Modern State Management in React: Zustand, Jotai, and Context API

State management in React has evolved significantly. While Redux dominated for years, modern alternatives like Zustand and Jotai offer simpler APIs with comparable power. Here's how to choose the right tool for your project.

The Current Landscape

The state management ecosystem in 2026 offers three compelling options:

Context API - Built-in, zero dependencies
Zustand - Minimal boilerplate, excellent TypeScript support
Jotai - Atomic state management with fine-grained reactivity

Each has distinct strengths depending on your application's complexity and team preferences.

Context API: The Built-in Solution

Context API works well for simple global state without external dependencies.

import { createContext, useContext, useState, ReactNode } from 'react'

type Theme = 'light' | 'dark'

interface ThemeContextType {
  theme: Theme
  toggleTheme: () => void
}

const ThemeContext = createContext<ThemeContextType | undefined>(undefined)

export function ThemeProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
  const [theme, setTheme] = useState<Theme>('light')

  const toggleTheme = () => {
    setTheme(prev => prev === 'light' ? 'dark' : 'light')
  }

  return (
    <ThemeContext.Provider value={{ theme, toggleTheme }}>
      {children}
    </ThemeContext.Provider>
  )
}

export function useTheme() {
  const context = useContext(ThemeContext)
  if (!context) {
    throw new Error('useTheme must be used within ThemeProvider')
  }
  return context
}

When to use Context API:

Simple global state (theme, auth, locale)
Small to medium applications
No need for middleware or devtools
Prefer zero dependencies

Zustand: Minimal and Powerful

Zustand provides a hook-based API with minimal boilerplate and excellent performance.

import { create } from 'zustand'
import { devtools, persist } from 'zustand/middleware'

interface User {
  id: string
  name: string
  email: string
}

interface AppState {
  user: User | null
  isLoading: boolean
  setUser: (user: User | null) => void
  setLoading: (loading: boolean) => void
  logout: () => void
}

export const useStore = create<AppState>()(
  devtools(
    persist(
      (set) => ({
        user: null,
        isLoading: false,
        setUser: (user) => set({ user }),
        setLoading: (isLoading) => set({ isLoading }),
        logout: () => set({ user: null }),
      }),
      { name: 'app-storage' }
    )
  )
)

import { useStore } from './store'

export function Profile() {
  const user = useStore(state => state.user)
  const logout = useStore(state => state.logout)

  if (!user) return <div>Not logged in</div>

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>{user.name}</h1>
      <p>{user.email}</p>
      <button onClick={logout}>Logout</button>
    </div>
  )
}

When to use Zustand:

Medium to large applications
Need middleware (persistence, devtools)
Want excellent TypeScript inference
Prefer simple, readable code
Multiple stores or slices

Jotai: Atomic State Management

Jotai takes an atomic approach where state is composed of small, independent atoms.

import { atom } from 'jotai'
import { atomWithStorage } from 'jotai/utils'

// Basic atom
export const countAtom = atom(0)

// Derived atom
export const doubleCountAtom = atom(
  (get) => get(countAtom) * 2
)

// Atom with storage
export const userAtom = atomWithStorage('user', null)

// Write-only atom
export const incrementAtom = atom(
  null,
  (get, set) => set(countAtom, get(countAtom) + 1)
)

import { useAtom, useAtomValue, useSetAtom } from 'jotai'
import { countAtom, doubleCountAtom, incrementAtom } from './atoms'

export function Counter() {
  const count = useAtomValue(countAtom)
  const doubleCount = useAtomValue(doubleCountAtom)
  const increment = useSetAtom(incrementAtom)

  return (
    <div>
      <p>Count: {count}</p>
      <p>Double: {doubleCount}</p>
      <button onClick={increment}>Increment</button>
    </div>
  )
}

When to use Jotai:

Need fine-grained reactivity
Complex derived state
Want maximum flexibility
Building a design system or library
Prefer composition over configuration

Performance Comparison

Solution	Bundle Size	Re-render Optimization	DevTools	Learning Curve
Context API	0 KB	Manual (React.memo)	React	Low
Zustand	3.2 KB	Automatic (selectors)	Redux	Low
Jotai	5.1 KB	Automatic (atoms)	Custom	Medium

Real-World Recommendation

For most projects in 2026, I recommend:

Start with Context API for simple state
Reach for Zustand when you need multiple stores or middleware
Choose Jotai when you have complex derived state or need maximum flexibility

The best part? These solutions can coexist in the same application. Use Context for theme and auth, Zustand for application state, and Jotai for complex UI state.

Conclusion

Modern state management in React is about choosing the right tool for your specific needs. Context API handles simple cases, Zustand excels at pragmatic application state, and Jotai shines with complex reactivity. Evaluate your requirements and pick the solution that keeps your code clean and maintainable.