Redux Do's and Don'ts

Do's and Don'ts Overview

Do's and Don'ts is something you will reach for often in Redux. It keeps your workflow predictable and makes your intent obvious to reviewers and teammates.

When you learn do's and don'ts properly, you avoid the guesswork that leads to mistakes and rework. The example below shows the shape you will use in most real Redux projects.

import { configureStore } from '@reduxjs/toolkit';
import { Provider } from 'react-redux';

const store = configureStore({ reducer: rootReducer });

function App() {
  return (
    <Provider store={store}>
      <Root />
    </Provider>
  );
}

A Provider makes the single Redux store available to every component in the tree.

Do's and Don'ts Example

const slice = createSlice({ name, initialState, reducers });
const store = configureStore({ reducer: { key: slice.reducer } });
// dispatch(slice.actions.something())

• Start from a minimal Do's and Don'ts example and grow it only as needed.
• Keep things explicit so Do's and Don'ts behaves the same for everyone on the team.
• Name things clearly so teammates understand your Do's and Don'ts at a glance.
• Verify Do's and Don'ts works as expected before relying on it in important work.

Redux Cheatsheet

Quick Redux Toolkit reference related to do's and don'ts.

How Do's and Don'ts Works in Redux

Do's and Don'ts follows Redux's predictable data flow: components dispatch actions, reducers compute the next state from the previous state and the action, and subscribed components re-render.

A Provider makes the single Redux store available to every component in the tree.

• State lives in a single, read-only store.
• Actions are the only way to describe a change.
• Reducers are pure functions that return the next state.
• Redux Toolkit removes most boilerplate with slices and thunks.

Practical Guidance for Do's and Don'ts

In modern apps, do's and don'ts should use Redux Toolkit rather than hand-written Redux. Keep state minimal, colocate logic in slices, and use RTK Query for server data.

Common Mistakes

• Skipping edge cases and error handling when using do's and don'ts.
• Not verifying the result of do's and don'ts before moving on.
• Over-complicating do's and don'ts before you actually need the extra flexibility.
• Ignoring documentation, which makes do's and don'ts hard for the next person to follow.

Key Takeaways

• Do's and Don'ts is a core part of working effectively with Redux.
• Start small and keep do's and don'ts focused on a single goal.
• Apply consistent patterns so do's and don'ts scales across your project.
• Practise and document do's and don'ts to keep your workflow maintainable.