State management is one of those topics that can be confusing in React. There are so many options: useState, useContext, Redux, Zustand, Jotai, and more. When I first started with React, I wasn't sure which one to use or when. After working with different approaches, I've learned that the right choice depends on your specific needs.

State management is about how you store and update data in your application. In React, you have component state, which is local to a component, and application state, which is shared across multiple components. The challenge is deciding when to use which approach.

Starting with useState

For most React applications, useState is where you should start. It's simple, built into React, and handles most use cases. If your state is only needed in one component or a few closely related components, useState is perfect.

useState is great for form inputs, UI toggles, and other local state. It's straightforward to use, and there's no setup required. You just call useState with an initial value, and you get back the current value and a function to update it.

The problem with useState is that it doesn't scale well when you need to share state between components that are far apart in your component tree. Passing props down through many levels, or "prop drilling," becomes tedious and hard to maintain.

The Context API

React's Context API solves the prop drilling problem. You create a context, provide a value at a high level in your component tree, and consume it anywhere below. This makes it easy to share state across components without passing props.

Context is great for data that many components need but doesn't change often. Things like theme settings, user authentication, or language preferences work well with Context.

The downside of Context is that it can cause performance issues if not used carefully. When a context value changes, all components that consume that context re-render, even if they only need part of the data. This can lead to unnecessary re-renders.

Redux for complex state

Redux is a popular state management library that's been around for a while. It provides a centralized store for your application state and uses actions and reducers to update that state. Redux is powerful but comes with a lot of boilerplate.

Redux makes sense when you have complex state logic that involves multiple reducers, middleware, or time-travel debugging. It's also useful when you need to share state across many components and want predictable state updates.

The Redux Toolkit has made Redux much easier to use. It reduces boilerplate and provides better defaults. If you're going to use Redux, use Redux Toolkit—it's the recommended way.

But Redux might be overkill for many applications. If your state is simple and you don't need Redux's advanced features, the added complexity isn't worth it.

Modern alternatives

There are newer state management libraries that try to be simpler than Redux while still providing powerful features. Zustand is one example—it's lightweight and has a simple API. Jotai uses atomic state, which can be more efficient for certain use cases.

These libraries can be good middle grounds between useState and Redux. They provide more structure than useState but less boilerplate than Redux.

When to use what

The choice of state management depends on your needs. Start with useState for local state. If you need to share state, try Context first. Only move to Redux or other libraries if you have specific needs they address.

For most applications, a combination of useState and Context is enough. Use useState for local state, and use Context for shared state that doesn't change often. This keeps things simple while still being flexible.

State management patterns

Regardless of which tool you use, there are some patterns that help. Keep state as close to where it's used as possible. Don't lift state up further than necessary. This makes your code easier to understand and maintain.

Separate concerns. UI state (like whether a modal is open) is different from business logic state (like user data). Keep them separate, and you'll have cleaner code.

Consider using state management libraries for complex business logic, but keep UI state local when possible. This separation makes your code more maintainable.

The bottom line

State management in React doesn't have to be complicated. Start simple with useState, use Context when you need to share state, and only add Redux or other libraries if you have specific needs.

The best state management solution is the simplest one that meets your needs. Don't over-engineer it. You can always refactor to a more complex solution later if you need to.

Most React applications can get by with just useState and Context. Learn those well, and you'll be able to build most applications. Add Redux or other libraries only when you have a clear reason to do so.