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Saved February 14, 2026
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This article explains how to extract React components from live websites without access to their source code. It details the process of analyzing the DOM and React Fiber to gather component data, then using a language model to recreate the components based on that information.
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The article outlines a method to extract React components from a production website without needing access to the source code or repository. It emphasizes that React leaves identifiable traces in the browser, allowing users to reconstruct components using these breadcrumbs. The process involves understanding two key structures: the DOM, which displays the webpage, and React Fiber, React's internal representation that keeps track of component details like props and state. By utilizing developer tools, users can access this information and link DOM elements back to their corresponding React components.
To recreate a component, the article suggests gathering multiple instances of the same component with different props and recording their respective HTML outputs. Each instance is tied to the same type in React Fiber, which helps in grouping them together. Once the data is collected, users can prompt a language model (LLM) with examples of the component's usage and its minified source code. The LLM generates a new component based on these inputs.
Verification is crucial in this process. After the LLM produces a component, users must render it with the same props and compare the output to the original website's HTML. This step ensures that the generated component behaves as expected and matches the original. The article provides a clear pathway for developers to replicate React components from live sites, leveraging both the structure of React and the capabilities of language models.
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