React Hooks vs Redux – Which One is the Best?

Published by Jiaul Siddiqui at August 24, 2022

Redux — What is it & How Does it Work?

Redux is an open-source library that manages the global application state. It is most precisely used with libraries like React or Angular for designing UI. It works like FaceBook’s Flux structure and is created by Dan Abramov and Andrew Clark.

Redux has a set of tools which makes it easy to track when, where and why the Javascript apps’ state changed. Moreover, its architecture lets you send complete error reports to a server. Redux works with different UI layers, like Vanilla JS and Ember and has many add-ons to fit your needs.

The primary selling points of this JavaScript library are:

Single state tree for easy debugging or inspecting an app
Transactional state
Effective application of state resolution
Time-travel debugging
State persistence
Easy to test, write and run apps in different environments

In other words, Redux makes the code organisation much easier than Hooks. Moreover, it helps the developers to track the root cause when something goes wrong. This app also improves the quality of the Redux codes and reduces the boilerplate of Flux stores.

React Hooks — What is it & How Does it Work?

Hooks are the new feature added to the React app. It allows you to use state and other React features without creating a Java class. Hooks lets you easily handle the state management from React’s functional components. Moreover, it can work with React features, like context, state, props and even lifecycle.

Developers can try Hooks in a few components without rewriting the existing codes. Besides, React’s Hooks are backwards-compatible and do not contain any breaking changes. Hooks also helps you to know more about React API. With Hooks, you can solve the Javascript app development issues in React.

Here are the key selling points of React Hooks:

Enhances the reusability of the codebase
Decouple unrelated logic code from React lifecycle methods
Provides an easy way to understand the data and React components’ relationship
Replaces old HOCs and sends props to improve the app’s readability
Tests the React components easily using react-testing-library

Note that these Hooks benefits don’t overlap the benefits of Redux. Though React Hooks and Redux work differently, both can be useful in the API process. You can use react-redux Hooks and React’s useReducer hook tool together. There is no need to choose one over the other for state management.

Now that we know the similarities between Redux and Hooks, let’s see how they differ from one another:

Redux vs React Hooks State Management

Redux and React Hooks can handle state management, but they use different methods. Are you thinking about which one to use while building a commercial app? You need to know the state management process of both Redux and React Hooks.

How to do State Management with Hooks?

Hooks are responsible for creating and managing a state locally in React components. Follow this example of a user’s profile picture to know how a state works:

const [user, setUser] = useState({
first_name: “Albert”, 
last_name: “Luis”, 
user_role: “editor”
});

Here, “user” is the state and “setUser” is the function to upgrade the state. You can also modify the state by replacing “setUser” with a new value or role. Check the following example to change the user’s role:

const updateUserRole = () => {
setUser(previousState => {
return { ...previousState, user_role: “administrator” }
 });
}

Once you enter this code, it will change the user’s property value in the state definition. React will update the component once you change the state to show the property value. It will be included in a React function which can be later sent to another component using onClick.

Let’s see how to change the user role in an onClick event in a button element:

return(
<>
 <p> First Name: {user.first_name} </p>
 <p> User Role: {user.user_role} </p>
 <button type=”button” onClick={updateUserRole}> Change Role to Administrator </button>
 </>
)

This one is a clearer state management approach than the previous ones. You don’t need to create a class component to change the state. However, developers may still experience props/state drilling issues in this approach. Hook’s state management works best for apps that need minimal component structure.

Do you need to design a business app? Manage the state with Hooks by using the useReducer hook. It works much like Redux and helps to change the state flexibly. This React Hook can be an alternative to the useState hook.

How to Implement the “UseReducer” Hook?

Use the ‘useReducer” Hook when designing large apps because you have to change the sub-values in the state in these apps. It will help you to reduce the complexity of the code organisation. This React Hook accepts two parameters – a reducer function and the state. It returns two more items – the current state and a dispatch function.

Here’s how you can change the sub-values in the state using “useReducer”:

const theState = {
first_name: “Albert”,
last_name: “Luis”,
user_role: “Editor”
};
function myReducer(theState, theAction){
switch(theAction.type) {
case ‘changeRoleToAdministrator’:
return{user_role: ‘administrator’};
case ‘changeRoleToAuthor’:
return {user_role: ‘author’};
default:
throw new Error();
}
}
function changeUserRole(){
const [theState, dispatch] = useReducer(myReducer, theState);
return(
<>
<div>
<p> First Name: {theState.first_name} </p>
<p> Last Name: {theState.last_name} </p>
<p> User Role: {theState.user_role} </p>
<button onClick={() => dispatch({type: 'changeRoleToAdministrator'})}>Change User Role to Administrator</button>
<button onClick={() => dispatch({type: 'changeRoleToAuthor'})}>Change User Role to Author</button>
</div>
</>
);
}

How to do State Management with Redux?

It is important to understand when to use Redux in a React project. However, you should first know how state management works in this open-source library. Redux has three primary building parts – the store, actions and reducer. These three functions depend on each other for statement management.

