@tanstack/react-query vs @apollo/client vs swr vs redux-query
Data Fetching Libraries for React Comparison
1 Year
@tanstack/react-query@apollo/clientswrredux-querySimilar Packages:
What's Data Fetching Libraries for React?

Data fetching libraries are essential tools in modern web development, particularly for React applications, as they streamline the process of retrieving, caching, and managing server data. These libraries provide various features such as automatic caching, background updates, and synchronization with the UI, which enhance the user experience by ensuring that data is always up-to-date and readily available. They also help manage the complexities of asynchronous data handling, making it easier for developers to focus on building features rather than dealing with data management intricacies.

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@tanstack/react-query8,596,24844,725726 kB115a day agoMIT
@apollo/client3,734,61019,5527.44 MB5385 days agoMIT
swr3,427,34831,342264 kB161a month agoMIT
redux-query14,0521,101197 kB13a year agoMIT
Feature Comparison: @tanstack/react-query vs @apollo/client vs swr vs redux-query

Data Fetching Strategy

  • @tanstack/react-query:

    @tanstack/react-query employs a REST-like approach to data fetching, providing hooks that simplify the process of fetching, caching, and synchronizing data. It automatically handles background refetching and stale data management, ensuring that the UI is always displaying the most current information without manual intervention.

  • @apollo/client:

    @apollo/client utilizes GraphQL for data fetching, allowing developers to request exactly the data they need. This minimizes over-fetching and under-fetching issues commonly associated with REST APIs. It also supports subscriptions for real-time updates, making it ideal for applications that require live data.

  • swr:

    swr uses the stale-while-revalidate caching strategy, which allows for quick data retrieval while simultaneously updating the data in the background. This approach enhances user experience by providing instant feedback while ensuring data consistency.

  • redux-query:

    redux-query integrates data fetching directly into Redux actions, enabling a more structured approach to managing side effects. It allows developers to define queries in a declarative manner, making it easier to manage complex data-fetching scenarios within the Redux ecosystem.

Caching Mechanism

  • @tanstack/react-query:

    @tanstack/react-query offers a built-in caching layer that automatically caches fetched data and provides options for cache invalidation and refetching. This minimizes the number of network requests and enhances performance by serving cached data when available.

  • @apollo/client:

    @apollo/client features a sophisticated caching mechanism that stores query results and normalizes data, allowing for efficient updates and retrieval. This cache can be configured to persist across sessions, which is beneficial for improving performance and reducing unnecessary network requests.

  • swr:

    swr provides a lightweight caching mechanism that stores fetched data in memory. It automatically revalidates cached data in the background, ensuring that users always see the most up-to-date information without noticeable delays.

  • redux-query:

    redux-query leverages Redux's state management capabilities to cache data. It stores query results in the Redux store, allowing for easy access and manipulation of data throughout the application, but it requires more boilerplate code compared to other libraries.

Integration with React

  • @tanstack/react-query:

    @tanstack/react-query offers a set of hooks that make it easy to fetch and manage server state in React applications. Its API is intuitive and aligns well with React's functional component paradigm, making it easy to adopt and use.

  • @apollo/client:

    @apollo/client is designed specifically for React, providing hooks like useQuery and useMutation that simplify the integration of GraphQL queries and mutations into React components. This tight integration allows for a seamless development experience when working with GraphQL.

  • swr:

    swr is designed to be lightweight and easy to use with React. It provides a simple API and integrates seamlessly with functional components, making it a great choice for developers looking for a straightforward data fetching solution.

  • redux-query:

    redux-query is built to work with Redux, so it requires a Redux setup. It integrates data fetching into the Redux lifecycle, which can be beneficial for applications already using Redux but may add complexity for those not familiar with it.

Real-time Capabilities

  • @tanstack/react-query:

    @tanstack/react-query does not inherently support real-time data fetching but can be combined with other libraries or techniques to achieve similar functionality. It focuses more on efficient data fetching and caching rather than real-time updates.

  • @apollo/client:

    @apollo/client supports real-time data fetching through GraphQL subscriptions, allowing applications to receive updates as soon as data changes on the server. This is particularly useful for applications that require live updates, such as chat applications or dashboards.

  • swr:

    swr excels in real-time data fetching by leveraging the stale-while-revalidate strategy, which allows it to automatically re-fetch data in the background. This makes it suitable for applications that need to display frequently updated information.

  • redux-query:

    redux-query does not provide built-in support for real-time data fetching. However, it can be used in conjunction with other libraries to manage real-time updates, but this may require additional setup and complexity.

Learning Curve

  • @tanstack/react-query:

    @tanstack/react-query has a relatively low learning curve, especially for those familiar with React hooks. Its API is straightforward and easy to understand, making it accessible for developers of all skill levels.

  • @apollo/client:

    @apollo/client has a moderate learning curve, especially for developers unfamiliar with GraphQL. Understanding GraphQL queries and mutations is essential, but once grasped, it offers powerful capabilities for data management.

  • swr:

    swr is designed to be simple and intuitive, making it easy to learn and implement. Its minimalistic API allows developers to quickly get started with data fetching in React applications.

  • redux-query:

    redux-query has a steeper learning curve due to its reliance on Redux. Developers need to be comfortable with Redux concepts and patterns to effectively use redux-query for data fetching.

How to Choose: @tanstack/react-query vs @apollo/client vs swr vs redux-query
  • @tanstack/react-query:

    Select @tanstack/react-query for its simplicity and efficiency in handling server state. It excels in scenarios where you need to fetch, cache, and synchronize data without the overhead of a global state management solution.

  • @apollo/client:

    Choose @apollo/client if your application heavily relies on GraphQL for data fetching. It provides a powerful and flexible way to manage both local and remote data with built-in support for caching and state management.

  • swr:

    Use swr for its lightweight and intuitive approach to data fetching. It is particularly suitable for applications that require real-time data updates and caching, leveraging the power of stale-while-revalidate strategy.

  • redux-query:

    Opt for redux-query if you are already using Redux for state management and want to integrate data fetching seamlessly into your existing Redux architecture. It allows you to define data fetching logic directly in your Redux actions.

README for @tanstack/react-query

TanStack Query Header

Hooks for fetching, caching and updating asynchronous data in React

#TanStack semantic-release Join the discussion on Github Best of JS Gitpod Ready-to-Code

Enjoy this library? Try the entire TanStack! TanStack Table, TanStack Router, TanStack Virtual, React Charts, React Ranger

Visit tanstack.com/query for docs, guides, API and more!

Quick Features

  • Transport/protocol/backend agnostic data fetching (REST, GraphQL, promises, whatever!)
  • Auto Caching + Refetching (stale-while-revalidate, Window Refocus, Polling/Realtime)
  • Parallel + Dependent Queries
  • Mutations + Reactive Query Refetching
  • Multi-layer Cache + Automatic Garbage Collection
  • Paginated + Cursor-based Queries
  • Load-More + Infinite Scroll Queries w/ Scroll Recovery
  • Request Cancellation
  • React Suspense + Fetch-As-You-Render Query Prefetching
  • Dedicated Devtools

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