Redux vs Zustand: A Comprehensive Comparison of React State Management Libraries

Introduction

State management is a fundamental aspect of building React applications. As your app grows, managing state in a predictable and efficient manner becomes crucial. Over the years, Redux has established itself as the de facto standard for managing complex state in React applications. However, the React ecosystem has evolved, and newer libraries like Zustand offer lightweight, flexible alternatives with a fresh philosophy.

In this blog post, we will dive deep into Redux vs Zustand, comparing their philosophies, setup, performance, and use cases. We'll also provide practical code examples so you can see how both libraries work in real-world scenarios. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer, this comprehensive guide will help you choose the right state management tool for your project.

1. Introduction to Redux and Zustand

Redux

Redux is a predictable state container for JavaScript apps, primarily used with React. It enforces a unidirectional data flow and uses a single immutable state tree. Redux’s core concepts are:

• Store: Holds the entire application state.
• Actions: Plain objects describing state changes.
• Reducers: Pure functions that specify how the state updates in response to actions.
• Dispatch: The method to send actions to the store.

Redux promotes explicit state management, making your app’s behavior predictable and easier to debug.

Zustand

Zustand (German for "state") is a minimalistic, unopinionated state management library for React. It leverages React hooks and embraces a simpler API with less boilerplate. Zustand’s core features include:

• No need for reducers or action types.
• Uses hooks (useStore) to access and update state.
• Supports both local and global state with the same API.
• Built-in support for middleware like persistence and devtools.

Zustand focuses on simplicity and performance, providing a more direct way to manage state.

2. Key Differences in Philosophy and Approach

Note: Redux favors explicitness and predictability, which can be beneficial for large-scale applications. Zustand favors developer experience and minimalism, making it attractive for smaller or medium-sized projects.

3. Setup and Configuration Comparison with Code Examples

Redux Setup

Redux requires multiple steps: creating actions, reducers, and configuring the store.

npm install @reduxjs/toolkit react-redux

store.js

import { configureStore, createSlice } from '@reduxjs/toolkit';

const counterSlice = createSlice({
  name: 'counter',
  initialState: { value: 0 },
  reducers: {
    increment: (state) => {
      state.value += 1;
    },
    decrement: (state) => {
      state.value -= 1;
    },
  },
});

export const { increment, decrement } = counterSlice.actions;

const store = configureStore({
  reducer: {
    counter: counterSlice.reducer,
  },
});

export default store;

App.jsx

import React from 'react';
import { Provider, useSelector, useDispatch } from 'react-redux';
import store, { increment, decrement } from './store';

function Counter() {
  const count = useSelector((state) => state.counter.value);
  const dispatch = useDispatch();

  return (
    <div>
      <h2>Redux Counter: {count}</h2>
      <button onClick={() => dispatch(decrement())}>-</button>
      <button onClick={() => dispatch(increment())}>+</button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default function App() {
  return (
    <Provider store={store}>
      <Counter />
    </Provider>
  );
}

Zustand Setup

Zustand requires just one package and minimal setup.

npm install zustand

store.js

import create from 'zustand';

const useStore = create((set) => ({
  count: 0,
  increment: () => set((state) => ({ count: state.count + 1 })),
  decrement: () => set((state) => ({ count: state.count - 1 })),
}));

export default useStore;

App.jsx

import React from 'react';
import useStore from './store';

function Counter() {
  const { count, increment, decrement } = useStore();

  return (
    <div>
      <h2>Zustand Counter: {count}</h2>
      <button onClick={decrement}>-</button>
      <button onClick={increment}>+</button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default Counter;

4. Performance Considerations and Bundle Size

Performance

• Redux: Uses immutable updates and pure reducers, which can cause more re-renders if not optimized carefully. However, its ecosystem supports memoization and selectors (e.g., reselect) to mitigate performance issues.
• Zustand: Uses shallow comparison internally and allows fine-grained subscriptions to state slices, reducing unnecessary re-renders. This can lead to better performance in many cases.

Bundle Size

• Redux (with Redux Toolkit + React-Redux): Approximately ~13 KB gzipped.
• Zustand: Approximately ~1 KB gzipped.

The smaller bundle size of Zustand makes it attractive for projects where performance and minimal footprint are priorities.

5. Learning Curve and Developer Experience

Tip: If you are new to state management, Zustand’s simplicity helps you get started quickly. Redux provides more structure but requires understanding of several concepts.

6. Use Cases – When to Choose Redux vs Zustand

When to Choose Redux

• Large-scale applications with complex state logic.
• Need for middleware (e.g., async actions with Redux Thunk or Saga).
• Requirement for strict immutability and predictable state changes.
• Existing codebase or team familiar with Redux patterns.
• Advanced debugging and time-travel debugging needs.

