How to avoid duplicate submissions during the submission process?

Duplicate submissions can be effectively prevented through technical controls and procedural safeguards implemented within the submission system. This is feasible and widely practiced across digital platforms. Key principles involve uniquely identifying each submission attempt and enforcing singularity. Necessary conditions include robust server-side validation mechanisms that verify the originality of incoming submissions against stored records or user sessions within a critical time window. Techniques encompass generating unique tokens per session or form instance, utilizing database constraints like unique indexes on core submission data (e.g., user ID and abstract hash), and implementing the POST/REDIRECT/GET pattern to prevent browser refresh resubmissions. The scope of application is primarily web-based interfaces for forms or data entry. Crucially, user interface feedback confirming a successful submission and clear messaging discouraging multiple attempts are vital complementary practices. Practical implementation involves distinct steps: first, design the submission form to include a unique transaction token (e.g., CSRF token) tied to the session. Second, upon form submission, the backend checks this token validity and uniqueness, verifies the core submission data doesn't already exist (using unique indexes or queries), and processes it as an atomic transaction. Third, immediately clear the session token or lock future attempts for that specific submission task. Fourth, respond by redirecting the user to a confirmation page using the POST/REDIRECT/GET pattern. This approach brings significant value by ensuring data integrity, reducing processing errors, enhancing user experience, and minimizing administrative effort in cleaning duplicates.