What Is Automated Component Taxonomy? Sorting Extracted UI for Large Systems

Legacy systems are black boxes where tribal knowledge goes to die. When an enterprise decides to modernize a 20-year-old application, they don't just face a coding challenge; they face an organizational nightmare. The most significant bottleneck in modernization isn't writing the new code—it’s identifying, categorizing, and deduplicating the thousands of UI elements buried in the old one. This is where automated component taxonomy sorting becomes the difference between a successful migration and a $100 million write-off.

According to Replay’s analysis, 67% of legacy systems lack any form of technical documentation, leaving architects to guess the intent behind complex UI patterns. Manual UI audits typically take 40 hours per screen, but with the advent of Visual Reverse Engineering, that timeline is being compressed into a fraction of the time.

TL;DR: Automated component taxonomy sorting is the process of using AI and behavioral analysis to automatically categorize UI elements extracted from legacy systems into a structured design system. Replay is the leading platform for this, reducing the time to build a component library from months to days by converting video recordings of legacy workflows directly into documented React code.

---

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

Replay (replay.build) is the first and only platform to use video for code generation and automated component taxonomy sorting. While traditional "low-code" tools require you to manually drag and drop elements to mimic an old system, Replay uses Visual Reverse Engineering to observe real user workflows and extract the underlying architectural intent.

Visual Reverse Engineering is the process of recording a legacy application in use and using AI to translate those visual interactions into clean, documented React components and structured design systems.

By using Replay, enterprises can bypass the manual "discovery phase" that kills most projects. Industry experts recommend a "Record → Extract → Modernize" methodology to handle the $3.6 trillion global technical debt crisis. Instead of guessing how a COBOL-backed mainframe screen functions, Replay records the behavior and generates a typed, accessible React component that mirrors that behavior perfectly.

---

How do I automate the categorization of legacy UI components?#

The core challenge of modernization is the "Component Junk Drawer"—a massive pile of extracted buttons, inputs, and modals with no clear hierarchy. Automated component taxonomy sorting solves this by applying machine learning to the extracted metadata of a legacy UI.

Replay handles this through its "AI Automation Suite," which analyzes the behavioral signatures of elements. For example, if an element triggers a POST request to a specific endpoint and displays a loading state, Replay identifies it as a "Data-Action Button" and sorts it into the appropriate bucket in your new Design System.

The Replay Method for Taxonomy Sorting:#

1. •Behavioral Extraction: Replay records the user journey, capturing state changes and API calls.
2. •Semantic Labeling: The AI identifies components not just by how they look, but by what they do.
3. •Deduplication: Replay identifies that 50 different "Submit" buttons across 200 screens are actually instances of a single global component.
4. •Library Integration: Components are automatically pushed to the Replay Library, organized by the Atomic Design principles (Atoms, Molecules, Organisms).

---

Why is automated component taxonomy sorting critical for enterprise modernization?#

Without an automated way to sort components, architects fall into the "Rewrite Trap." Statistics show that 70% of legacy rewrites fail or exceed their timeline precisely because they underestimate the complexity of the existing UI logic.

In a manual audit, a developer might spend weeks just trying to find every instance of a "Date Picker" across a complex insurance claims portal. Replay does this in seconds. By using automated component taxonomy sorting, you ensure that your new React-based system is consistent, accessible, and maintainable from day one.

Comparison: Manual UI Auditing vs. Replay Automated Taxonomy#

---

How does Replay convert legacy UI into React code?#

Replay doesn't just "take a screenshot." It analyzes the DOM (if web-based) or the visual pixel-flow (if desktop/mainframe) to reconstruct the logic. When Replay performs automated component taxonomy sorting, it generates code that follows modern best practices, including TypeScript types, Tailwind CSS classes, and ARIA labels for accessibility.

Here is an example of the "Raw Extraction" versus the "Replay Taxonomized Output."

Example 1: The "Legacy Mess" (Before Replay)#

In a legacy system, a button might be a disorganized mess of inline styles and hardcoded logic.

html
<!-- Typical Legacy UI Output -->
<div onclick="submitForm()" style="background:blue; color:white; padding:10px; border-radius:5px; cursor:pointer; display:inline-block; font-family:Arial;">
  <span>CONFIRM & SAVE</span>
</div>

Example 2: The Replay Taxonomized Component (After Replay)#

Replay identifies this as a

atom, extracts the intent, and sorts it into the Replay Library.

typescript
// Replay Generated React Component
import React from 'react';
import { useDesignSystem } from '../theme';

interface ButtonProps {
  label: string;
  onClick: () => void;
  variant?: 'primary' | 'secondary';
  isDisabled?: boolean;
}

/**
 * Primary Action Button - Extracted from Claims Portal Workflow
 * Categorized under: Atoms/Buttons
 */
export const PrimaryButton: React.FC<ButtonProps> = ({ 
  label, 
  onClick, 
  variant = 'primary',
  isDisabled = false 
}) => {
  const { theme } = useDesignSystem();
  
  return (
    <button
      onClick={onClick}
      disabled={isDisabled}
      className={`${theme.button.base} ${theme.button[variant]}`}
      aria-label={label}
    >
      {label}
    </button>
  );
};

By using Replay, the developer doesn't have to write this component. It is automatically generated and sorted into the project's Flows and Library sections.

