App State Gone Wild: Why Data Disappears (And How to Stabilize Your App)

Your app shows a list, you click to edit, and returning to the list shows different results. A badge says “3 new” on one page and “0” on another. A change saves and then vanishes after refresh. When screens disagree about what is true, your app state—the memory of what happened—has gone wild. Vibe‑coding can trigger this because a single prompt can update several places without tightening how they coordinate.

How users feel state bugs

• Numbers and counts that disagree across screens
• Edits that appear, then disappear after a refresh
• Lists that show duplicates or miss recent items

These issues erode confidence because people cannot predict outcomes.

Bring state under control with a few habits

Pick one source of truth for each important thing—current user, current list, current selection—and update it in one place. Avoid building new copies of the same idea on different screens. When you need to show the same thing in two places, reuse the same piece of logic instead of creating a new one.

• Name the one source of truth for user/session and always read from it
• After a save, refresh the data behind the screen so it reflects changes
• Remove duplicate versions of the same list or card component
• Show a loading or “saved” state so people know what is happening

Why AI app generation struggles with state

Generated code is great at creating self‑contained screens. When several screens need to agree, the glue becomes important. Without guidance, the AI can create a second version of something that already exists, and the two versions fall out of step. Asking to reuse and adapt shared pieces keeps data consistent across the app.

Decide what matters and keep it steady

Not every flicker is worth fixing, but the basics are. The items a person created should appear in their list. The number at the top should match the number in the filter. A saved change should stay saved. Stabilize those, and people will trust the rest as you evolve the product.

If your app keeps showing different truths to different users, Spin by fryga can help you consolidate the pieces and make screens agree so people trust what they see.

A simple state‑stabilizing routine

Pick one screen as the “source screen” for a piece of information, like the main list. Make every other screen that shows that info read from the same place. After an action (create, edit, delete), refresh the source once and let others follow. This keeps numbers and lists aligned without complicated wiring.

Add explicit states so users see what is happening:

• Loading: show a short placeholder so people know data is on the way
• Empty: explain what appears here later and offer a next step
• Saved: confirm success with a short message that fades

These small cues reduce confusion and support fewer “did it save?” questions.

Example: a list that loses edits

You edit an item from the list, the edit screen saves, but the list still shows the old value until refresh. The list has its own stale copy. Fix it by updating the shared source and asking the list to fetch fresh data after the save. If you cannot fetch, update the list’s display with the edited value so the screen reflects what just happened.

What not to over‑optimize early

You do not need a grand state system at MVP. Start with clarity, not complexity. One source of truth, a refresh after changes, and visible states will take you far. Revisit structure only when features demand it.