6 min
Dec 20, 2025·Frontend·ESSAY

State Management Is Overrated

Most apps don’t need Redux. They need better boundaries.

State Management Is Overrated

State management libraries solve a problem most apps don’t have.

The real issue isn’t state. It’s **unclear ownership**.

The Illusion of Control

Global state feels powerful. It centralizes logic. It promises consistency.

In reality, it:

  • Hides dependencies
  • Increases coupling
  • Makes debugging abstract

    • Local First, Always

    State should live:

  • As close to usage as possible
  • For as short a time as possible

    • If state spreads uncontrollably, the issue isn’t tooling. It’s architecture.

    When Global State Makes Sense

    Rarely. And intentionally.

    Examples:

  • Auth session
  • Theme preferences
  • Feature flags

    • Not form inputs. Not UI toggles. Not derived data.

    The Hard Truth

    Most apps need:

  • Better component composition
  • Clearer data flow
  • Fewer abstractions

    • State management is a shortcut. Architecture is the work.

    Choose the work.