How Accounts & Data Work
Sessions, caches, service workers, sync, backups, uploads and the difference between deleting an app and deleting an account.
The invisible mechanics
Each page answers one durable question, then points to the neighboring layer so you can understand the system rather than collect disconnected definitions.
Uninstalling an App
Removing an app’s installed software from a device without automatically deleting the user’s account or every copy of associated data.
Understand it →authentication conceptLogin Session
A temporary state that lets a service recognize an already authenticated user without asking for full credentials on every request.
Understand it →account behaviorStaying Logged In
The experience of returning to a service and being recognized because a valid session or trusted-device state is still available.
Understand it →technical conceptCache
A temporary store of previously fetched or generated data kept closer to the user so an app or website can load faster or work with fewer network requests.
Understand it →web technologyService Worker
A browser worker that can sit between a web app and the network to support caching, offline experiences, background events and persistent notifications.
Understand it →service capabilityOffline Mode
A design that lets some app or web functionality continue when the network is unavailable by using data or software already stored on the device.
Understand it →data processCloud Sync
Keeping versions of data aligned across a device and remote service so changes in one place can propagate to others.
Understand it →data protection conceptBackup
A separate recoverable copy of important data designed to help restore information after loss, corruption or accidental deletion.
Understand it →data processUpload
Sending a file or data from a local device to a remote service or another system.
Understand it →data conceptPhoto Metadata
Information stored alongside an image, potentially including capture time, device details, editing data or location.
Understand it →