Alpine.$persist() used as direct store displays `[Object Object]` before hydration

[saeidex]

Alpine.js version

v3.15.12

Browser and operating system

Helium(Chromium based) on Windows

Describe the issue you're experiencing

Alpine.$persist() behaves differently depending on how it is used.

When used inside an object store, everything works as expected.

Alpine.store("language", {
    current: Alpine.$persist("EN").as("language"),

    toggle() {
        this.current = this.current === "EN" ? "IT" : "EN";
    },
});

<button
    x-data
    x-cloak
    x-on:click="$store.language.toggle()"
    x-text="$store.language.current"
></button>

Result:

• Initial value: EN
• Persist works
• Updates work

However, when Alpine.$persist() is used directly as single store value:

Alpine.store("language", Alpine.$persist("EN").as("language"));

<button
    x-data
    x-cloak
    x-on:click="$store.language === 'EN' ? $store.language = 'IT' : $store.language = 'EN'"
    x-text="$store.language"
></button>

Initial render displays:

[Object Object]

instead of:

EN

After persistence/hydration, value behaves differently than expected.

Expected behavior

Direct store should behave same as persisted property inside object store.

Alpine.store("language", Alpine.$persist("EN").as("language"));

should make:

$store.language

evaluate to:

EN

not persistence wrapper object.

Code snippets to reproduce the issue

Alpine.store("language", Alpine.$persist("EN").as("language"));

<button
    x-data
    x-cloak
    x-on:click="$store.language === 'EN' ? $store.language = 'IT' : $store.language = 'EN'"
    x-text="$store.language"
></button>

Screenshots/screen recordings

shows:

How do you expect it to work?

Please confirm (incomplete submissions will not be addressed)

• I have provided easy and step-by-step instructions to reproduce the bug.
• I have provided code samples as text and NOT images.
• I understand my bug report will be removed if I haven't met the criteria above.

[joshhanley]

@saeidex thanks for reporting! I've submitted a PR #4859 with a fix.