When choosing a state management solution for React, two popular options are Redux and Context API. Let’s compare them:
Redux Implementation
// Store setup with Redux Toolkit
import { createSlice, configureStore } from "@reduxjs/toolkit";
const counterSlice = createSlice({
initialState: { value: 0 },
export const { increment, decrement } = counterSlice.actions;
const store = configureStore({
counter: counterSlice.reducer,
const count = useSelector((state) => state.counter.value);
const dispatch = useDispatch();
<button onClick={() => dispatch(increment())}>+</button>
<button onClick={() => dispatch(decrement())}>-</button>
Context API Implementation
const CounterContext = createContext();
function CounterProvider({ children }) {
const [count, setCount] = useState(0);
const increment = () => setCount(prev => prev + 1);
const decrement = () => setCount(prev => prev - 1);
<CounterContext.Provider value={{ count, increment, decrement }}>
</CounterContext.Provider>
const context = useContext(CounterContext);
throw new Error('useCounter must be used within CounterProvider');
const { count, increment, decrement } = useCounter();
<button onClick={increment}>+</button>
<button onClick={decrement}>-</button>
When to Use Each
Use Redux When:
- You have complex state logic
- Multiple components need the same state
- You need time-travel debugging
- You want predictable state updates
- You’re building a large application
Use Context API When:
- You have simple state logic
- You want to avoid prop drilling
- You’re building a smaller application
- You don’t need middleware
- You want less boilerplate
- Redux: Better performance with large state trees
- Context: Can cause unnecessary re-renders if not used carefully
Conclusion
Both Redux and Context API are valid solutions. Choose based on your application’s complexity and requirements.