What Is State Management?
State management handles how application data (state) is stored, updated, and shared across components. In frontend apps, state includes user data, UI state, form inputs, and server data. Solutions range from React's built-in useState to libraries like Redux, Zustand, and TanStack Query.
How State Management Works
React state levels: local state (useState for a single component), shared state (context or Zustand for cross-component), server state (TanStack Query for API data caching). Most apps need all three. The mistake is putting everything in global state — keep state as local as possible.
Key Concepts
- Local State — Component-level state — form inputs, toggles, counters — no library needed
- Global State — App-wide state shared across many components — user session, theme, feature flags
- Server State — Data from APIs — cached, revalidated, and synchronized with TanStack Query or SWR
- Immutable Updates — Create new state objects instead of mutating — enables change detection and undo/redo
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Redux?
Probably not. React's built-in useState + useContext handles most cases. Zustand is simpler for global state. TanStack Query handles server state. Redux is for complex, highly interactive apps.
What's the best state management library?
Zustand for simple global state, Jotai for atomic state, TanStack Query for server state. Choose based on your needs, not popularity.