizing these key differences:

Real-World Example: E-commerce Checkout#

Consider an e-commerce checkout flow. A user adds items to their cart, enters their shipping information, selects a payment method, and confirms their order.

With Figma-to-code, you'd need to meticulously design each screen in Figma, define all the interactions, and manually configure the data handling. Any deviation from the design would require manual code modifications.

With Replay, you simply record a video of yourself going through the checkout flow. Replay analyzes the video and automatically generates code that replicates the entire checkout process, including form validation, API calls, and state transitions.

Let's look at some code examples:

Figma-to-Code (Simplified):#

jsx
// Generated from Figma - requires manual data binding and API integration
function CheckoutForm() {
  const [name, setName] = useState('');
  const [address, setAddress] = useState('');

  const handleSubmit = (event) => {
    event.preventDefault();
    // TODO: Implement API call to submit order
    console.log('Order submitted:', { name, address });
  };

  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
      <input type="text" value={name} onChange={(e) => setName(e.target.value)} placeholder="Name" />
      <input type="text" value={address} onChange={(e) => setAddress(e.target.value)} placeholder="Address" />
      <button type="submit">Submit Order</button>
    </form>
  );
}

Replay (Video-to-Code):#

typescript
// Generated by Replay - infers API endpoint and data structure from video
const submitOrder = async (orderData: OrderType) => {
  try {
    const response = await fetch('/api/orders', { // API endpoint inferred
      method: 'POST',
      headers: {
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      },
      body: JSON.stringify(orderData), // Data structure inferred
    });

    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error(`HTTP error! status: ${response.status}`);
    }

    const result = await response.json();
    console.log('Order submitted successfully:', result);
    return result;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error submitting order:', error);
    throw error;
  }
};

// Example OrderType interface (inferred from video interaction)
interface OrderType {
  name: string;
  address: string;
  paymentMethod: string;
  items: ItemType[];
}

📝 Note: The Replay example demonstrates how the tool infers the API endpoint (

text

/api/orders

) and the data structure (

text

OrderType

) directly from the video, significantly reducing manual coding effort.

Step-by-Step: Generating Code with Replay#

Here's a simplified walkthrough of using Replay:

Step 1: Record Your Flow#

Use any screen recording tool to capture the desired user flow. Ensure the video clearly shows all interactions and data inputs.

Step 2: Upload to Replay#

Upload the video to the Replay platform. Replay's AI engine will begin analyzing the video.

Step 3: Review and Refine#

Replay generates a code preview. Review the code and make any necessary adjustments using the Replay editor. You can inject styles, refine interactions, and connect to your Supabase database.

Step 4: Export and Integrate#

Export the generated code as React components, ready to be integrated into your project.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay significantly reduces coding effort, some manual refinement may still be required, especially for complex applications or custom components.

The Future: Behavior-Driven Development#

Replay represents a shift towards behavior-driven development. By using video as the source of truth, developers can ensure that the generated code accurately reflects the intended user experience. This approach can significantly reduce development time, improve code quality, and enable faster iteration cycles.

Here's a bulleted list of benefits Replay provides:

• •Increased Accuracy: Captures dynamic behavior and user intent more accurately than Figma-to-code.
• •Faster Development: Reduces manual coding effort and accelerates the development process.
• •Improved Code Quality: Generates code that is consistent with the intended user experience.
• •Easier Iteration: Allows for rapid prototyping and iteration based on user feedback.
• •Behavior-Driven Development: Enables a behavior-driven approach to software development.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited features. Paid plans are available for more advanced features and higher usage limits. Check the Replay pricing page for the latest details.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While v0.dev focuses on generating UI components based on text prompts, Replay analyzes video recordings of actual user interactions to reconstruct entire application flows. Replay excels at capturing complex behaviors and data handling, going beyond simple UI generation.

What frameworks does Replay support?#

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

Can I integrate Replay with my existing codebase?#

Yes, Replay generates standard React components that can be easily integrated into your existing codebase.

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