react-state-management

React state management tools differ by scope: Context API for simple global state, Zustand or Jotai for complex client state, and TanStack Query or SWR for server state. Choosing depends on whether your state is local, global, or server-fetched.

To prevent prop drilling in a scalable React app, implement global state management solutions like Zustand, Jotai, or the Context API to access state directly in deeply nested components without passing props.

Setting up a Zustand store for global application state involves creating a custom hook with the state properties and action functions. This approach avoids prop drilling and provides direct state access across components.

Use TanStack Query or SWR instead of Context API when managing server state, as they handle data fetching, caching, and synchronization. Context API is better suited for simple client-side global state like user authentication.

For a large React e-commerce app, manage user authentication with Context API, use Zustand for the shopping cart, and handle fetched product data with TanStack Query to ensure scalable and normalized state architecture.