Understanding useContext: Say Goodbye to Props Drilling in React JS!

 

 

 

If you're new to React and tired of passing props through multiple components just to get a value down to a child — you're not alone. Almost every React developer has experienced the headache of props drilling. But don’t worry! React has a built-in solution to this problem: the Context API and the useContext hook.

 

What Is useContext?

useContext is a React hook that allows you to access values from a Context directly, without passing props manually. It helps you manage global state without adding extra libraries like Redux — at least for simpler use cases.

 

The Problem: Props Drilling

Let’s say you want to pass a username from component A to component D, but B and C are in between and don’t even need that data:

function App() {
  return <A username="alucard" />;
}

function A({ username }) {
  return <B username={username} />;
}

function B({ username }) {
  return <C username={username} />;
}

function C({ username }) {
  return <D username={username} />;
}

function D({ username }) {
  return <p>Hello, {username}!</p>;
}

This is inefficient and messy. Components B and C are forced to receive props they don’t even use. That’s where Context API steps in.

 

The Context API to the Rescue

The Context API lets you create a global "box" of data that can be accessed by any component in the tree, without drilling through props. Here's how to use it step by step:

1. Create the Context

import { createContext } from 'react';

const UserContext = createContext();

2. Provide the Context

function App() {
  return (
    <UserContext.Provider value={{ username: 'alucard' }}>
      <Profile />
    </UserContext.Provider>
  );
}

3. Consume the Context with useContext

import { useContext } from 'react';

function Profile() {
  const { username } = useContext(UserContext);
  return <p>Hello, {username}!</p>;
}

No more props drilling! The Profile component can directly access the username from context.

 

When to Use useContext

useContext is great for:

  • Theme switching (light/dark mode)
  • User authentication status
  • Language settings (i18n)
  • Global app data (cart, current user, etc.)

 

useContext vs Redux vs Zustand

Wondering why people still use Redux if we have useContext?

  • useContext: Simple, perfect for small-scale global state.
  • Redux/Zustand: Better for large applications with complex state and debugging needs.

 

Tips

  • Split your contexts — one for user, one for theme, etc.
  • Wrap useContext in custom hooks for cleaner code:
export function useUser() {
  return useContext(UserContext);
}

Then in your components:

const { username } = useUser();

 

Combining useContext with useReducer

Need more advanced global state management without Redux? Try combining useContext with useReducer:

const CounterContext = createContext();

function counterReducer(state, action) {
  switch(action.type) {
    case 'increment':
      return { count: state.count + 1 };
    default:
      return state;
  }
}

function CounterProvider({ children }) {
  const [state, dispatch] = useReducer(counterReducer, { count: 0 });

  return (
    <CounterContext.Provider value={{ state, dispatch }}>
      {children}
    </CounterContext.Provider>
  );
}

Then access it anywhere in your components:

function Counter() {
  const { state, dispatch } = useContext(CounterContext);
  return (
    <>
      <p>{state.count}</p>
      <button onClick={() => dispatch({ type: 'increment' })}>+</button>
    </>
  );
}

useContext is an excellent tool for managing small to medium-sized global state in your React apps. It's simple, powerful, and perfect for avoiding the nightmare of props drilling.

Don’t overuse context. For fast-changing or local state, stick to useState or useReducer.

Now that you've learned how to use useContext, give it a try in your next project. You’ll be amazed at how much cleaner and scalable your code can become!



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