Where should shared user state live in React?
In Context. Shared state like the logged-in user and theme is read by many distant components but changes rarely, so Context is sufficient and built into React. Do not put this in local state, which causes prop drilling.
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More FAQs in How to Manage State Across Screens in a React UI App
Categorize state into local UI, shared user, and server. Use useState for local, Context for shared state like auth and theme, and React Query for server state. Lift state to a common parent only when siblings genuinely need it.
As server state with React Query or RTK Query, which handle caching, invalidation, and loading states. Treating fetched data like local state means you lose these features and write more boilerplate.
When siblings need the same state. Lift it to their common parent. Do not lift everything to the root, which creates a giant root component and unnecessary re-renders across the tree.
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