Web HIG tip #2: The URL is the interface

[frozonfreak]

Web HIG tip #2: The URL is the interface

Rule: The URL is the single source of truth for tabs, filters, search, pagination, and sort. A deep link must restore the same view someone would reach by using the UI. (Quick #21–22.)

If a filter, tab, search, or sort only lives in component state, refresh wipes it, share lies, and Back does not undo the last change. Support cannot reproduce the view, and "open in a new tab" opens a different product.

Do instead:

• Write view state into the query string (or a path segment) as the user changes it
• Read that URL on load and render from it — do not keep a second source of truth in memory
• Make Back restore the previous view, not dump the user on a generic list

The Web HIG is a behavioral contract for how the web should behave — not a component library.

• Docs: https://frozonfreak.github.io/webhig/
• Quick Reference: https://github.com/frozonfreak/webhig/blob/main/HIG-QUICK.md
• Repo: https://github.com/frozonfreak/webhig