Why migrate from Redux to React Query

State management in React applications has evolved significantly over the years. For a long time, Redux was the go-to solution for managing state, offering a predictable, centralized store with actions and reducers to handle updates. However, while Redux provided structure, it also introduced complexity—boilerplate code, verbose action handling, and the need for additional middleware (like Redux Thunk) for async operations. Developers often found themselves writing a lot of extra code just to fetch and manage server data efficiently.

Enter React Query, a modern alternative designed specifically for managing asynchronous state with minimal effort. React Query embraces the fact that server state has unique challenges, such as caching, background synchronization, and automatic refetching. It drastically simplifies the way data is fetched, stored, and updated, removing unnecessary complexity while improving efficiency. Beyond just a better API, React Query enhances developer experience (DX) by reducing boilerplate, improving performance, and making data-fetching logic more intuitive.

Migrating from Redux to React Query isn’t just about swapping libraries—it’s about making state management simpler, more efficient, and more enjoyable.

Less Boilerplate, More Productivity

One of the biggest frustrations with (particularly legacy) Redux is the sheer amount of code required to manage server state. Fetching data typically involves:

1. Writing an action creator
2. Dispatching the action
3. Handling loading and error states in a reducer
4. Storing the fetched data in the Redux store
5. Selecting the data with a useSelector hook

With React Query, this entire process is replaced by a single useQuery or useMutation hook. No more writing extra reducers, manually handling cache invalidation, or worrying about keeping data fresh—React Query does it for you.

Built-in Caching & Synchronization

Redux alone doesn’t offer caching out of the box, meaning developers often have to manually manage re-fetching and updating data. With React Query, caching is automatic. It keeps track of fetched data, reuses it across components, and automatically refreshes it in the background when needed. This eliminates stale data problems and reduces unnecessary network requests, improving both performance and user experience.

Optimized Performance

Redux’s approach to state updates can lead to unnecessary re-renders, especially when dealing with deeply nested structures or large datasets. React Query optimizes re-fetching and re-renders by tracking when data changes and only updating components that depend on it. Additionally, it offers features like pagination, infinite scrolling, and optimistic updates out of the box—features that require extra work in Redux.

Better DX (Developer Experience)

React Query significantly improves DX by providing a simpler, more declarative API. Instead of manually dispatching actions, managing reducers, and handling middleware, developers can focus on writing business logic instead of plumbing code. The built-in React Query DevTools are quite nice, too!

By switching to React Query, developers spend less time managing state and more time building features. It’s a smarter, more efficient approach to state management that prioritizes performance, maintainability, and developer happiness.

When to still use Redux

While React Query is excellent for handling server state, Redux still has its place—especially for managing client state that isn’t tied to API data. Things like UI state (modals, sidebars, theme settings), complex local state (such as multi-step forms), and global state that doesn’t need to be fetched from a server are often better suited for Redux or even the Context API. Additionally, if your application already has a well-structured Redux implementation with selectors and memoization, switching to React Query might not always be necessary unless managing server state has become a significant pain point. In some cases, a hybrid approach works best—using React Query for API calls and caching while keeping Redux for UI-related state management. The key is to use the right tool for the job rather than forcing one solution to handle everything.

Conclusion

Migrating from Redux to React Query can significantly improve developer experience, efficiency, and performance by reducing boilerplate, automating caching, and simplifying state management. Instead of manually handling API calls, background synchronization, and cache invalidation, React Query takes care of it for you—allowing developers to focus on building features rather than managing state. While Redux still has its uses for client-side state, React Query is a powerful, modern alternative for handling server state with far less complexity. If you're looking for a faster, cleaner, and more efficient way to manage data in your React app, it’s time to give React Query a try.