glideapps / glideapps/expert-issues
"Force Update" Blocking Screen for Critical PWA Version Control
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Description
**Summary**
Developers need a mechanism to force a **"Critical Update"** notification that blocks app usage until the user refreshes the page. Currently, when users leave a PWA open in the background for days, they remain on an outdated version. If the developer publishes a critical logic change, the user continues to interact with the old frontend, leading to data corruption and logic errors because the version is out of sync.
**Current Problem**
* **Stale Sessions:** PWA caching is aggressive. Users often keep the app open in a browser tab or as an installed app on mobile without fully closing it. The app does not automatically refresh code in the background.
* **Version Mismatch:** If a developer changes a computed column logic or a custom action in the backend, the user's "stale" frontend may try to trigger actions that no longer exist or submit data in an incorrect format.
* **Silent Failures:** Users report bugs that are actually just "old version" issues. Support teams waste time debugging, only to realize the user just needed to reload the page.
**Examples/Scenarios**
* **Logic Change:** A developer fixes a pricing formula. Users on the old version continue to submit orders with the wrong price because their app hasn't fetched the new code.
* **Schema Update:** A new mandatory field is added to a form. The old version of the app doesn't show this field, so the user tries to submit the form, causing a backend error or incomplete data entry.
* **Security/Access:** A developer removes access for a specific role. A user with the app open might still see cached data they shouldn't have access to until they refresh.
**Why This Matters**
* **Data Integrity:** Prevents "zombie" versions of the app from writing incorrect data to the database.
* **Reduced Support Costs:** Eliminates the "Did you try refreshing the page?" conversation.
* **User Trust:** Users get a clear explanation ("Update Required") instead of seeing the app mysteriously break or throw errors.
**Suggested UX**
* **Publishing Option:** In the "Publish" dialog, add a checkbox: **"Force Update / Critical Release"**.
* **Blocking Modal:** When this is triggered, any user active on an older version should see a **Full-Screen Modal** (Overlay) that cannot be dismissed.
* **Message:** "A critical update is available. Please reload the app to continue."
* **Action:** A single button "Reload Now" that triggers a hard refresh of the PWA.
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