When to Use useState, useReducer, and useContext in React

State management finds the heart of development when it comes to making dynamic and responsive React applications. Besides the several hooks React has, the most generally used and practical are useState and useReducer; useContext, when regarded in general applications, comes on top.

Each serves unique purposes and has specific use cases that make it ideal for different scenarios. Let’s get into these three state hooks, know when to use, and find how these differ.

1. useState: The Simplicity Specialist

Overview

useState is the simplest and most commonly used React hook for state management. It lets you add and manage local state in a functional component without using class components.

Key Features

• Ideal for simple, local states.
• Provides a setter function to update state values.
• Triggers re-render when the state is updated.

When to Use

• For managing small and isolated state variables like form inputs, toggles, or counters.
• When state updates are straightforward and don’t involve complex logic.

Example Usage