When to Choose Zustand

• Small to medium applications or prototypes.
• Projects favoring simplicity and minimal boilerplate.
• When performance and bundle size are critical.
• Apps that benefit from direct state manipulation via hooks.
• Developers looking for faster iteration and less ceremony.

7. Code Examples: Same Functionality in Redux and Zustand

Let's implement a todo list with add and toggle functionality in both libraries.

Redux Todo Example

store.js

import { configureStore, createSlice } from '@reduxjs/toolkit';

const todosSlice = createSlice({
  name: 'todos',
  initialState: [],
  reducers: {
    addTodo: (state, action) => {
      state.push({ id: Date.now(), text: action.payload, completed: false });
    },
    toggleTodo: (state, action) => {
      const todo = state.find((t) => t.id === action.payload);
      if (todo) todo.completed = !todo.completed;
    },
  },
});

export const { addTodo, toggleTodo } = todosSlice.actions;

const store = configureStore({
  reducer: {
    todos: todosSlice.reducer,
  },
});

export default store;

App.jsx

import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { Provider, useSelector, useDispatch } from 'react-redux';
import store, { addTodo, toggleTodo } from './store';

function TodoApp() {
  const [text, setText] = useState('');
  const todos = useSelector((state) => state.todos);
  const dispatch = useDispatch();

  const handleAdd = () => {
    if (text.trim()) {
      dispatch(addTodo(text));
      setText('');
    }
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <h2>Redux Todo List</h2>
      <input value={text} onChange={(e) => setText(e.target.value)} placeholder="Enter todo" />
      <button onClick={handleAdd}>Add</button>
      <ul>
        {todos.map((todo) => (
          <li
            key={todo.id}
            onClick={() => dispatch(toggleTodo(todo.id))}
            style={{ textDecoration: todo.completed ? 'line-through' : 'none', cursor: 'pointer' }}
          >
            {todo.text}
          </li>
        ))}
      </ul>
    </div>
  );
}

export default function App() {
  return (
    <Provider store={store}>
      <TodoApp />
    </Provider>
  );
}

Zustand Todo Example

store.js

import create from 'zustand';

const useStore = create((set) => ({
  todos: [],
  addTodo: (text) =>
    set((state) => ({
      todos: [...state.todos, { id: Date.now(), text, completed: false }],
    })),
  toggleTodo: (id) =>
    set((state) => ({
      todos: state.todos.map((todo) =>
        todo.id === id ? { ...todo, completed: !todo.completed } : todo
      ),
    })),
}));

export default useStore;

App.jsx

import React, { useState } from 'react';
import useStore from './store';

function TodoApp() {
  const [text, setText] = useState('');
  const { todos, addTodo, toggleTodo } = useStore();

  const handleAdd = () => {
    if (text.trim()) {
      addTodo(text);
      setText('');
    }
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <h2>Zustand Todo List</h2>
      <input value={text} onChange={(e) => setText(e.target.value)} placeholder="Enter todo" />
      <button onClick={handleAdd}>Add</button>
      <ul>
        {todos.map((todo) => (
          <li
            key={todo.id}
            onClick={() => toggleTodo(todo.id)}
            style={{ textDecoration: todo.completed ? 'line-through' : 'none', cursor: 'pointer' }}
          >
            {todo.text}
          </li>
        ))}
      </ul>
    </div>
  );
}

export default TodoApp;

8. Pros and Cons of Each Approach

9. Migration Considerations

If you have an existing Redux codebase and consider migrating to Zustand:

• Analyze complexity: Large codebases with complex async logic might not benefit immediately.
• Incremental adoption: Zustand can be introduced gradually for new features or modules.
• Refactor async logic: Redux Thunk/Saga middleware logic needs rethinking; Zustand encourages direct async calls inside actions.
• DevTools: Zustand supports Redux DevTools, easing debugging during migration.
• Testing: Ensure thorough testing when switching patterns, as state mutation behavior differs.

10. Conclusion and Recommendations

Both Redux and Zustand are powerful tools for managing React state, but they serve different needs and philosophies.

• Choose Redux if you want a highly predictable, structured, and middleware-rich environment for large, complex applications, especially if you already have experience with it or need advanced debugging capabilities.
• Opt for Zustand if you prefer simplicity, minimal boilerplate, and better performance with a smaller footprint, ideal for small to medium projects or rapid prototyping.

Final thought: Your choice depends on your project requirements, team familiarity, and personal preference. Both libraries are actively maintained and have proven track records.

Additional Resources

• Redux Official Documentation
• Zustand GitHub Repository
• Redux Toolkit
• React State Management Comparison

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