Creating a Zustand Store
Install Zustand, define a store with create, add state properties and action functions, and understand how the store differs from Redux architecture.
Creating a Zustand Store is a free React Native Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 1 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the React Native Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
What Is Zustand?
Zustand (German for 'state') is a minimal, fast state management library for React. Unlike Redux, it requires no boilerplate like action creators, reducers, or a Provider wrapper. You define a store as a single function, and any component can subscribe to it with a simple hook. It is ideal for apps that need global state without the complexity of Redux Toolkit.
Installing Zustand
Install Zustand from npm with a single command. It has zero dependencies and is compatible with React Native out of the box. The package is lightweight — under 1 kB gzipped — which keeps your app's bundle size small.
npm install zustandCreating Your First Store
Call create from Zustand and pass it a function that receives set and returns an object containing your state properties and actions. The returned value is a custom hook — conventionally named useXxxStore — that components call to access the store.
import { create } from 'zustand';
interface CounterStore {
count: number;
increment: () => void;
decrement: () => void;
reset: () => void;
}
export const useCounterStore = create<CounterStore>((set) => ({
count: 0,
increment: () => set((state) => ({ count: state.count + 1 })),
decrement: () => set((state) => ({ count: state.count - 1 })),
reset: () => set({ count: 0 }),
}));The set Function
The set function is how Zustand updates state. You can pass it either a partial state object (Zustand merges it with existing state) or a callback that receives the current state and returns the updated portion. Zustand automatically notifies all subscribers when state changes.
// Partial object — Zustand merges it
set({ count: 0 });
// Callback — use when new value depends on previous value
set((state) => ({ count: state.count + 1 }));
// Replace entire state (pass true as second arg)
set(() => ({ count: 0, name: 'reset' }), true);No Provider Needed
One of Zustand's biggest advantages over Redux is that you do not need to wrap your component tree in a Provider. The store lives outside React and components subscribe to it directly via the returned hook. This means you can use the store anywhere — in components, in callbacks, or even outside React components.
// No Provider needed — just use the hook anywhere
function CounterDisplay() {
const count = useCounterStore((state) => state.count);
return <Text>Count: {count}</Text>;
}
function CounterButtons() {
const increment = useCounterStore((state) => state.increment);
const decrement = useCounterStore((state) => state.decrement);
return (
<View>
<Button title='+' onPress={increment} />
<Button title='-' onPress={decrement} />
</View>
);
}Subscribing to Specific State
Pass a selector function to the store hook to subscribe to only part of the state. The component re-renders only when the selected value changes. Without a selector, the component re-renders whenever any part of the store updates, which can hurt performance in large stores.
// Only re-renders when count changes
const count = useCounterStore((state) => state.count);
// Only re-renders when user.name changes
const username = useUserStore((state) => state.user.name);
// Without selector — re-renders on ANY store change (avoid this)
const everything = useCounterStore();Accessing the Store Outside React
Zustand stores expose a getState() method that reads the current state synchronously without hooks. There is also a subscribe() method for non-React subscriptions and a setState() method for imperative updates. This is useful in utility functions, API interceptors, or navigation helpers that run outside React component lifecycle.
// Access store state anywhere — no hooks required
import { useCounterStore } from './counterStore';
// Read state outside React
const currentCount = useCounterStore.getState().count;
// Update state outside React
useCounterStore.getState().increment();
// Subscribe outside React
const unsub = useCounterStore.subscribe((state) => {
console.log('Count changed to:', state.count);
});Async Actions in Zustand
Zustand actions can be async — just mark the function async and call set after the await. You do not need special async utilities like Redux's createAsyncThunk. You can add loading and error state directly to the store and update them inside the async action.
export const usePostsStore = create<PostsStore>((set) => ({
posts: [],
loading: false,
error: null,
fetchPosts: async () => {
set({ loading: true, error: null });
try {
const res = await fetch('https://api.example.com/posts');
const data = await res.json();
set({ posts: data, loading: false });
} catch (e) {
set({ error: 'Failed to load', loading: false });
}
},
}));Comparing Zustand and Redux
Redux Toolkit is more structured and provides stronger conventions for large teams, time-travel debugging, and complex state. Zustand excels when you need global state with minimal ceremony — a single file, no action types, no Provider. Both are valid choices; pick Zustand for small-to-medium apps or when you want to move fast without Redux boilerplate.
Organizing Multiple Stores
In larger apps, split your state into multiple focused stores rather than one massive store. For example, create useAuthStore, useCartStore, and useSettingsStore separately. Each store file is small, independently testable, and imported only by the components that need it. This prevents unrelated state changes from triggering unnecessary re-renders.
// stores/authStore.ts
export const useAuthStore = create<AuthStore>((set) => ({ /* ... */ }));
// stores/cartStore.ts
export const useCartStore = create<CartStore>((set) => ({ /* ... */ }));
// Component imports only what it needs
import { useAuthStore } from '../stores/authStore';
import { useCartStore } from '../stores/cartStore';Immer Middleware for Complex Updates
If your state is deeply nested and you want mutating-style updates (like Redux Toolkit's Immer integration), wrap the store creator with Zustand's immer middleware. With Immer, you can write state.user.preferences.theme = 'dark' instead of spreading every level of the object manually.
import { create } from 'zustand';
import { immer } from 'zustand/middleware/immer';
export const useSettingsStore = create(immer<SettingsStore>((set) => ({
user: { name: '', preferences: { theme: 'light', notifications: true } },
setTheme: (theme) => set((state) => {
state.user.preferences.theme = theme; // Immer makes this safe
}),
})));Quick Check
Test your understanding of React Native Mobile Development concepts from this lesson.
Lesson Recap
In this lesson you learned: Zustand creates global stores with minimal boilerplate using a single create call, no Provider is required because the store lives outside the React tree, and async actions work natively by marking store functions as async. Next up we explore reading and updating Zustand store state in components.
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Creating a Zustand Store” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Creating a Zustand Store” is free to read here on the web, and the React Native Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the React Native Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “Creating a Zustand Store”?
Install Zustand, define a store with create, add state properties and action functions, and understand how the store differs from Redux architecture. You practise React Native Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start React Native Academy?
No prior experience is required. React Native Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 1 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “Creating a Zustand Store” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this React Native Academy lesson?
Yes. Every React Native Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.