Frontend · Comparison
Zustand vs Redux vs TanStack Query
Zustand and Redux manage state that lives in the browser; TanStack Query manages data that lives on a server. Many apps use one of the first two alongside the third.
3 options · 7 questions side by side · updated
| Compare | Zustand | Redux | TanStack Query |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manages | Client state | Client state, plus server data with RTK Query | Server data: fetching and caching |
| Setup | A few lines, no provider | A store, slices and a provider | A client and a provider |
| Boilerplate | Very little | Moderate with Redux Toolkit | Little |
| DevTools | Through Redux DevTools | Redux DevTools with time travel | Its own DevTools for the cache |
| Size | Tiny | Larger | Medium |
| Learning curve | Low | Moderate | Moderate |
| Best for | Carts, settings, UI toggles | Large apps with complex shared state | Lists, details and forms backed by an API |
How to choose between Zustand, Redux and TanStack Query
- Pick Zustand for simple shared client state with almost no setup.
- Pick Redux Toolkit for large apps where strict patterns and detailed debugging pay off.
- Pick TanStack Query whenever the data comes from an API, and add Zustand or Redux only for what remains.
The options
- ZustandA small, simple library for sharing state between React components, with a store you create in a few lines and read with a hook.
- ReduxA library that keeps an app's shared state in one central store and changes it only through named actions, which makes every change predictable and traceable.
- TanStack QueryA library that fetches, caches and refreshes data from servers and APIs, so screens show loading states, stay up to date and avoid duplicate requests without hand-written code.
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