javascript state management architecture

Understanding Modern State Management

Rohit
2 min read

State management is the backbone of any interactive application. As applications grow in complexity, managing state becomes increasingly challenging.

The Evolution of State

The journey of state management in web applications has been fascinating:

  1. jQuery Era – State lived in the DOM
  2. MVC Frameworks – Two-way data binding
  3. Flux/Redux – Unidirectional data flow
  4. Modern Solutions – Atomic and signal-based approaches
Loading diagram...

Choosing the Right Tool

Not every application needs Redux. Here’s a simple framework:

ComplexityRecommended Approach
SimpleReact useState/useContext
MediumZustand, Jotai
ComplexRedux Toolkit, MobX
Server StateTanStack Query, SWR

Key Principles

Regardless of which tool you choose, these principles remain constant:

  • Single source of truth – Avoid duplicating state
  • Immutability – Never mutate state directly
  • Predictability – Same input should produce same output

Conclusion

The best state management solution is the simplest one that meets your needs. Start simple and add complexity only when necessary.