Question 1

Local state vs global state — how do you choose?

Accepted Answer

Keep state local unless many distant consumers need it or it represents app-wide session/cache. Over-globalizing creates coupling. Server cache ≠ UI state.

Question 2

What problem do Redux/Zustand/Jotai solve?

Accepted Answer

Predictable shared client state beyond what Context handles comfortably. Redux Toolkit for structured enterprise flows; Zustand for minimal stores; Jotai for atomic models. Pick team conventions.

Question 3

Server state vs client state?

Accepted Answer

Server state is persisted remotely and cached (React Query); client state is ephemeral UI. Don't duplicate server lists in Redux without a strategy. Use query libraries for fetching/caching.

Question 4

How does React Query change architecture?

Accepted Answer

Components declare queries/mutations; cache handles staleness, retries, deduping. Less custom fetch glue. Align mutations with cache updates. Still need local UI state.

Question 5

Immutable updates in stores — why?

Accepted Answer

Predictable changes, efficient equality checks, easier debugging. Immer often used under the hood. Avoid silent mutations.

Question 6

Normalize relational data in the client?

Accepted Answer

Store entities by id and reference by ids to avoid duplication. Helps updates stay consistent. Can be overkill for simple trees.

Question 7

When is Context enough without a store library?

Accepted Answer

Low-frequency updates (theme/auth) with few consumers. If many high-frequency updates, prefer a store with selectors.

State Management React Interview Questions

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