How does the JSF save the state between multiple page requests?

Question

I have an issue where I will visit my JSF page, enter some information and click a command button. I will then navigate away from the page. Then when I return to the JSF page my data (that was submitted) will be in the form.
Example
1. Navigate to JSF page
http://localhost/MyWeb/form.jsf
2. Enter in value in name field (which is blank)
3. Click the Submit command button attached to an action method that returns null
4. The form is viewable again but with the value entered in the name field
5. Navigate to a non-JSF page
http://localhost/MyWeb/index.jsp
6. Navigate back to JSF page
http://localhost/MyWeb/form.jsf
The page displays the data that I submitted on the previous request. My guess is that JSF stores the viewstate in a scope that is larger than the request scope and that on page view it loads the previous submit attempt (which is not expected).
Specs: Websphere Application Server 6.1 (which is JSF 1.1)

Answer 1

Here is a trace of the phases:
#visit form.jsf
[7/8/09 13:02:53:082 EDT] 00000027 SystemOut O Before Phase: RESTORE_VIEW 1
[7/8/09 13:02:53:082 EDT] 00000027 SystemOut O After Phase: RESTORE_VIEW 1
[7/8/09 13:02:53:097 EDT] 00000027 SystemOut O Before Phase: RENDER_RESPONSE 6
[7/8/09 13:02:55:050 EDT] 00000027 SystemOut O After Phase: RENDER_RESPONSE 6
#visit home.jsp
[7/8/09 13:02:59:753 EDT] 00000027 ServletWrappe I SRVE0242I: [MyWeb] [MyWeb] [home.jsp]: Initialization successful.
#visit form.jsf
[7/8/09 13:03:04:988 EDT] 00000026 SystemOut O Before Phase: RESTORE_VIEW 1
[7/8/09 13:03:05:050 EDT] 00000026 SystemOut O After Phase: RESTORE_VIEW 1
[7/8/09 13:03:05:050 EDT] 00000026 SystemOut O Before Phase: APPLY_REQUEST_VALUES 2
[7/8/09 13:03:05:050 EDT] 00000026 SystemOut O After Phase: APPLY_REQUEST_VALUES 2
[7/8/09 13:03:05:050 EDT] 00000026 SystemOut O Before Phase: PROCESS_VALIDATIONS 3
[7/8/09 13:03:05:050 EDT] 00000026 SystemOut O After Phase: PROCESS_VALIDATIONS 3
[7/8/09 13:03:05:050 EDT] 00000026 SystemOut O Before Phase: UPDATE_MODEL_VALUES 4
[7/8/09 13:03:05:050 EDT] 00000026 SystemOut O After Phase: UPDATE_MODEL_VALUES 4
[7/8/09 13:03:05:050 EDT] 00000026 SystemOut O Before Phase: INVOKE_APPLICATION 5
[7/8/09 13:03:05:066 EDT] 00000026 SystemOut O After Phase: INVOKE_APPLICATION 5
[7/8/09 13:03:05:066 EDT] 00000026 SystemOut O Before Phase: RENDER_RESPONSE 6
[7/8/09 13:03:05:331 EDT] 00000026 SystemOut O After Phase: RENDER_RESPONSE 6
It appears to go through the full lifecycle on the second view of form.jsf instead of stopping after restoring the view.
Edited by: jaredp on Jul 8, 2009 11:26 AM