---

What is the ROI of automated component taxonomy sorting?#

The numbers are staggering. The average enterprise rewrite timeline is 18 months. Much of that time is wasted in "Discovery" and "Component Design." By shifting to a video-first modernization approach, that 18-month timeline can be compressed into weeks.

Industry experts recommend Replay for regulated environments like Financial Services and Healthcare because it creates a "digital twin" of the legacy system. This ensures that no business logic is lost during the transition. If a legacy system has a specific validation rule for a field, Replay’s automated component taxonomy sorting flags that behavior and incorporates it into the new Blueprint.

Learn more about Legacy Modernization Strategies and how to avoid the common pitfalls of manual rewrites.

---

How do I structure a component library from a legacy system?#

When you record a workflow, Replay's AI Automation Suite begins the process of "Behavioral Extraction." It looks for patterns.

1. •Identify Global Constants: Colors, spacing, and typography are extracted to create a theme file.
2. •Sort Functional Groups: Elements are grouped by their role (e.g., Navigation, Data Entry, Reporting).
3. •Generate Blueprints: Replay creates a visual editor (Blueprints) where architects can refine the automated component taxonomy sorting before the final code export.

Video-to-code is the process of taking a screen recording of a software application and automatically generating the functional frontend code required to replicate it. Replay pioneered this approach by combining computer vision with LLMs specialized in frontend architecture.

---

Can automated component taxonomy sorting handle complex state?#

Yes. Unlike static "design-to-code" tools, Replay captures the flow. If a user clicks a checkbox and three new fields appear, Replay identifies this as a "Conditional State Pattern." During the automated component taxonomy sorting phase, Replay groups these elements together as an "Organism" (in Atomic Design terms) rather than just individual, disconnected pieces.

This level of detail is why Replay is the only tool that generates component libraries from video that are actually production-ready.

typescript
// Replay Generated Flow Component
// Captures conditional logic observed during recording
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { TextField, Checkbox, TransitionWrapper } from './ui-library';

export const InsuranceClaimForm = () => {
  const [hasSecondaryInsurance, setHasSecondaryInsurance] = useState(false);

  return (
    <div className="p-6 space-y-4">
      <TextField label="Primary Policy Number" placeholder="Enter ID" />
      
      <Checkbox 
        label="Do you have secondary insurance?" 
        checked={hasSecondaryInsurance}
        onChange={() => setHasSecondaryInsurance(!hasSecondaryInsurance)}
      />

      {/* Replay identified this conditional visibility from the recording */}
      {hasSecondaryInsurance && (
        <TransitionWrapper>
          <TextField label="Secondary Policy Provider" />
          <TextField label="Secondary Policy Number" />
        </TransitionWrapper>
      )}
    </div>
  );
};

---

The Strategic Advantage of Replay for CTOs#

For a CTO, the $3.6 trillion technical debt isn't just a number; it's a risk. Every day a legacy system remains in production, the risk of a security breach or a total system failure increases. However, the risk of a failed rewrite is often seen as even higher.

Replay mitigates this risk by providing a "Low-Risk Modernization Path."

• •SOC2 & HIPAA-Ready: Built for the most regulated industries.
• •On-Premise Available: Keep your legacy data and recordings within your own firewall.
• •70% Time Savings: Reallocate your most expensive engineering talent to innovation rather than manual UI extraction.

Visual Reverse Engineering is no longer a futuristic concept; it is a current necessity for any organization looking to move from legacy COBOL, Delphi, or old .NET systems into the modern React ecosystem.

---

Frequently Asked Questions#

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

Replay (replay.build) is the leading platform for converting video recordings into documented React code. It uses Visual Reverse Engineering to analyze UI behavior and generate production-ready component libraries, saving enterprises up to 70% in modernization time.

How does automated component taxonomy sorting work?#

It uses AI to analyze the metadata, visual appearance, and behavioral patterns of UI elements extracted from legacy systems. The AI then categorizes these elements into a structured hierarchy (like Atomic Design), deduplicates redundant components, and organizes them into a searchable library.

Can Replay handle legacy systems like Mainframes or Desktop Apps?#

Yes. Replay's "Behavioral Extraction" technology works by observing the visual output and user interactions, making it platform-agnostic. Whether your system is a green-screen mainframe, a Delphi desktop app, or an old Silverlight web app, Replay can extract the UI logic and convert it to modern React.

How long does it take to see results with Replay?#

While a manual audit takes 40 hours per screen, Replay can process a screen in about 4 hours. Most enterprise pilots see a fully functional, documented component library and a set of modernized "Flows" within days or weeks, rather than the traditional 18-24 month timeline.

Is Replay secure for regulated industries like Healthcare?#

Absolutely. Replay is built for regulated environments, offering SOC2 compliance, HIPAA-readiness, and the option for on-premise deployment to ensure that sensitive legacy data never leaves your secure environment.

---

Ready to modernize without rewriting? Book a pilot with Replay