Recently, while building a product with React, I chose Tanstack Query for state management and client-side caching. This got me thinking about the ever-growing ecosystem of state management solutions: Redux, MobX, Zustand, React Context, and new ones seemingly emerging every few months.
Here’s my take after hands-on experience:
The truth is, most applications don’t need multiple state management solutions. Tanstack Query (formerly React Query) handled all our use cases elegantly – from server state caching to local state management. The simplicity of having one well-thought-out solution proved more valuable than mixing multiple libraries.
So why do we have so many options?
It’s not about necessity – it’s about different philosophies and trade-offs. Redux emphasizes predictability, MobX offers simplicity through observables, Zustand brings a minimalist approach, and React Context comes built-in. Each library began as a solution to specific pain points of its time.
My conclusion? Pick one library that aligns with your team’s mental model and stick with it. The proliferation of options doesn’t mean we need to use them all. In fact, the best state management is often the simplest one that covers 90% of your use cases.
The real challenge isn’t choosing between libraries – it’s resisting the urge to add complexity when a simpler solution already works.
What’s your go-to state management solution? Have you found yourself juggling multiple libraries, or has one served all your needs?