redux vs xstate vs mobx vs redux-saga
State Management Libraries Comparison
1 Year
reduxxstatemobxredux-sagaSimilar Packages:
What's State Management Libraries?

State management libraries are essential tools in modern web development, particularly for managing the state of applications with complex user interfaces. These libraries provide a structured way to handle application state, allowing developers to maintain a predictable state across various components. They help in managing data flow, ensuring that the UI reflects the current state of the application, and facilitating easier debugging and testing. Each library has its own unique approach to state management, catering to different needs and preferences in application architecture.

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redux12,220,69961,146290 kB41a year agoMIT
xstate1,928,36028,0931.69 MB1513 months agoMIT
mobx1,760,33227,8344.33 MB65a month agoMIT
redux-saga1,127,55122,544221 kB41a year agoMIT
Feature Comparison: redux vs xstate vs mobx vs redux-saga

State Management Approach

  • redux:

    Redux follows a unidirectional data flow and uses a single source of truth for the application state. It relies on actions and reducers to manage state transitions, which can lead to more predictable state management. Redux is particularly useful for larger applications where state changes need to be tracked and managed in a consistent manner.

  • xstate:

    XState introduces a state machine and statechart approach to state management, allowing developers to model complex states and transitions explicitly. This makes it easier to visualize and manage application state, especially in scenarios with multiple states and transitions. XState is particularly beneficial for applications with intricate workflows and state-dependent logic.

  • mobx:

    MobX uses observable state and reactions, allowing for automatic updates of the UI when the state changes. It emphasizes simplicity and minimal boilerplate, making it easy to understand and use. MobX's reactive programming model means that components automatically re-render when the data they depend on changes, providing a seamless user experience.

  • redux-saga:

    Redux-Saga is built on top of Redux and uses generator functions to handle side effects in a more manageable way. It allows for complex asynchronous flows and is particularly well-suited for applications that require intricate data fetching and state management logic. Redux-Saga helps keep the Redux store clean by separating side effects from the main application logic.

Learning Curve

  • redux:

    Redux has a steeper learning curve due to its concepts of actions, reducers, and middleware. Understanding the flow of data and how to structure the state can take time, but it provides a solid foundation for managing state in larger applications.

  • xstate:

    XState introduces concepts of state machines and statecharts, which may require a shift in thinking for developers unfamiliar with these paradigms. However, it provides a robust framework for managing complex state logic, making it worthwhile to learn for intricate applications.

  • mobx:

    MobX has a relatively gentle learning curve, especially for those familiar with JavaScript. Its reactive nature allows developers to focus on the state and how it changes, rather than the mechanics of state management, making it accessible for beginners.

  • redux-saga:

    Redux-Saga can be challenging to learn due to its use of generator functions and the complexity of managing side effects. However, once understood, it offers powerful capabilities for handling asynchronous operations and complex state transitions.

Boilerplate Code

  • redux:

    Redux often requires more boilerplate code, as actions, reducers, and store configuration need to be explicitly defined. This can lead to a more verbose codebase, but it also enforces a clear structure and flow for state management.

  • xstate:

    XState can introduce boilerplate in defining state machines and transitions, but this is often offset by the clarity and organization it brings to complex state management scenarios.

  • mobx:

    MobX minimizes boilerplate code, allowing developers to focus on the logic of their applications rather than repetitive setup. This makes it a more concise and efficient choice for state management.

  • redux-saga:

    Redux-Saga adds additional boilerplate on top of Redux, as it requires the creation of sagas to handle side effects. While this can increase complexity, it also provides a clear separation of concerns between state management and side effects.

Debugging and Testing

  • redux:

    Redux's predictable state management makes debugging and testing straightforward. The use of actions and reducers allows for easy tracking of state changes, and tools like Redux DevTools enhance the debugging experience.

  • xstate:

    XState's explicit state transitions make it easier to test and debug state-dependent logic. The visual representation of state machines can also aid in understanding and troubleshooting complex workflows.

  • mobx:

    MobX's reactive nature simplifies debugging, as changes to state automatically reflect in the UI. However, testing can be more challenging due to its implicit state management, requiring careful consideration of how state changes affect the application.

  • redux-saga:

    Redux-Saga provides a clear structure for testing asynchronous flows, as sagas can be tested independently of the Redux store. This makes it easier to ensure that side effects are handled correctly and that the application behaves as expected.

Community and Ecosystem

  • redux:

    Redux has a vast ecosystem and community support, with numerous middleware, libraries, and tools available. This makes it easier to find resources and solutions for common challenges in state management.

  • xstate:

    XState is gaining popularity and has a dedicated community, with resources and tools emerging to support its use. Its unique approach to state management is attracting attention, leading to a growing ecosystem.

  • mobx:

    MobX has a growing community and ecosystem, with various tools and libraries available to enhance its functionality. However, it may not have as large an ecosystem as Redux.

  • redux-saga:

    Redux-Saga benefits from the larger Redux ecosystem, allowing developers to leverage existing tools and libraries. Its community is active, providing resources and support for handling side effects in Redux applications.

