Zustand vs Jotai vs Redux — choosing React state management

Need to choose a state management solution for a React app. Redux feels heavy for smaller apps, Context re-renders too much, and there are many alternatives with different tradeoffs.

Decision guide: (1) Local component state (useState): use for UI state that doesn't need sharing. (2) URL state (useSearchParams): use for filters, pagination, active tabs — shareable via link. (3) Server state (TanStack Query/SWR): use for data fetched from APIs — handles caching, refetching, optimistic updates. Don't put server data in global state. (4) Zustand: simple global state. Minimal boilerplate, no Provider needed, good DevTools. Best for: most apps. (5) Jotai: atomic state. Bottom-up, each atom is independent. Best for: many independent pieces of state. (6) Redux Toolkit: full-featured, opinionated. Best for: large teams, complex state logic, middleware needs. (7) Don't mix: pick one global state library and TanStack Query for server state.

Most 'state management' problems are actually server cache management problems. Separating server state (TanStack Query) from UI state (Zustand/Jotai) simplifies both and eliminates most boilerplate.