React Context API + useContext for Global State Management

April 5, 2019

State management has always been a key challenge in React applications. While Redux has been the go-to solution for global state, it can feel like overkill for smaller applications that don’t require complex state logic.

With the introduction of Hooks in React 16.8, we now have a simpler alternative: React Context API combined with useContext. This approach makes managing global state much easier without the need for third-party libraries.

In this post, we’ll explore:

  • When to use Context API instead of Redux
  • How to manage global state with useContext
  • A practical example: Building a theme switcher

When Should You Use Context API Instead of Redux?

While Redux is powerful, it comes with boilerplate code, reducers, actions, and middleware, which might be unnecessary for small applications.

Use React Context API + useContext when:
✅ You need simple global state management (e.g., themes, authentication, language settings).
✅ Your app doesn’t need advanced state logic like middleware or time-travel debugging.
✅ You want less boilerplate and a more straightforward approach.

Stick with Redux when:
🔹 You have complex state dependencies across multiple components.
🔹 You need advanced state debugging tools.
🔹 You’re working on a large-scale application with many contributors.

For small apps, Context API + useContext is a lightweight alternative that can replace Redux entirely.


How React Context Works

React Context API allows you to create a global state and pass it down the component tree without prop drilling. Before Hooks, consuming context in class components required Context.Consumer or using the render props pattern, making it a bit cumbersome.

Now, with useContext, consuming context in functional components is much simpler.


Building a Theme Switcher with useContext

Let’s create a light/dark theme switcher using the Context API and useContext.

Step 1: Create the Context

First, define a ThemeContext and a provider component to store the theme state.

import React, { createContext, useState } from "react";

const ThemeContext = createContext();

export function ThemeProvider({ children }) {
  const [theme, setTheme] = useState("light");

  const toggleTheme = () => {
    setTheme((prevTheme) => (prevTheme === "light" ? "dark" : "light"));
  };

  return (
    <ThemeContext.Provider value={{ theme, toggleTheme }}>
      {children}
    </ThemeContext.Provider>
  );
}

export default ThemeContext;

Step 2: Use useContext to Consume the Theme

Now, let’s create a component that reads the theme and toggles it using useContext.

import React, { useContext } from "react";
import ThemeContext from "./ThemeContext";

function ThemeSwitcher() {
  const { theme, toggleTheme } = useContext(ThemeContext);

  return (
    <div style={{ background: theme === "light" ? "#fff" : "#333", color: theme === "light" ? "#000" : "#fff", padding: "20px" }}>
      <p>Current theme: {theme}</p>
      <button onClick={toggleTheme}>Toggle Theme</button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default ThemeSwitcher;

Step 3: Wrap the App in the Provider

Finally, we wrap our app in the ThemeProvider so that all components can access the theme context.

import React from "react";
import ReactDOM from "react-dom";
import { ThemeProvider } from "./ThemeContext";
import ThemeSwitcher from "./ThemeSwitcher";

function App() {
  return (
    <ThemeProvider>
      <ThemeSwitcher />
    </ThemeProvider>
  );
}

ReactDOM.render(<App />, document.getElementById("root"));

Why Use useContext Instead of Redux for This?

🔹 Less Boilerplate – No need to write actions, reducers, or dispatch functions.
🔹 Easier to Implement – Just createContext and useContext, and you’re done.
🔹 Perfect for Small-Scale Apps – If all you need is a few global states (e.g., theme, authentication, language settings), Context API is all you need.

However, Context API is NOT a full replacement for Redux in large applications. If your app has deeply nested state logic, complex reducers, or requires middleware, Redux is still the better choice.


Conclusion

With React Hooks and Context API, managing global state has become easier than ever. While Redux remains powerful for large-scale apps, small to medium projects can now skip the complexity and use useContext for a simpler, more lightweight approach.

🚀 If you’re just getting started with Hooks, now is the time to embrace Context API for global state!

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