Should My AJAX Filters Remember Selections with the Back Button?

As a developer, it's key to ask the right questions regarding requirements upfront. Assuming users might click the back button and not addressing that is risky. You want to ensure that user experience remains uninterrupted. As for your question, I think it depends on your agreement with the client; generally, you should aim for a smooth user experience.

From a user standpoint, having filters reset when hitting the back button feels broken. Many users expect previous selections to stick. Implementing this in your development is definitely in line with user experience best practices and can avoid causing frustration during use.

I had a similar issue before and honestly didn’t think about filter memory with the back button either. What worked for me was tracking filters via local storage. This way, when users go back, they only see filters applied from the last visited category, which prevents confusion when switching between different categories.

It really depends on your project's needs. If users are expected to switch between filtered views and records often, then yes, it would be wise to build in persistent filters right from the get-go. I've found that putting the filters in the URL parameters not only saves user settings but also makes them bookmarkable and keeps them intact when navigating back and forth.

It’s ultimately your decision. Some websites hit the mark in remembering user selections while others don’t. Solutions include using cookies, server-side management, or updating the URL with GET parameters to manage filter states. If your project doesn’t mention this, it might be a harder sell to your client for additional cost.