One of the problematic aspects of working with React library is State Management. From the developer’s perspective, they need an easy and scalable React state management process for designing efficient and complex UX. React Developers use React hooks to access and share component states across diverse components. But when dealing with more components, the complexity is too much for React hooks to handle. Hence, they use React State Management Libraries in such situations. But, before we get into the specifics of React State Management Libraries let’s understand React State Management.
Must Read: ReactJs: Why use it for your next project?
React State Management
React State represents the section of the component that is variable depending on the user’s action. You can also consider it half of a React app as it includes all the data. The other half is the presentation in It’s a JavaScript object which operates as a memory of the component and stores the properties as well. When users are interacting with the React app, each action can alter the state of multiple components on the app. For instance, when a user is adding products to the cart, adding products to the customer’s cart history, and modifying the count of bought products.
In such a situation with complex elements interacting with each other and sharing states among each other, easily impacts scalability. If robust state management libraries aren’t executed, the task of frequently debugging and fixing the app can instantly turn unsustainable.
Let’s understand React State Management Libraries
React State Management Libraries
React State Management libraries provide a way where state management becomes easy. These libraries are actually a bunch of codes that are useful in handling state management tasks. Selecting and perfecting these libraries is quick and easy. And developers have a wide range of new libraries to pick from.
Various state management libraries in React utilize diverse approaches to acquire the same solution. They also differ from each other in terms of library size, support for languages, documentation, API support, and much more. The preference for the library will also depend on your typical needs, the size of your development project, and the expertise of your developer team.
These are some of the aspects you have to consider before you choose one.
- Usability
- Scalability
- Performance
- Ecosystem
- Modification
- Maintainability
- Community
- Testability
There are many React State Management Libraries out there. Here are some of the best React state management libraries you can consider using for building a scalable React app.
1. Redux
Among all the available libraries Redux maintains the top position. It allows React developers to write applications that work properly and show consistency, execute in diverse environments, and are easy to test. On top of that, it offers a great developer experience.
Using Redux one can easily change the state of user action with user activity you can dispatch an action to the reducer.
It presently has over 8M downloads. For understanding Redux in detail check out the Ultimate Guide on Redux by Webbybutter.
2. HookState
This library is also built using Redux. It is a new library but is well-known to be an alternative/solution to React Hooks. In a short time, the library has gained popularity of being a minimal, performant, and scalable state management library. HookState doesn’t have any reducers, actions, or boilerplate.
Further, it is a TypeScript-first library and is scalable for all types of complex React apps. It also backs plugins that are useful to improve functionality and developer experience. Hookstate is remarkable in the way that it tracks rendered and updated states. It uses concepts such as local state and global state that are identical to native React state management. However, it also brings other concepts such as nested state, scoped state, and asynchronous state. These features let developers have access to complex states, render large states, and use promises to delay specific actions. HookState checks all counts of usability, scalability, and performance.
Promises in React are objects that suggests an asychcronous data operation.
3. Recoil
Recoil is prevalent as it is designed by Facebook and its React-like approach to state management. Presently an experimental library, it’s fairly stable and loaded with powerful features.
The main concepts used in this react state management library are atomsand selectors. An atom is a shared-state unit that conveys a single state property. A component can subscribe to an atom to get its worth. Atoms are comparable to React’s local state but with the added advantage of being shared among various components. But, Recoil is React-dependent and can’t be reused somewhere else. Though, it’s integrated with React Suspense and works well on modifiability and maintainability.
4. Jotai
Jotai is another useful library and executes atomic state management. It retains the benefits of other similar libraries such as performance, simplicity, as well as integration with React Suspense and other libraries on this list. However, the intriguing features include its smaller size, cleaner API, greater TypeScript backing, and deeper maturity. It also handles the atomic state management pretty much like an atom.
Thanks to its garbage collection, Jotai is performant and doesn’t need keys, and depends on JavaScript for tracking its atoms. This eventually leads to automatic garbage collection and optimized memory utilization.
5. Rematch
In comparison to other React State Management libraries, Rematch has lighter, faster, and easier-to-use features. It streamlines the setup, lowers boilerplate, and manages side effects better. It is written in TypeScript and operates with different models.
These models bring state, reducers, and effects within a single entity, using Redux’s most suitable practices and making state management simpler.
The Rematch library is easy to learn when compared to other libraries. It provides a much more enjoyable interface and is lighter as well. For the majority of React projects, developers should check out Rematch, especially those working on a project from scratch.
6. Mobx
Outside Redux and React’s built-in Context API, MobX is likely the most popular state manager out there. MobX takes a slightly distinct approach to state management from Redux.
OOP paradigm and utilizes the observer/observables routine to manage the state. MobX makes an observable data model that your spectators or components can direct to. It then tracks the data accessed by each component and renders it whenever the data differs. Another feature of MobX is immutability. It allows you to update the state silently to avoid side effects.
Further, MobX doesn’t require actions or reducers, any modifications in the state are instantly reflected in components. This makes MobX indeed reactive. But this also suggests shorter and less explicit code. This might be a con for a few developers as it takes out some visibility and authority from them.
Usability, performance, and scalability are no issues for MobX and the library is efficient in modifiability and reusability.
7. Zustand
A small, fast, and scalable minimal state-management solution using simplified flux principles. Contains a relaxing API based on hooks, and isn’t boilerplates or limited. Zustand’s API is founded on hooks and React components can then utilize to get and share state. It easily overcomes common problems in React such as the zombie child problem, context loss between mixed renderers, and React concurrency.
8. X State
X State is useful with React to handle the local state and handle global state. Also, consume data from other hooks. The concept behind it is slightly different than Redux or React Context as it is not required to use a global store or wrap the entire application in a provider.
Wrapping Up
These were some of the useful React State management libraries but, don’t utilize these libraries just because we said so. Layout the specifics of the project you are working analyze the elements of different libraries and then pick one for use.
FAQs
Why use a React State Management Library?
The state management libraries come with pre-built code and help in handling the state of the application.
