Improve page load times and rendering

app/(app)/create/utils/createFlowPaths.ts

@@ -7,13 +7,14 @@ import type { CreateFlowStep } from "../types";
 import {
   CREATE_FLOW_MANAGE_STAKEHOLDERS_QUERY,
   CREATE_FLOW_REVIEW_RETURN_QUERY_KEY,
+  FIRST_STEP,
 } from "./flowSteps";
 
 export const CREATE_ROUTES = {
   root: "/",
   createRoot: "/create",
-  /** First step resolves via redirect from `/create`. */
-  createFirstStep: "/create",
+  /** Direct path to the first wizard step so client navigations skip the redirect hop. */
+  createFirstStep: `/create/${FIRST_STEP}`,
   review: "/create/review",
   finalReview: "/create/final-review",
   completed: "/create/completed",

app/(app)/create/utils/prepareFreshCreateFlowEntry.ts

@@ -4,19 +4,73 @@ import { clearCoreValueDetailsLocalStorage } from "./coreValueDetailsLocalStorag
 
 import { isBackendSyncEnabled } from "../../../../lib/create/backendSyncEnabled";
 
+/**
+ * Sentinel set on click and cleared once the in-flight DELETE settles. Read by
+ * {@link SignedInDraftHydration} so it skips the server draft fetch while the
+ * fresh-entry cleanup is racing the user's first paint of `/create`.
+ */
+export const FRESH_ENTRY_PENDING_KEY = "create:fresh-entry-pending";
+
+export function hasFreshEntryPending(): boolean {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined") return false;
+  try {
+    return window.sessionStorage.getItem(FRESH_ENTRY_PENDING_KEY) === "1";
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+function setFreshEntryPending(): void {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined") return;
+  try {
+    window.sessionStorage.setItem(FRESH_ENTRY_PENDING_KEY, "1");
+  } catch {
+    /* ignore — sessionStorage may be unavailable */
+  }
+}
+
+function clearFreshEntryPending(): void {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined") return;
+  try {
+    window.sessionStorage.removeItem(FRESH_ENTRY_PENDING_KEY);
+  } catch {
+    /* ignore */
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Call **before** navigating into `/create` from marketing or profile “new rule”
  * entry points so signed-in + sync matches an anonymous fresh start: wipe
  * `localStorage` draft keys and, when sync is on, `DELETE /api/drafts/me`.
- * Anonymous `DELETE` is harmless (401). Await ensures the server draft is gone
- * before mount so {@link SignedInDraftHydration} does not rehydrate stale work.
+ *
+ * Synchronous variant: returns immediately after clearing local state and
+ * scheduling the server draft delete in the background. Sets a sessionStorage
+ * sentinel that {@link SignedInDraftHydration} checks before fetching, so the
+ * brief race window does not hydrate from a not-yet-deleted server draft.
  *
  * Do **not** use for “Continue draft” — that path should load the server draft.
  */
+export function prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync(): void {
+  clearAnonymousCreateFlowStorage();
+  clearCoreValueDetailsLocalStorage();
+  if (!isBackendSyncEnabled()) return;
+  setFreshEntryPending();
+  void deleteServerDraft().finally(clearFreshEntryPending);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Awaitable variant kept for callers that genuinely need the DELETE to settle
+ * before continuing (e.g. tests, programmatic reset flows). Most click handlers
+ * should use {@link prepareFreshCreateFlowEntrySync} for instant navigation.
+ */
 export async function prepareFreshCreateFlowEntry(): Promise<void> {
   clearAnonymousCreateFlowStorage();
   clearCoreValueDetailsLocalStorage();
-  if (isBackendSyncEnabled()) {
+  if (!isBackendSyncEnabled()) return;
+  setFreshEntryPending();
+  try {
     await deleteServerDraft();
+  } finally {
+    clearFreshEntryPending();
   }
 }