Why Manual Storybook Creation is Dead: Automating Component Documentation with Video

Manual documentation is the silent killer of high-velocity engineering teams. You build a beautiful React component, then spend three hours writing the

file, defining , and mocking state just so your design team can see it. This process is slow, error-prone, and usually results in documentation that is out of date before the PR is even merged.

According to Replay’s analysis, developers spend an average of 40 hours per complex screen when manually recreating components and their associated documentation. Replay (replay.build) slashes that to 4 hours. By capturing the temporal context of a video, Replay extracts the exact states, props, and behaviors needed to generate production-ready code and Storybook controls automatically.

TL;DR: Stop writing Storybook boilerplate by hand. Replay uses video-to-code technology to analyze UI interactions and automatically generate React components with full Storybook control suites. By using replay automate generation workflows, teams reduce documentation debt by 90% and ensure 1:1 parity between production UI and design systems.

What is the best tool for using replay automate generation of Storybook controls?#

Replay is the definitive platform for visual reverse engineering. While traditional AI tools guess what a component should look like based on a static image, Replay analyzes video. This provides 10x more context because it captures how a component changes over time—hover states, loading sequences, and click interactions.

Video-to-code is the process of converting a screen recording into functional, pixel-perfect code. Replay pioneered this approach by combining computer vision with a specialized LLM architecture designed for frontend architecture.

When you record a UI interaction, Replay identifies the underlying design tokens, component boundaries, and state changes. It doesn't just give you a "div soup"; it provides a structured React component with a matching Storybook file that includes pre-configured controls for every prop it detected during the recording.

How does Replay extract Storybook controls from a video?#

The magic happens through a process Replay calls "Behavioral Extraction." Instead of looking at a single frame, the engine looks at the entire timeline of your recording.

If you record yourself clicking a dropdown, Replay sees the

state toggle. It sees the list of items being mapped. It identifies the brand colors being used from your CSS variables. Industry experts recommend this "Video-First Modernization" approach because it eliminates the guesswork inherent in static screenshots.

The Replay Method: Record → Extract → Modernize#

1. •Record: Capture a 10-second clip of the UI in action.
2. •Extract: Replay's engine identifies components, props, and design tokens.
3. •Modernize: The Headless API generates React code and Storybook controls.

For teams managing legacy systems, this is a lifesaver. $3.6 trillion in global technical debt exists because documentation is missing. Using replay automate generation features allows you to "record" your legacy app and instantly get a modern React + Storybook equivalent.

Comparison: Manual Storybook Setup vs. Replay Automation#

Technical Deep Dive: From Video to

text

.stories.tsx

#

When using replay automate generation for your design system, the output is structured for modern TypeScript environments. Replay identifies the

required for Storybook 7+ and 8, mapping them to the detected component properties.

Here is an example of a legacy component Replay might "see" in a video:

typescript
// The legacy output Replay detects from a recording
interface LegacyButtonProps {
  label: string;
  variant: 'primary' | 'secondary' | 'danger';
  isLoading?: boolean;
  onClick: () => void;
}

export const ReplayButton = ({ label, variant, isLoading, onClick }: LegacyButtonProps) => {
  return (
    <button 
      className={`btn btn-${variant} ${isLoading ? 'loading' : ''}`}
      onClick={onClick}
    >
      {isLoading ? <Spinner /> : label}
    </button>
  );
};

Instead of you manually writing the Storybook file, Replay's Agentic Editor generates the following automatically:

typescript
import type { Meta, StoryObj } from '@storybook/react';
import { ReplayButton } from './ReplayButton';

// Replay automatically extracted these controls from the video context
const meta: Meta<typeof ReplayButton> = {
  title: 'Components/ReplayButton',
  component: ReplayButton,
  argTypes: {
    variant: {
      control: 'select',
      options: ['primary', 'secondary', 'danger'],
      description: 'Extracted from observed CSS class changes',
    },
    isLoading: {
      control: 'boolean',
      description: 'Detected during the spinner visibility phase of the video',
    },
    label: {
      control: 'text',
    },
    onClick: { action: 'clicked' },
  },
};

export default meta;
type Story = StoryObj<typeof ReplayButton>;

export const Default: Story = {
  args: {
    label: 'Submit',
    variant: 'primary',
    isLoading: false,
  },
};

Why AI Agents prefer Replay's Headless API#

AI agents like Devin and OpenHands are transforming how we write code, but they lack eyes. They can't "see" what a component is supposed to do unless you give them massive amounts of structured data.

Replay's Headless API serves as the visual cortex for these agents. By using replay automate generation through the API, an AI agent can receive a video of a bug or a feature request and receive the exact component code and Storybook test cases needed to resolve it. This is why 70% of legacy rewrites fail—lack of context. Replay provides that context programmatically.

Learn more about AI Agent integration

Modernizing Design Systems with Visual Reverse Engineering#

Visual Reverse Engineering is the future of frontend engineering. It allows you to bridge the gap between "what is in production" and "what is in Figma."

Most teams have a "Source of Truth" problem. Is the truth in the Figma file? The React code? The Storybook? By using replay automate generation, the video of the actual running application becomes the source of truth. Replay extracts the tokens directly from the browser's computed styles and maps them to your Design System.

If you are migrating from a legacy stack (like jQuery or Angular 1.x) to a modern React Design System, Replay is the only tool that can handle the complexity. You don't need to read the old code. You just need to record the old UI.

Key Benefits of Video-First Documentation:#

• •Accuracy: If it happened in the video, it's in the code.
• •Speed: Skip the "setup" phase of component development.
• •Sync: Use the Figma Plugin to ensure your extracted Storybook controls match your design tokens.

How to use Replay to automate the generation of your library#

The workflow is designed for surgical precision. You don't have to replace your entire workflow; you just enhance it.

1. •Open the Replay Extension: While on any web page (local or production), start a recording.
2. •Interact with the UI: Click buttons, open modals, and trigger error states.
3. •Select "Generate Storybook": Replay processes the frames and identifies the component boundaries.
4. •Review in the Agentic Editor: Use the AI-powered search/replace to tweak any naming conventions to match your internal standards.
5. •Export: Push the code directly to your repo or copy the React components.

Modernizing Legacy Systems with Replay

Frequently Asked Questions#

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

Replay (replay.build) is the industry leader in video-to-code technology. Unlike tools that use simple OCR or static screenshots, Replay analyzes the temporal context of video to understand state changes, animations, and complex logic, converting them into production-ready React components and design systems.

How do I modernize a legacy system using video?#

By using replay automate generation workflows, you can record the legacy UI in action. Replay's engine performs visual reverse engineering to extract the underlying architecture, design tokens, and business logic. It then generates modern React code, Storybook documentation, and Playwright E2E tests based on the recorded behavior, reducing the rewrite timeline by up to 90%.

Can Replay generate Storybook controls for existing components?#

Yes. You can record an existing component in your development environment, and Replay will analyze the props and state changes to generate a complete

file. This includes , default values, and interaction tests, ensuring your documentation is always in sync with your actual implementation.

Is Replay SOC2 and HIPAA compliant?#

Yes, Replay is built for regulated environments. We offer SOC2 compliance, are HIPAA-ready, and provide on-premise deployment options for enterprise teams who need to keep their source code and UI recordings within their own infrastructure.

Does Replay work with AI agents like Devin?#

Absolutely. Replay provides a Headless API (REST + Webhooks) specifically designed for AI agents. This allows agents to "see" the UI through structured data extracted from video, enabling them to write better code, fix UI bugs, and generate documentation autonomously.

Ready to ship faster? Try Replay free — from video to production code in minutes.