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Zustand vs React Redux: The State Management Choice That Changed How I Build React Apps

M. Fadil Martias
3 min read•Dec 19
Zustand vs React Redux: The State Management Choice That Changed How I Build React Apps

Zustand vs React Redux: It Started with “Why Is This So Complicated?”

Every React developer hits this moment.

You add global state.

At first, it’s fine:

  • Context

  • Props

  • Local state

Then one day:

“Okay, we need something proper.”

So you install Redux.

And suddenly:

  • Actions

  • Reducers

  • Selectors

  • Boilerplate everywhere

That’s where my Zustand vs React Redux journey began.

Life with React Redux: Powerful, But Heavy

Let’s be clear — Redux is solid.

It’s predictable, testable, and used everywhere. With Redux Toolkit, it’s much better than the old days.

Simple Redux Toolkit example

 
import { createSlice } from "@reduxjs/toolkit"; const counterSlice = createSlice({ name: "counter", initialState: { value: 0 }, reducers: { increment: state => { state.value += 1; } } }); export const { increment } = counterSlice.actions; export default counterSlice.reducer;

It works great… but for small to medium apps, it can feel like too much ceremony.

Then I Tried Zustand (And It Felt Illegal)

Zustand felt… suspiciously simple.

 
import { create } from "zustand"; const useStore = create(set => ({ count: 0, increment: () => set(state => ({ count: state.count + 1 })) }));

No provider.
No reducers.
No boilerplate.

My reaction:

“Wait… that’s it?”

Zustand vs React Redux: The Real Differences

Boilerplate

  • Redux: More setup, even with Toolkit

  • Zustand: Minimal, straight to the point

Mental Model

  • Redux: Immutable updates, actions, reducers

  • Zustand: Just functions and state

Performance

Zustand:

  • Uses selectors by default

  • Avoids unnecessary re-renders easily

Redux:

  • Also performant

  • Needs proper selectors & memoization

Real-World Example: Using State in Components

Redux

 
const count = useSelector(state => state.counter.value); const dispatch = useDispatch(); <button onClick={() => dispatch(increment())}> Count: {count} </button>

Zustand

 
const count = useStore(state => state.count); const increment = useStore(state => state.increment); <button onClick={increment}> Count: {count} </button>

Less code.
Less mental overhead.

When React Redux Still Makes Sense

Redux still shines when:

  • You have large teams

  • You need strict patterns

  • You care about dev tools & predictability

  • You manage very complex state flows

Redux is boring — and that’s actually a compliment.

When Zustand Feels Like a Superpower

Zustand is amazing when:

  • You want speed

  • You hate boilerplate

  • You build small to medium apps

  • You want global state without ceremony

It feels like React state on steroids.

What I Personally Use Today

  • Redux Toolkit → large enterprise apps

  • Zustand → startups, dashboards, side projects

Choosing tools based on context, not hype, changed how I build apps.

FAQs

Is Zustand replacing Redux?
No. Different tools, different goals.

Is Zustand production-ready?
Yes. Many real apps use it.

Does Zustand scale?
Yes, with proper structure.

Is Redux still worth learning?
Absolutely, especially for jobs.

Can I mix them?
Technically yes, but rarely needed.

Which is easier for beginners?
Zustand, by far.

Final Thoughts

The Zustand vs React Redux debate isn’t about which one is “better”.

It’s about:

  • Team size

  • App complexity

  • Developer experience

Good developers don’t marry tools.
They pick what makes sense — and move on.

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