Modern React State Management: A Complete Guide

State management is one of the most crucial aspects of building React applications. As your app grows, managing state effectively becomes the difference between maintainable code and a tangled mess.

Introduction

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore various approaches to state management in React, from basic hooks to advanced patterns.

Local State with useState

import { useState } from 'react';

function Counter() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);
  
  return (
    <div>
      <p>Count: {count}</p>
      <button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>
        Increment
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Global State with Context API

For sharing state across components, React’s Context API provides a built-in solution:

import { createContext, useContext, useReducer } from 'react';

const AppContext = createContext();

function AppProvider({ children }) {
  const [state, dispatch] = useReducer(appReducer, initialState);
  
  return (
    <AppContext.Provider value={{ state, dispatch }}>
      {children}
    </AppContext.Provider>
  );
}

Best Practices

1. Start Simple: Use local state when possible
2. Lift State Up: Move state to common ancestors when needed
3. Consider Performance: Use React.memo and useMemo for optimization
4. Choose the Right Tool: Context for theme/auth, external libraries for complex state

Conclusion

Modern React provides excellent tools for state management. Choose the approach that best fits your application’s complexity and requirements.

Resources

• React Documentation - State and Lifecycle
• Context API Guide
• State Management Libraries Comparison