State Management

State management is the heart of any complex React application. It determines how data flows, how components communicate, and ultimately, how performant your user interface feels. In this module, we move beyond useState to explore professional-grade solutions for managing global client state, server cache, and complex component hierarchies.

We will deconstruct the “prop drilling” problem, visualize the difference between Flux-like architectures (Redux) and atomic updates (Zustand), and master the separation of server state (React Query) from UI state.

Learning Objectives

  • Architectural Decision Making: Know when to use Context, Zustand, Redux, or React Query.
  • Performance Optimization: Prevent unnecessary re-renders using selectors and memoization.
  • Server State Mastery: Handle caching, background refetching, and optimistic updates without boilerplate.
  • Pattern Recognition: Identify and refactor “state bloat” and “prop drilling” anti-patterns.

Module Contents

### [1. Zustand vs Redux](/react/02-state-management/zustand-vs-redux/) Compare the heavy-lifting industry standard (Redux) with the modern, minimalist challenger (Zustand). Visualize the boilerplate difference and understand the trade-offs between centralized and atomic state models. ### [2. React Query](/react/02-state-management/react-query/) Stop treating server data like local state. Learn how `tanstack-query` (React Query) handles the hard parts of data fetching: caching, deduping, background updates, and stale-while-revalidate patterns. ### [3. Context API Patterns](/react/02-state-management/context-api-patterns/) Master the built-in Context API without killing performance. Learn the "Split Context" pattern to separate state from dispatch and avoid the common pitfall of re-rendering the entire app on every keystroke. ### [Review & Cheat Sheet](/react/02-state-management/module-review/) Test your knowledge with interactive flashcards and grab a quick-reference cheat sheet comparing all state management solutions discussed.

Module Chapters