React State Management Comparison

useState For local component state. Simple, built-in, no extra dependencies.

Context API For app-wide settings (theme, locale, auth). Avoid for frequently changing data due to re-render issues.

Zustand For client state shared across components. Minimal API, no provider needed, selective subscriptions prevent unnecessary re-renders.

React Query (TanStack Query) For server state (API data). Handles caching, refetching, loading/error states. Not for client-only state.

Decision Guide - UI state (modals, forms): useState - App config (theme, auth): Context or Zustand - Shared client state: Zustand - Server data: React Query