How do I choose state tools in a React app?
Use the simplest tool that works: useState for local state, Context for shared and stable state, Redux Toolkit for complex and frequently-updated shared state, and React Query for server state. Do not default to Redux for everything.
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More FAQs in Redux vs useState for a Netflix Clone: Choosing State in React
Only for genuinely complex, frequently-updated shared state like a watchlist. Movie data, auth, search, and modals can be handled with useState, Context, and React Query. Do not default to Redux; use the simplest tool that works.
In Context. Auth is shared across the whole app but changes rarely, so Context is sufficient without Redux's overhead. It is built into React and perfect for user state like this.
As server state with React Query or fetch in useEffect. It does not need Redux unless other parts of the app heavily interact with it. Server state tools handle caching and invalidation for you.
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