Should I learn useEffect fetching or React Query first?
Learn useEffect fetching first to understand the basics of data fetching and the loading, error, and success pattern. Then adopt React Query once you are comfortable, so you understand what the library is doing for you.
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More FAQs in React Query vs useEffect for Data Fetching: Which to Use
useEffect for simple fetches in small apps where caching does not matter. React Query for server state in real apps, where caching, invalidation, refetching, and pagination matter. Match the tool to the app's actual complexity.
It handles caching, invalidation, refetching on focus, retries, pagination, and mutations. With useEffect you hand-roll all of this. React Query removes most hand-written fetching logic for real apps.
For simple apps with a few fetches, yes. For real apps with many fetches, shared data, and refetching concerns, React Query is worth the dependency because it removes significant boilerplate.
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