In a Single Page Application (SPA), it is common to maintain user states as users navigate through different pages or perform actions. One way to achieve this is by using session storage, which allows you to store data locally on the user’s browser session.

What is Session Storage?

Session Storage is a web API provided by modern browsers to store key-value pairs that are accessible only within the same browser tab or window. The stored data remains available as long as the session remains active, i.e., until the user closes the tab or window.

Storing User States

To store user states using session storage, first, you need to identify the relevant data that needs to be stored. This could be user authentication token, selected preferences, or any other data related to the user session.

To store the data, you can use the setItem method provided by the sessionStorage object in JavaScript. For example, to store the user authentication token:

```javascript sessionStorage.setItem(‘authToken’, ‘yourAuthTokenValue’); ```

Retrieving User States

To retrieve the stored user states, you can use the getItem method provided by the sessionStorage object. For example, to retrieve the user authentication token:

```javascript const authToken = sessionStorage.getItem(‘authToken’); ```

Clearing User States

If you need to remove a specific user state from the session storage, you can use the removeItem method. For example, to remove the user authentication token:

```javascript sessionStorage.removeItem(‘authToken’); ```

If you want to clear all the user states stored in the session storage, you can use the clear method:

```javascript sessionStorage.clear(); ```

Using Session Storage Effectively

While session storage can be handy for maintaining user states in a JavaScript SPA, it’s important to use it effectively and judiciously. Here are a few best practices:

1. Store only essential data: Avoid storing sensitive or unnecessary data in session storage, as it is accessible within the same browser window.
2. Clear data when no longer needed: Remove user states from session storage when they are no longer needed to free up memory.
3. Validate stored data: Always validate the retrieved data from session storage before using it, as it could be modified by malicious users.

By using session storage effectively, you can enhance the user experience of your JavaScript SPA by maintaining user states seamlessly.

#Tech #JavaScript