Mobile app state management patterns - Redux vs Context vs MobX
#1
I'm architecting a new mobile application and struggling to choose a state management solution. The app will have complex state needs: user authentication, real-time data updates, offline support, and complex UI state.

I've researched the main options:
1. **Redux** (with Redux Toolkit) - predictable but verbose
2. **React Context** - built-in but can cause performance issues
3. **MobX** - reactive but less predictable
4. **Zustand** - simpler but newer/less battle-tested

Here's what I'm trying to manage:
```javascript
// Example of complex state
const appState = {
user: {
isAuthenticated: false,
profile: null,
preferences: {},
},
data: {
items: [],
loading: false,
error: null,
lastUpdated: null,
},
ui: {
currentScreen: 'home',
modalOpen: false,
theme: 'light',
},
offline: {
queue: [],
isOnline: true,
syncInProgress: false,
}
};
```

My mobile app development help questions:
1. Which state management solution scales best with complex applications?
2. How do different solutions handle performance with frequent state updates?
3. What are the debugging experiences like for each option?
4. Which has the best developer tooling and community support in 2025?

I'm looking for practical experiences rather than theoretical comparisons. This is one of those software development questions where the "right" answer depends on specific needs and team experience.

If anyone has migrated between state management solutions or has experience maintaining large mobile apps with complex state, I'd love to hear about your experiences and any coding errors and fixes you encountered during implementation.
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