Simplify State Management in React with useContext
Published: 2023-06-10 14:48:03

React is a powerful JavaScript library that provides developers with a flexible and efficient way to build user interfaces. One of the key aspects of building a React application is managing state, which refers to the data that drives the behavior and appearance of components. While there are several approaches to state management in React, one particularly useful tool is the useContext hook.

The useContext hook allows components to consume values from a context without the need for nested components or prop drilling. Context provides a way to share data between components without having to pass props through every level of the component tree.

Let's take a look at an example to understand how useContext works. In the code snippet provided, we have a context called TechniqueContext and a corresponding provider component called TechniqueProvider. The TechniqueProvider component wraps its children with the TechniqueContext.Provider component and sets the value of the context using the useState hook. The value consists of the allTechniques state and the setAllTechniques function to update the state.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/8qb5y5bv23hfkp7251hm.png)

To access the allTechniques state in another component, we can use the useContext hook. In the App component, we import the TechniqueContext and useContext from the respective files. By calling useContext(TechniqueContext), we can directly access the allTechniques state and the setAllTechniques function provided by the TechniqueProvider. We can also destructure other context values in a similar manner.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/b5j9vr10u7elc9sntee5.png)

The useContext hook greatly simplifies state management in this scenario. Instead of passing down props through multiple levels of components, we can directly access the required state and functions from the appropriate context. This makes the code more concise, readable, and easier to maintain.

Let's consider an example to illustrate how useContext can be beneficial. Suppose we have a component called TechniqueList that needs to display a list of techniques fetched from the server. Without using useContext, we would need to pass the allTechniques state and the setAllTechniques function as props from the App component to all intermediate components until we reach the TechniqueList component. This can quickly become cumbersome and lead to prop drilling, especially in larger applications with deeply nested components.

However, by utilizing useContext, we can directly access the allTechniques state in the TechniqueList component without the need for props. We can simply import the TechniqueContext and use the useContext hook to access the required state. This significantly simplifies the component's code and reduces the complexity of passing props through multiple levels.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/5fd97hwsj8j6b054at3v.png)

To summarize, the useContext hook in React provides an elegant solution for state management by allowing components to consume values from a context without prop drilling. It simplifies the process of sharing and accessing data across components, making the code more readable and maintainable. By using useContext, developers can create more modular and reusable components, resulting in a more efficient and enjoyable development experience.

If you find yourself dealing with complex state management scenarios in your React application, consider using the useContext hook along with with context providers. It will help you streamline your code, reduce the need for prop drilling, and improve the overall organization and maintainability of your application.

Resource: 
https://react.dev/reference/react/useContext