How to Choose: redux vs xstate vs mobx vs redux-saga
  • mobx:

    Choose MobX if you prefer a more reactive and less boilerplate-heavy approach to state management. It is ideal for applications where you want to manage state in a more intuitive way, allowing for automatic updates to the UI when the state changes.

README for redux

Redux Logo

Redux is a predictable state container for JavaScript apps.

It helps you write applications that behave consistently, run in different environments (client, server, and native), and are easy to test. On top of that, it provides a great developer experience, such as live code editing combined with a time traveling debugger.

You can use Redux together with React, or with any other view library. The Redux core is tiny (2kB, including dependencies), and has a rich ecosystem of addons.

Redux Toolkit is our official recommended approach for writing Redux logic. It wraps around the Redux core, and contains packages and functions that we think are essential for building a Redux app. Redux Toolkit builds in our suggested best practices, simplifies most Redux tasks, prevents common mistakes, and makes it easier to write Redux applications.

GitHub Workflow Status npm version npm downloads redux channel on discord

Installation

Create a React Redux App

The recommended way to start new apps with React and Redux Toolkit is by using our official Redux Toolkit + TS template for Vite, or by creating a new Next.js project using Next's with-redux template.

Both of these already have Redux Toolkit and React-Redux configured appropriately for that build tool, and come with a small example app that demonstrates how to use several of Redux Toolkit's features.

# Vite with our Redux+TS template
# (using the `degit` tool to clone and extract the template)
npx degit reduxjs/redux-templates/packages/vite-template-redux my-app

# Next.js using the `with-redux` template
npx create-next-app --example with-redux my-app

We do not currently have official React Native templates, but recommend these templates for standard React Native and for Expo:

  • https://github.com/rahsheen/react-native-template-redux-typescript
  • https://github.com/rahsheen/expo-template-redux-typescript
npm install @reduxjs/toolkit react-redux

For the Redux core library by itself:

npm install redux

For more details, see the Installation docs page.

Documentation

The Redux core docs are located at https://redux.js.org, and include the full Redux tutorials, as well usage guides on general Redux patterns:

The Redux Toolkit docs are available at https://redux-toolkit.js.org, including API references and usage guides for all of the APIs included in Redux Toolkit.

Learn Redux

Redux Essentials Tutorial

The Redux Essentials tutorial is a "top-down" tutorial that teaches "how to use Redux the right way", using our latest recommended APIs and best practices. We recommend starting there.

Redux Fundamentals Tutorial

The Redux Fundamentals tutorial is a "bottom-up" tutorial that teaches "how Redux works" from first principles and without any abstractions, and why standard Redux usage patterns exist.

Help and Discussion

The #redux channel of the Reactiflux Discord community is our official resource for all questions related to learning and using Redux. Reactiflux is a great place to hang out, ask questions, and learn - please come and join us there!

Before Proceeding Further

Redux is a valuable tool for organizing your state, but you should also consider whether it's appropriate for your situation. Please don't use Redux just because someone said you should - instead, please take some time to understand the potential benefits and tradeoffs of using it.

Here are some suggestions on when it makes sense to use Redux:

  • You have reasonable amounts of data changing over time
  • You need a single source of truth for your state
  • You find that keeping all your state in a top-level component is no longer sufficient

Yes, these guidelines are subjective and vague, but this is for a good reason. The point at which you should integrate Redux into your application is different for every user and different for every application.

For more thoughts on how Redux is meant to be used, please see:

Basic Example

The whole global state of your app is stored in an object tree inside a single store. The only way to change the state tree is to create an action, an object describing what happened, and dispatch it to the store. To specify how state gets updated in response to an action, you write pure reducer functions that calculate a new state based on the old state and the action.

Redux Toolkit simplifies the process of writing Redux logic and setting up the store. With Redux Toolkit, the basic app logic looks like:

import { createSlice, configureStore } from '@reduxjs/toolkit'

const counterSlice = createSlice({
  name: 'counter',
  initialState: {
    value: 0
  },
  reducers: {
    incremented: state => {
      // Redux Toolkit allows us to write "mutating" logic in reducers. It
      // doesn't actually mutate the state because it uses the Immer library,
      // which detects changes to a "draft state" and produces a brand new
      // immutable state based off those changes
      state.value += 1
    },
    decremented: state => {
      state.value -= 1
    }
  }
})

export const { incremented, decremented } = counterSlice.actions

const store = configureStore({
  reducer: counterSlice.reducer
})

// Can still subscribe to the store
store.subscribe(() => console.log(store.getState()))

// Still pass action objects to `dispatch`, but they're created for us
store.dispatch(incremented())
// {value: 1}
store.dispatch(incremented())
// {value: 2}
store.dispatch(decremented())
// {value: 1}

Redux Toolkit allows us to write shorter logic that's easier to read, while still following the original core Redux behavior and data flow.

Logo

You can find the official logo on GitHub.

Change Log

This project adheres to Semantic Versioning. Every release, along with the migration instructions, is documented on the GitHub Releases page.

License

MIT