Show HN: I reverse engineered top websites to build an animated UI library

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Performance & resource usage

  • Several users report the site is “heavy”: high GPU usage (e.g., ~70% on a modern GPU), low FPS on Linux without drivers, and even hard crashes on an older iPad.
  • Creator acknowledges limited testing (mostly Chrome on M1), sees “plenty of room” for optimization, and has already improved from an even worse initial state.
  • Debate on whether visual polish vs performance is a real tradeoff; some argue good optimization should deliver both.

Animations, taste, and accessibility

  • Strong split between people who love the animations and those who find animated UIs unnecessary or even harmful.
  • Concerns raised about low-vision users, users on low-spec hardware or remote connections, and increased energy use.
  • Some point out prefers-reduced-motion as the right mechanism; others say it’s not reliably honored by all browsers.
  • Author says respecting reduced motion and improving a11y is on the roadmap; currently many components are more decorative than functional.

Ethics, originality & “reverse engineering” branding

  • Some see this as “selling clones” or “blatant design theft,” especially given the “reverse engineered” branding and visible similarity to specific sites.
  • Others counter that clean-room reimplementations are common, styles and patterns aren’t copyrightable, and buyers are paying for time saved, packaging, and polish.
  • A few worry about legal liability for both seller and buyers, and suggest a name/positioning change (e.g., “inspired UI”) to avoid the implication of stolen code.
  • The author repeatedly stresses all code is written from scratch, some patterns are original, and inspirations are credited.

Pricing, dark patterns & business setup

  • Mixed reactions to a $50 paywall. Many say they’d happily pay; others dislike monetizing “inspired” work.
  • One user calls the “Login to access the code” → “Unlock the code” flow a dark pattern; author agrees it’s misleading relative to intent and plans to improve messaging and add free components.
  • Discussion about UK business compliance: some accuse the site of ignoring regulations; others clarify VAT thresholds and that self-employed individuals have fewer display requirements. Author says they’ll address this as the project grows.

Implementation details, customization & ecosystem

  • Components use React, Framer Motion, and MUI’s sx prop; Tailwind was avoided to serve non-Tailwind projects.
  • Buyers get an npm package plus raw code via a private GitHub repo; some initial confusion about access and modifiability is resolved in-thread.
  • Several users emphasize the importance of deep customization; author says full customization through the package is still being improved, while raw code is always editable.
  • Requests appear for à la carte pricing, React Native versions, Astro integration, clearer icon/tooltips, and more info on implementation.
  • Bugs reported include Safari layout issues and unclear toolbar icons; author is receptive and plans fixes.

AI’s role in recreating UIs

  • One commenter claims current models can reproduce UIs and animations from screenshots with guidance, making this kind of work less special.
  • Others say generating truly high-quality, complex animated components from screenshots is still unreliable.
  • Author states no AI or copied code was used; all components were hand-built.