State Management in React

Managing state in React ranges from simple local useState to global solutions like Context, Redux, or Zustand. Choose based on complexity, team familiarity, and performance needs.

Options at a glance

• Local component state: useState/useReducer — best for isolated UI state.
• Context API: share data across the tree without prop drilling.
• Redux / MobX / Zustand: predictable global stores for complex apps.
• Server state libraries: React Query or SWR for caching remote data.

Patterns and tips

• Prefer local state until you need cross-component sync.
• Normalize large datasets in global stores to avoid duplication.
• Use selectors and memoization to avoid unnecessary renders.
• Keep side effects in effects or middleware (thunks, sagas).

Example using useReducer for predictable local updates:

function reducer(state, action) {
  switch (action.type) {
    case "increment":
      return { count: state.count + 1 };
    default:
      return state;
  }
}

When to lift state

Lift state up when multiple siblings depend on the same data; introduce Context or a small store only when prop drilling becomes awkward.