Bolt auth

Session Lost on Page Refresh - Auth State Not Persisting

Users log in successfully but get logged out whenever they refresh the page or return later. The session persists during the same browser tab but is lost on navigation or reload.

This happens because authentication state isn't being saved to browser storage or the session storage isn't being retrieved on app initialization.

Error Messages You Might See

User object is undefined after refresh Session expired immediately Auth context lost on navigation
User object is undefined after refreshSession expired immediatelyAuth context lost on navigation

Common Causes

  1. Auth state stored only in React state, not in localStorage/sessionStorage
  2. Session token not being sent in HTTP-only cookies
  3. No auth check on app initialization
  4. Session storage cleared on mount due to conditional logic error
  5. Server-side session not properly configured with persistent backend

How to Fix It

Use useEffect to check for existing session on app mount: useEffect(() => { const token = localStorage.getItem('auth_token'); if(token) validateToken(token); }, [])

Implement persistent session with HTTP-only cookies set by backend on login

Use Next.js middleware to validate session before rendering protected routes

Real developers can help you.

legrab legrab I'll fill this later Taufan Taufan I’m a product-focused engineer and tech leader who builds scalable systems and turns ideas into production-ready platforms. Over the past years, I’ve worked across startups and fast-moving teams, leading backend architecture, improving system reliability, and shipping products used by thousands of users. My strength is not just writing code — but connecting product vision, technical execution, and business impact. Prakash Prajapati Prakash Prajapati I’m a Senior Python Developer specializing in building secure, scalable, and highly available systems. I work primarily with Python, Django, FastAPI, Docker, PostgreSQL, and modern AI tooling such as PydanticAI, focusing on clean architecture, strong design principles, and reliable DevOps practices. I enjoy solving complex engineering problems and designing systems that are maintainable, resilient, and built to scale. rayush33 rayush33 JavaScript (React.js, React Native, Node.js) Developer with demonstrated industry experience of 4+ years, actively looking for opportunities to hone my skills as well as help small-scale business owners with solutions to technical problems Anthony Akpan Anthony Akpan Developer with 8 years of experience building softwares fro startups Victor Denisov Victor Denisov Developer Matthew Butler Matthew Butler Systems Development Engineer @ Amazon Web Services Basel Issmail Basel Issmail ’m a Senior Full-Stack Developer and Tech Lead with experience designing and building scalable web platforms. I work across the full development lifecycle, from translating business requirements into technical architecture to delivering reliable production systems. My work focuses on modern web technologies, including TypeScript, Angular, Node.js, and cloud-based architectures. I enjoy solving complex technical problems and helping teams turn product ideas and prototypes into working platforms that can grow and scale. In addition to development, I often collaborate closely with product managers, business analysts, designers, and QA teams to ensure that solutions align with both technical and business goals. I enjoy working with startups and product teams where I can contribute both as a hands-on engineer and as a technical partner in designing and delivering impactful software. BurnHavoc BurnHavoc Been around fixing other peoples code for 20 years. Omar Faruk Omar Faruk As a Product Engineer at Klasio, I contributed to end-to-end product development, focusing on scalability, performance, and user experience. My work spanned building and refining core features, developing dynamic website templates, integrating secure and reliable payment gateways, and optimizing the overall system architecture. I played a key role in creating a scalable and maintainable platform to support educators and learners globally. I'm enthusiastic about embracing new challenges and making meaningful contributions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use localStorage or sessionStorage?

For remember-me functionality use localStorage. For security-critical apps prefer HTTP-only cookies via backend

How do I auto-login on page load?

Check for stored token/cookie on app mount in a useEffect with empty dependency array, then validate with your backend

What's the difference between client and server session?

Client session lives in browser storage; server session persists authentication on backend with encrypted tokens

Related Bolt Issues

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