State Management: Engineering for Vibe Coders
Many vibe-coded prototypes work great in a demo and then mysteriously break when a second user arrives, a page refreshes, or an AI response arrives out of order. The root cause is often poor or accidental state management.
State is simply the data your application remembers over time. Who the user is, what step they are on, what data has already been loaded, what the AI already said, and what is still in progress. Understanding and planning state early helps your prototype behave consistently and scale without chaos.
1. What is “state” in an application?
State is any information your app needs to remember to function correctly.
Examples include:
- User session or login status
- Current screen, step, or workflow position
- Data fetched from an API
- AI conversation history or context
- Flags like “loading,” “error,” or “completed”
Without clear state management, your app may show incorrect data, repeat actions, or behave differently depending on timing.
🟢 Pre-prototype habit:
Before coding, list the key pieces of information your app must remember between user actions, API calls, or AI responses.
2. Local state vs shared state
Not all state is equal.
- Local state belongs to one component or function
- Shared state is accessed by multiple parts of the app
Examples:
- A text input value is usually local state
- User identity or permissions are shared state
Problems arise when shared state is scattered or duplicated across the app, leading to inconsistency.
🟢 Pre-prototype habit:
Decide which state is local and which must be shared. Write it down before building to avoid accidental duplication.
3. Client-side state vs server-side state
State can live in different places.
- Client-side state lives in the browser or app memory
- Server-side state lives in a backend or database
Client-side state is fast but fragile. It disappears on refresh and can be tampered with. Server-side state is durable and secure but slower and more complex.
AI prototypes often mix both without realizing it.
🟢 Pre-prototype habit:
For each key piece of state, decide where it should live and why. If losing it would break your app, it probably belongs on the server.
4. State over time and asynchronous behavior
State becomes tricky when things happen out of order.
Common issues include:
- API responses arriving later than expected
- Multiple AI requests running at once
- Users clicking faster than the app updates
Without planning, older responses can overwrite newer ones or leave the app in an invalid state.
🟢 Pre-prototype habit:
Sketch how state changes over time, especially when async operations are involved. Decide what happens if responses arrive late or twice.
5. State explosion and hidden complexity
As features grow, state can quietly multiply.
Examples:
- Multiple “loading” flags
- Partial AI responses
- Retry or error states
- Feature toggles
When state is not intentionally designed, it becomes hard to reason about and debug.
🟢 Pre-prototype habit:
Define a small, explicit set of states for each workflow. Avoid adding flags without understanding how they interact.
6. State and AI-specific considerations
AI-powered apps introduce unique state challenges.
Examples include:
- Conversation history and context windows
- Model selection or configuration
- Partial streaming responses
- Cached AI outputs
Mixing AI state with UI state without separation often leads to confusion and bugs.
🟢 Pre-prototype habit:
Separate AI-related state from UI state conceptually, even if they live in the same system initially.
7. Quick pre-prototype checklist
| Checklist Item | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| List all state your app must remember | Prevents accidental loss of data |
| Identify local vs shared state | Avoids duplication and inconsistency |
| Decide client-side vs server-side state | Improves reliability and security |
| Plan state changes over time | Prevents async bugs |
| Limit and define valid states | Reduces complexity |
| Separate AI state from UI state | Improves clarity and maintainability |
Closing note
State management is one of the biggest hidden challenges in software, especially for AI-powered prototypes. Most bugs are not model failures but state failures. Planning state before you build keeps your prototype predictable, debuggable, and easier to grow.
🟢 Pre-prototype habit:
Before writing code, describe your app’s state in plain language. If you cannot explain it clearly, the app will not behave clearly either.
See the full list of free resources for vibe coders!
Still have questions or want to talk about your projects or your plans? Set up a free 30 minute consultation with me!
