Redux vs Context API: Key Differences
| Constraints |
Redux |
Context API |
|---|---|---|
| Approach to State Management | Redux uses a centralized store where actions and reducers modify the state. | Context API uses a decentralized approach where the state is passed through the component tree using provider and consumer. |
| Components | Store, Actions, and Reducers | Provider and Consumer |
| Performance | High performance with large applications. | Simple use and limited to small-scale applications. |
| Setup Requirements | Redux requires a prior setup to be effectively integrated with the React application. | Context API requires minimal setup. |
| Debugging | With effective Redux Dev Tools debugging becomes easier. | Debugging is difficult in the case of a nested component tree. |
| Integration | Can be easily integrated with other front-end frameworks. | Can be integrated natively with React components. |
| Ease of Use | Redux is suitable for experienced developers. | Can be integrated natively with React components |
| Size of Application | Redux is suitable for large and complex applications. | Context API is suitable for small applications. |
Which One to Use Context API or Redux in Your Next React Project
Using real-life examples, we can easily understand Which One to Use Context API or Redux in Your Next React Project. Consider a kitchen with a shopping list organizer. Take the case when using a Context API. It can be assumed as a common whiteboard in the kitchen where the shopping list is displayed and anyone can see it and change it. What if the shopping list organizer was Redux? When this list organizer is a redux it can be seen as an advanced version where all the people in the kitchen not only see the list but each update in the list can be tracked down to the person who made the changes. Thus, GraphQL can be considered as a list organizer that keeps track of each operation, and Context API is used for simpler tasks.
Therefore, in this article, we’ve explained the differences between Redux and Context API in a way that’s easy to understand, helping you grasp how they work differently in React apps.