{"slug": "show-hn-another-alternative-against-codex-record-and-replay", "title": "Show HN:Another alternative against Codex Record and Replay", "summary": "Visual Build launched Automation Skill Builder (ASB), a tool that records desktop workflows and packages them into AI-callable skills via the Model Context Protocol. The platform runs fully offline, deterministic, and local-first, offering an alternative to Codex Record and Replay with free tier of 1,000 calls per month.", "body_md": "## See ASB in action\n\nWatch: fetch Amazon iPhone prices into a CSV file — recorded in ASB, compiled into a reusable skill, zero manual steps.\n\nvisualbuild.me · Automation Skill Builder\n\nUse AI to capture and structure your workflows. What runs is pure logic — deterministic, local-first, and reusable across every assistant.\n\nDesign time\n\nWatch: fetch Amazon iPhone prices into a CSV file — recorded in ASB, compiled into a reusable skill, zero manual steps.\n\n20 min\n\nA 12-step SAP data export — recorded, packaged, and invokable in under 20 minutes\n\n3 run modes\n\nStandalone executables, AI-callable skills, and scheduled jobs — one build, same execution\n\n0 cloud calls\n\nCore automation runs fully offline — no API key needed at runtime\n\nWHY ASB\n\nModels reason about tasks, yet they cannot click, type, or drive your desktop without a bridge.\n\nClassic RPA is heavy to build, fragile when UI changes, and expensive to maintain.\n\nPackage workflows into AI-callable skills through MCP — the same path as Cursor and other assistants.\n\nCORE CAPABILITIES\n\nEight capabilities, one runtime. Build once, reuse across every assistant.\n\nControl and operate desktop applications.\n\nAutomate web tasks and extract data.\n\nConnect services with structured requests.\n\nExtract text and structure from screens and files.\n\nExpose skills to assistants via MCP.\n\nVersion and reuse automations as skills.\n\nRun on your machine with local-first privacy.\n\nChain steps into reliable automations.\n\nTYPICAL SCENARIOS\n\nFINANCE\n\nGenerate reports and data dashboards\n\nERP\n\nAutomated ERP data processing\n\nACCOUNTING\n\nExtract and process invoice data\n\nDATA\n\nCollect website data and content\n\nCOMMS\n\nAutomated email workflows\n\nRPA\n\nReproduce and monitor RPA flows\n\nFrom recording to MCP exposure — every stage visible in the UI.\n\nExecution stays on your hardware.\n\nLogs and records for review.\n\nTighten upstream AI proxy access.\n\nCore automation without mandatory cloud.\n\nGuardrails for vision paths and tools.\n\nSUBSCRIPTION LICENSE\n\nEach time an AI assistant invokes a skill via MCP, that counts as 1 call. A typical automation run uses around 20–30 calls.\n\nStart free — no credit card needed. Every account gets 1,000 calls per month at no cost, resetting on the 1st of each month (your local time). When you're ready to do more, upgrade any time.\n\nFREE\n\n$0\n\n1,000 calls / month\n\n≈ 33–50 skill runs / month\n\nSTARTER\n\n$9 / mo\n\n5,000 calls / month\n\n≈ 165–250 skill runs / month\n\nPRO\n\n$29 / mo\n\n20,000 calls / month\n\n≈ 665–1,000 skill runs / month\n\nGROWTH\n\n$99 / mo\n\n100,000 calls / month\n\n≈ 3,300–5,000 skill runs / month\n\nENTERPRISE\n\nCustom\n\nVolume · SLA · deployment & integrations\n\nTypical run: 20–30 calls. A skill with loops or retries may use more.\n\nAdd-on: +1,000 calls one-time for $2 · All prices USD before tax\n\nShort answers; the manual remains authoritative for operational detail.\n\nTwo lanes—so expectations stay clear whether you are evaluating, self-hosting, or running under a commercial agreement.\n\nThe software may be used and inspected according to its **license** and repository terms.\nDocumentation, issues, and community discussion (where offered) are provided **without warranty**.\n\nCommunity support is best-effort — driven by fellow users and the maintainer when possible. It’s ideal for exploring, learning, and running personal or internal projects. For teams that need faster answers or hands-on help, professional support is available separately.\n\nFor organizations that need **onboarding**, **priority help**,\n**custom integrations**, **security review assistance**, or\n**deployment hardening**, commercial support may be available from the maintainer or partners.\n\nScope, channels, and SLAs are defined in a separate agreement—not on this marketing page. Contact your vendor or project owner for entitlement and pricing.\n\n**Billing and subscriptions:**\n[info@visualbuild.me](mailto:info@visualbuild.me)\n\n**Technical and product issues:**\n[dev@visualbuild.me](mailto:dev@visualbuild.me)", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-another-alternative-against-codex-record-and-replay", "canonical_source": "https://www.visualbuild.me", "published_at": "2026-06-25 06:32:55+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-25 06:43:42.432732+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-tools", "ai-agents", "developer-tools", "robotics"], "entities": ["Visual Build", "Automation Skill Builder", "MCP", "Codex Record and Replay", "Cursor"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-another-alternative-against-codex-record-and-replay", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-another-alternative-against-codex-record-and-replay.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-another-alternative-against-codex-record-and-replay.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/show-hn-another-alternative-against-codex-record-and-replay.jsonld"}}