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state-management

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Implement state management patterns for frontend applications. Use when managing global state, handling complex data flows, or coordinating state across components. Handles React Context, Redux, Zustand, Recoil, and state management best practices.

Web Dev

What this skill does



# State Management


## When to use this skill

- **Global State Required**: Multiple components share the same data
- **Props Drilling Problem**: Passing props through 5+ levels
- **Complex State Logic**: Authentication, shopping cart, themes, etc.
- **State Synchronization**: Sync server data with client state

## Instructions

### Step 1: Determine State Scope

Distinguish between local and global state.

**Decision Criteria**:
- **Local State**: Used only within a single component
  - Form input values, toggle states, dropdown open/close
  - Use `useState`, `useReducer`

- **Global State**: Shared across multiple components
  - User authentication, shopping cart, theme, language settings
  - Use Context API, Redux, Zustand

**Example**:
```tsx
// ✅ Local state (single component)
function SearchBox() {
  const [query, setQuery] = useState('');
  const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(false);

  return (
    <div>
      <input
        value={query}
        onChange={(e) => setQuery(e.target.value)}
        onFocus={() => setIsOpen(true)}
      />
      {isOpen && <SearchResults query={query} />}
    </div>
  );
}

// ✅ Global state (multiple components)
// User authentication info is used in Header, Profile, Settings, etc.
const { user, logout } = useAuth();  // Context or Zustand
```

### Step 2: React Context API (Simple Global State)

Suitable for lightweight global state management.

**Example** (Authentication Context):
```tsx
// contexts/AuthContext.tsx
import { createContext, useContext, useState, ReactNode } from 'react';

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

interface AuthContextType {
  user: User | null;
  login: (email: string, password: string) => Promise<void>;
  logout: () => void;
  isAuthenticated: boolean;
}

const AuthContext = createContext<AuthContextType | undefined>(undefined);

export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
  const [user, setUser] = useState<User | null>(null);

  const login = async (email: string, password: string) => {
    const response = await fetch('/api/auth/login', {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
      body: JSON.stringify({ email, password })
    });

    const data = await response.json();
    setUser(data.user);
    localStorage.setItem('token', data.token);
  };

  const logout = () => {
    setUser(null);
    localStorage.removeItem('token');
  };

  return (
    <AuthContext.Provider value={{
      user,
      login,
      logout,
      isAuthenticated: !!user
    }}>
      {children}
    </AuthContext.Provider>
  );
}

// Custom hook
export function useAuth() {
  const context = useContext(AuthContext);
  if (!context) {
    throw new Error('useAuth must be used within AuthProvider');
  }
  return context;
}
```

**Usage**:
```tsx
// App.tsx
function App() {
  return (
    <AuthProvider>
      <Router>
        <Header />
        <Routes />
      </Router>
    </AuthProvider>
  );
}

// Header.tsx
function Header() {
  const { user, logout, isAuthenticated } = useAuth();

  return (
    <header>
      {isAuthenticated ? (
        <>
          <span>Welcome, {user!.name}</span>
          <button onClick={logout}>Logout</button>
        </>
      ) : (
        <Link to="/login">Login</Link>
      )}
    </header>
  );
}
```

### Step 3: Zustand (Modern and Concise State Management)

Simpler than Redux with less boilerplate.

**Installation**:
```bash
npm install zustand
```

**Example** (Shopping Cart):
```tsx
// stores/cartStore.ts
import { create } from 'zustand';
import { devtools, persist } from 'zustand/middleware';

interface CartItem {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  price: number;
  quantity: number;
}

interface CartStore {
  items: CartItem[];
  addItem: (item: Omit<CartItem, 'quantity'>) => void;
  removeItem: (id: string) => void;
  updateQuantity: (id: string, quantity: number) => void;
  clearCart: () => void;
  total: () => number;
}

export const useCartStore = create<CartStore>()(
  devtools(
    persist(
      (set, get) => ({
        items: [],

        addItem: (item) => set((state) => {
          const existing = state.items.find(i => i.id === item.id);
          if (existing) {
            return {
              items: state.items.map(i =>
                i.id === item.id
                  ? { ...i, quantity: i.quantity + 1 }
                  : i
              )
            };
          }
          return { items: [...state.items, { ...item, quantity: 1 }] };
        }),

        removeItem: (id) => set((state) => ({
          items: state.items.filter(item => item.id !== id)
        })),

        updateQuantity: (id, quantity) => set((state) => ({
          items: state.items.map(item =>
            item.id === id ? { ...item, quantity } : item
          )
        })),

        clearCart: () => set({ items: [] }),

        total: () => {
          const { items } = get();
          return items.reduce((sum, item) => sum + item.price * item.quantity, 0);
        }
      }),
      { name: 'cart-storage' }  // localStorage key
    )
  )
);
```

**Usage**:
```tsx
// components/ProductCard.tsx
function ProductCard({ product }) {
  const addItem = useCartStore(state => state.addItem);

  return (
    <div>
      <h3>{product.name}</h3>
      <p>${product.price}</p>
      <button onClick={() => addItem(product)}>
        Add to Cart
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

// components/Cart.tsx
function Cart() {
  const items = useCartStore(state => state.items);
  const total = useCartStore(state => state.total());
  const removeItem = useCartStore(state => state.removeItem);

  return (
    <div>
      <h2>Cart</h2>
      {items.map(item => (
        <div key={item.id}>
          <span>{item.name} x {item.quantity}</span>
          <span>${item.price * item.quantity}</span>
          <button onClick={() => removeItem(item.id)}>Remove</button>
        </div>
      ))}
      <p>Total: ${total.toFixed(2)}</p>
    </div>
  );
}
```

### Step 4: Redux Toolkit (Large-Scale Apps)

Use when complex state logic and middleware are required.

**Installation**:
```bash
npm install @reduxjs/toolkit react-redux
```

**Example** (Todo):
```tsx
// store/todosSlice.ts
import { createSlice, createAsyncThunk, PayloadAction } from '@reduxjs/toolkit';

interface Todo {
  id: string;
  text: string;
  completed: boolean;
}

interface TodosState {
  items: Todo[];
  status: 'idle' | 'loading' | 'failed';
}

const initialState: TodosState = {
  items: [],
  status: 'idle'
};

// Async action
export const fetchTodos = createAsyncThunk('todos/fetch', async () => {
  const response = await fetch('/api/todos');
  return response.json();
});

const todosSlice = createSlice({
  name: 'todos',
  initialState,
  reducers: {
    addTodo: (state, action: PayloadAction<string>) => {
      state.items.push({
        id: Date.now().toString(),
        text: action.payload,
        completed: false
      });
    },
    toggleTodo: (state, action: PayloadAction<string>) => {
      const todo = state.items.find(t => t.id === action.payload);
      if (todo) {
        todo.completed = !todo.completed;
      }
    },
    removeTodo: (state, action: PayloadAction<string>) => {
      state.items = state.items.filter(t => t.id !== action.payload);
    }
  },
  extraReducers: (builder) => {
    builder
      .addCase(fetchTodos.pending, (state) => {
        state.status = 'loading';
      })
      .addCase(fetchTodos.fulfilled, (state, action) => {
        state.status = 'idle';
        state.items = action.payload;
      })
      .addCase(fetchTodos.rejected, (state) => {
        state.status = 'failed';
      });
  }
});

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

// store/index.ts
import { configureStore } from '@reduxjs/toolkit';
import todosReducer from './todosSlice';

export const store = configureStore({
  reducer: {
    todos: todosReducer
  }
});

export 
Files: 1
Size: 13.1 KB
Complexity: 22/100
Category: Web Dev

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