State Management in 2026

State Management in 2026: What I Use Now (and Why)

Hey everyone,

I used to get so confused picking a state management solution. Redux, Zustand, Jotai, Recoil, Context API… I've tried them all. Now in 2026, my choices are much simpler.

Here's what I use in almost every project:

1. Server State → TanStack Query (React Query)

This is still the champion.

All data coming from the server (API, database, server actions) I put in TanStack Query. Why?

• Automatic caching
• Background refetching
• Clean loading & error states
• Works great with Next.js App Router

Copycopy code to clipboard
const { data, isLoading } = useQuery({
  queryKey: ["users"],
  queryFn: () => getUsers(),
});

2. Client State → Zustand (the one I use most)

For state that's purely client-side (UI state, modals, theme, temporary form data), I use Zustand.

Reasons:

• Super lightweight
• Simple API
• Works nicely with TypeScript
• No messy Provider setup needed

Copycopy code to clipboard
const useUIStore = create((set) => ({
  isSidebarOpen: false,
  toggleSidebar: () =>
    set((state) => ({ isSidebarOpen: !state.isSidebarOpen })),
}));

3. Form State → React Hook Form + Zod

Still the best. The combination of React Hook Form + Zod makes forms very type-safe and performant.

4. Rarely Needed Global Shared State

If I genuinely need shared state across many components that are far apart, only then do I consider Context or Jotai. But that's pretty rare.

The Principles I Stick To

1. Server state ≠ Client state — don't mix them.
2. Don't over-engineer. A lot of projects only need TanStack Query + Zustand.
3. If the state is only used in 1-2 components, just use useState.
4. Prioritize Developer Experience.

Conclusion

In 2026, I rarely use Redux anymore. The stack I use most often now:

• TanStack Query → data from the server
• Zustand → UI / client state
• React Hook Form + Zod → forms

Simple, powerful, and doesn't give me a headache.

A question for you all: What state management are you currently using? Still loyal to Redux, or have you already moved on?

Share your thoughts in the comments!

— Ady Rahmansyah Software Engineer | Tech Blogger | Coffee Addict