Now, we will explain how these three Redux building pieces work:

Store

The Javascript app’s state is housed in the Redux store. Developers can get access to only one store in the Redux application. However, you can’t create a single root reducer for all the app components. You have to implement Redux’s “combineReducer” method to do that.

A store is a global entity and a JavaScript object. Even though it holds the app state information globally, all components can’t access it. You must add which components you want to connect to the store to get the state information.

Here’s how you can do that:

import { createStore } from ‘redux’;
const userStore = createStore(rootReducer);
const userProfile = {first_name: “Albert’, last_name: ‘Luis’, user_role: ‘editor’};
userStore.dispatch(updateUserRole());

First, a component gets the app state from the store. Then, the other components update the state on the Redux store based on the user interaction with the application. However, the components can’t update the state if you enter an incorrect user role or name.

Actions

Actions are objects or events that send app data to the Redux store. They contain two properties – a type and a payload property. “Type” property shows the action description, and “Payload” holds the app information that should be changed in the state.

Here is how these two “Action” properties work:

// action.js
const reduxAction = payload => {
return {
type: 'action description',
Payload
}
};
export default reduxAction;

The “type” is usually written in capital letters and the words are separated by underscores. For instance, “CHANGE_USER_ROLE_TO_AUTHOR” or “DELELTE_USER_DATA”.

Reducers

Reducers are the functions that determine the Redux action’s behaviours. Then, they analyse the app’s current state and act to change the state. Based on the action type, you can determine the logic the reducer will execute to switch the statement.

Here is how you can change the state using the Redux app’s reducer:

export default function myReducer ( state = initialState, action ) {
switch(action) {
case CHANGE_USER_ROLE_TO_EDITOR:
return { user_role: “editor” 
case CHANGE_USER_ROLE_TO_AUTHOR:
return { user_role: “author” }
default:
return state
 }

How to Retrieve the App State in the Redux Store?

You must use the “mapStateToProps” function to restore the app state from the store. After retrieving the state, this Redux function passes it to the store as a prop to the component. Then, the object property can be incorporated into the app component.

Here is how you can recover the app state using “mapStateToProps”:

const mapStateToProps = state => {
return {
user_role: state.user_role
}
}

How to Change the App State in Redux Store?

Developers have to use the “mapDispatchToProps” function to change the app state. Additionally, you have to use the “bindActionCreators” function to wrap the dispatch action. Developers can also bring the “ChangeUserRoleToAdministrator” and “ChangeUserToAuthor” actions from an “onClick” event.

First, the user needs to click the button. Then, the action will be performed, and the reducer will be executed to change the state. Once the state changes, all the app components will be connected to the store. After that, Redux will re-render these components accordingly.

This is how “mapDispatchToProps” function changes the application state:

const mapDispatchToProps = dispatch => {
return bindActionCreators({
changeUserRoleToAdministrator,
changeUserRoleToAuthor
 },
dispatch
 )
 }
render() {
const { changeUserRoleToAdministrator, changeUserRoleToAuthor } = this.props
return(
<div>

 <Button onClick={changeUserRoleToAdministrator}> Change User Role to Administrator</Button>
<Button onClick={changeUserRoleToAuthor}> Change User Role to Author</Button>
</div>
)
}
}

React Hooks is the Clear Winner!

Wondering which app handles state management better? React Hooks. You need to run a few steps in Hooks to change or create a state and store information. It is also less complicated than Redux functions and is suitable for small-large apps.

Moreover, Hooks makes state management possible without using a third-party tool like Redux. You don’t need to install any additional app to check or modify the state. Besides, you need to write less code in Hooks than on the Redux app. Thus, renowned web developers use React Hooks over Redux or other tools.

When to Use React Hooks while Designing an App?

Web developers don’t always need Redux to build every app or component. You must use React Hooks if the app consists of a single view and has no asynchronous I/O.

If you use Redux to design these apps, it can increase the complexity.
Use Hooks over Redux if the app component:
Doesn’t use the network and load the state
Doesn’t share the state with the React Hook’s non-functional components
Requires to store data in React implementing the “useState” hook

Moreover, developers must use React Hooks to manage the build-in component state. Do you want to track the state of functional components? Go for Hooks instead of Redux for easy and hassle-free testing. Besides, you can fetch the app data and directly update that to DOM in React Hooks. However, you can do that when using third-party tools like Redux.

When to Use Redux while Developing an App?

There are instances when you can’t use React Hooks when building a commercial app. Developers must use Redux if the component deals with business logic.

Do you have to share the data processing with other app components? Switch to Redux from React Hooks to avoid complications.

Redux will be more useful than React Hooks if the app component:
Shares the state with other non-functional components
Needs to access I/O like network
Uses device API for state management
Requires to load or store the state

React Hooks vs Redux — Which One Should You Use?

It’s not always possible to design an app only using Rect Hooks. You must use Redux and Hooks to address complex apps’ scalability challenges. Moreover, these two tools will be useful for global state management. Ultimately, deciding whether to use Hooks or Redux is completely a matter of your preference.

React Hooks vs Redux – Which One is the Best?