fix(table-core): clear row value caches when column defs are replaced

Rows outlive column-definition swaps, so a column whose accessorFn changed
kept serving the previous accessor's value.

Fixes #5363

Author: ahmadelsayed97

.changeset/stale-accessor-values.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@tanstack/table-core': patch
+---
+
+Clear row value caches when column definitions are replaced, so a column whose `accessorFn` changes no longer serves the value produced by the previous accessor.

packages/table-core/src/core/table/coreTablesFeature.utils.ts

@@ -186,6 +186,34 @@ export function table_mergeOptions<
   ) as TableOptions<TFeatures, TData>
 }
 
+/**
+ * Clears every built row's accessor-value caches. Both are keyed by column id
+ * and rows outlive column-definition swaps, so a replaced `accessorFn` would
+ * otherwise never be read again. Emptied in place because sorted and grouped
+ * row clones share these objects by reference.
+ */
+function table_clearRowValueCaches<
+  TFeatures extends TableFeatures,
+  TData extends RowData,
+>(table: Table_Internal<TFeatures, TData>): void {
+  if (!table._rowModels.coreRowModel) {
+    return
+  }
+
+  const rows = table.getCoreRowModel().flatRows
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < rows.length; i++) {
+    const row = rows[i]!
+
+    for (const key in row._valuesCache) {
+      delete row._valuesCache[key]
+    }
+    for (const key in row._uniqueValuesCache) {
+      delete row._uniqueValuesCache[key]
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Updates the table options object.
  *
@@ -213,6 +241,9 @@ export function table_setOptions<
     table.options as TableOptions<TFeatures, TData>,
   )
   const mergedOptions = table_mergeOptions(table, newOptions)
+  if (mergedOptions.columns !== table.options.columns) {
+    table_clearRowValueCaches(table)
+  }
 
   if (table.optionsStore) {
     table.optionsStore.set(() => mergedOptions)

packages/table-core/tests/unit/core/rows/coreRowsFeature.utils.test.ts

@@ -96,6 +96,14 @@ function makeNestedTable(
   })
 }
 
+function makeAccessorTable(accessorFn: (person: Person) => string) {
+  return constructTable({
+    features,
+    data: generateTestData(1),
+    columns: [{ id: 'name', accessorFn }],
+  })
+}
+
 describe('row_getValue', () => {
   it('should read and cache the accessor value', () => {
     const table = makeTable(1)
@@ -113,6 +121,62 @@ describe('row_getValue', () => {
 
     expect(row_getValue(row, 'not-a-column')).toBeUndefined()
   })
+
+  it('should re-read the value when the column accessor is replaced', () => {
+    const table = makeAccessorTable((person) => `${person.firstName} last`)
+    const row = table.getCoreRowModel().rows[0]!
+    const original = row_getValue(row, 'name')
+
+    table.setOptions((old) => ({
+      ...old,
+      columns: [
+        {
+          id: 'name',
+          accessorFn: (person: Person) => `${person.firstName} replaced`,
+        },
+      ],
+    }))
+
+    expect(table.getCoreRowModel().rows[0]!).toBe(row)
+    expect(row_getValue(row, 'name')).not.toBe(original)
+    expect(row_getValue(row, 'name')).toBe(`${row.original.firstName} replaced`)
+  })
+
+  it('should not expose stale values to subscribers notified during the options update', () => {
+    const table = makeAccessorTable(() => 'original')
+    const row = table.getCoreRowModel().rows[0]!
+    row_getValue(row, 'name')
+
+    const observed: Array<unknown> = []
+    const subscription = table.optionsStore!.subscribe(() => {
+      observed.push(row_getValue(row, 'name'))
+    })
+
+    table.setOptions((old) => ({
+      ...old,
+      columns: [{ id: 'name', accessorFn: () => 'replaced' }],
+    }))
+    subscription.unsubscribe()
+
+    expect(observed).toEqual(['replaced'])
+  })
+
+  it('should call the replacement accessor exactly once per read cycle', () => {
+    const table = makeAccessorTable(() => 'original')
+    const row = table.getCoreRowModel().rows[0]!
+    row_getValue(row, 'name')
+
+    const replacement = vi.fn(() => 'replaced')
+    table.setOptions((old) => ({
+      ...old,
+      columns: [{ id: 'name', accessorFn: replacement }],
+    }))
+
+    row_getValue(row, 'name')
+    row_getValue(row, 'name')
+
+    expect(replacement).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
 })
 
 describe('row_getUniqueValues', () => {
@@ -139,6 +203,20 @@ describe('row_getUniqueValues', () => {
     expect(getUniqueValues).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
   })
 
+  it('should re-read unique values when the column accessor is replaced', () => {
+    const table = makeAccessorTable(() => 'original')
+    const row = table.getCoreRowModel().rows[0]!
+
+    expect(row_getUniqueValues(row, 'name')).toEqual(['original'])
+
+    table.setOptions((old) => ({
+      ...old,
+      columns: [{ id: 'name', accessorFn: () => 'replaced' }],
+    }))
+
+    expect(row_getUniqueValues(row, 'name')).toEqual(['replaced'])
+  })
+
   it('should return undefined for unknown columns', () => {
     const table = makeTable(1)
     const row = table.getRowModel().rows[0]!