thedaviddias / session-timeout-recovery
Use when reviewing authenticated user flows or long forms. Check both client and server behavior: warning timing, dialog accessibility, autosave frequency, timeout extension, and post-login state restoration.
Prevent data loss from session timeouts
Users with cognitive, motor, or vision disabilities may need longer to finish forms and authenticated tasks. Silent session expiry can erase work, force a restart, and block completion of important transactions.
Quick Reference
- Warn users before a timeout causes lost work
- Allow time extension for content-controlled time limits when feasible
- Autosave or preserve entered data across logout and re-authentication
- Keep timeout dialogs keyboard accessible and announced to assistive technology
Check
Review authenticated flows, forms, and long-running tasks for inactivity timeouts. Verify users are told the timeout duration, warned before expiry, can extend the session when allowed, and can resume after re-authenticating without losing work.
Fix
Add an accessible timeout warning, preserve drafts or submitted data across session expiry, and restore the user to the same step after re-authentication. Where the time limit is content-controlled, offer turn off, adjust, or extend behavior when feasible.
Explain
Explain how timeout warnings, extension controls, autosave, and re-authentication recovery reduce data loss and align with WCAG enough-time guidance.
Code Review
Review authenticated forms, checkout flows, editors, and long-running tasks related to Prevent data loss from session timeouts. Flag routes or components that can expire silently, discard entered data, or block recovery after re-authentication.
For full implementation details, code examples, and framework-specific guidance,
see references/rule.md.
Rule page: https://frontendchecklist.io/rules/accessibility/session-timeout-recovery