Data memory
Firebase lifetime storage as table memory
Firebase turns a browser game from temporary screen state into a table that can survive refreshes, reconnects, and shared links.
Realtime storage is not just where data sits. It defines what the table remembers and what must be cleaned up.
What it protects
Room state can persist beyond one browser session.
Players can rejoin without the table losing the shared context.
Host-started public tables have a durable source of truth.
Design caution
Lifetime storage still needs cleanup rules.
Game state should be shaped like a schema, not scattered flags.
Persistence is a product decision, not only a backend decision.