Getting Started with Zustand: The Minimalist’s Guide to React State Management

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by SanjewaReact JS
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ZUSTAND
The State Management Revolution

Why Zustand

State management in React doesn’t have to be complicated. While Redux requires actions, reducers, and providers, and Context API causes re-render nightmares, Zustand offers a refreshing alternative: simple, fast, and scalable.

Zustand is described as “bear necessities for state management in React”, emphasizing its minimalist philosophy. Created by the Poimandres team (the same folks behind React Spring), it’s gained massive traction in 2026 for good reason.

PROBLEM

The Problem with Traditional Solutions

  • Redux
    Powerful but verbose. Every state change requires actions, reducers, and dispatchers. For a simple counter, you're writing 50+ lines of boilerplate.
  • Context API
    Built-in but problematic. Kent C. Dodds explains that too many nested providers can slow renders. One context update triggers all consumers to re-render, even if they don't use the changed value.
  • Zustand
    The goldilocks solution. No providers, minimal boilerplate, automatic render optimization. Zustand minimizes unnecessary re-renders out of the box.
30 SEC
30 Seconds to Setup

Installation

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npm install zustand
# or
yarn add zustand
# or
pnpm add zustand
That’s it. No additional configuration. No wrappers. No providers.
STORE
A Simple Counter

Your First Store

Let’s build a counter in under 15 lines:

Store

useCounterStore.js
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// store/useCounterStore.js
import { create } from 'zustand'

const useCounterStore = create((set) => ({
  count: 0,
  increment: () => set((state) => ({ count: state.count + 1 })),
  decrement: () => set((state) => ({ count: state.count - 1 })),
  reset: () => set({ count: 0 }),
}))

export default useCounterStore
What's happening here?
  • `create()` - Creates a hook-based store
  • `set()` - Updates state immutably
  • State and actions live together (no separation anxiety!)

Using the Store in Components

Counter.jsx
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// components/Counter.jsx
import useCounterStore from './store/useCounterStore'

function Counter() {
  const count = useCounterStore((state) => state.count)
  const increment = useCounterStore((state) => state.increment)
  
  return (
    <div>
      <h2>Count: {count}</h2>
      <button onClick={increment}>Increment</button>
    </div>
  )
}

export default Counter
Selectors like `(state) => state.count` subscribe to only what you need, preventing unnecessary re-renders. This is automatic performance optimization.

The Complete Example: Counter App

App.jsx
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// App.jsx
import useCounterStore from './store/useCounterStore'

function App() {
  const { count, increment, decrement, reset } = useCounterStore()
  
  return (
    <div className="app">
      <h1>Zustand Counter</h1>
      <div className="counter-display">
        <h2>{count}</h2>
      </div>
      <div className="controls">
        <button onClick={decrement}>-</button>
        <button onClick={reset}>Reset</button>
        <button onClick={increment}>+</button>
      </div>
    </div>
  )
}

Zustand vs Redux vs Context: The Reality Check

Feature Zustand Redux Context API
Boilerplate Minimal Heavy Medium
Bundle Size ~1.2KB ~17KB (RTK) 0KB (built-in)
Performance Optimized Requires work Problematic
Learning Curve 1 hour 1 week 2 hours
DevTools Yes Yes No
WHEN

When to Choose Zustand

Perfect for

  • Medium to large applications
  • Teams wanting simplicity without sacrificing power
  • Projects with tight performance budgets
  • Codebases that value maintainability

Might skip if

  • You're building a tiny app (useState is fine)
  • Your team is deeply invested in Redux (migration cost > benefits)
  • You need extensive Redux middleware like Saga

Explore project snapshots or discuss custom solutions.

More About Me
TAKEAWAY

Key Takeaways

  • No Providers Needed - Zustand works globally without wrapping your app
  • Automatic Performance - Selective subscriptions prevent wasted renders
  • Simple Mental Model - State and actions in one place, accessed via hooks
  • Production Ready - Used successfully in small to medium apps and beyond

What's Next?

In the next blog, we’ll explore Advanced Store Patterns: slices, nested state, immer middleware, and computed values. You’ll learn how to scale Zustand stores for enterprise applications.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Leonardo da Vinci

Thank You for Spending Your Valuable Time

I truly appreciate you taking the time to read blog. Your valuable time means a lot to me, and I hope you found the content insightful and engaging!
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FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely. Zustand is battle-tested and used by companies worldwide. Its simplicity doesn't mean it lacks power—it scales beautifully with proper patterns.

Yes! Zustand has excellent TypeScript support. We'll cover this in upcomming Blogs, but the basic pattern is `create<State>()((set)

Zustand supports Redux DevTools via middleware. Just wrap your store with `devtools()` middleware—covered in upcomming Blogs.

At ~1.2KB gzipped, Zustand is tiny compared to Redux Toolkit (~17KB). Every kilobyte counts for performance.

Yes, gradually. You can run both side-by-side during migration. Start with new features in Zustand, then migrate old Redux slices over time.

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