What are the top 10 libraries you've used when building React applications?

Brief Answer

React’s ecosystem offers numerous libraries that enhance development experience and application functionality. Here are 10 essential libraries:

Redux/Zustand — State management
React Router — Navigation and routing
Styled Components — CSS-in-JS styling
Axios — HTTP client
React Query — Server state management
Jest — Testing framework
React Hook Form — Form handling
Framer Motion — Animations
Lodash — Utility functions
Storybook — Component development

Simple example with multiple libraries:

// Combining several popular libraries
import { useQuery } from 'react-query';
import { useForm } from 'react-hook-form';
import styled from 'styled-components';
import { motion } from 'framer-motion';
 
const Form = styled.form`
  padding: 20px;
`;
 
function UserForm() {
  const { data } = useQuery('users', fetchUsers);
  const { register, handleSubmit } = useForm();
  
  return (
    <Form as={motion.form} animate={{ opacity: 1 }}>
      {/* Form implementation */}
    </Form>
  );
}

Full Answer

React’s strength lies in its rich ecosystem of libraries that complement the core library. These tools address common development challenges and enhance productivity.

1. State Management Libraries

Redux Toolkit

The most popular state management solution with excellent DevTools:

import { createSlice } from '@reduxjs/toolkit';
 
const counterSlice = createSlice({
  name: 'counter',
  initialState: { value: 0 },
  reducers: {
    increment: (state) => {
      state.value += 1;
    }
  }
});

Zustand

Modern, lightweight alternative with hooks-based API:

import { create } from 'zustand';
 
const useStore = create((set) => ({
  count: 0,
  increment: () => set((state) => ({ count: state.count + 1 })),
}));

2. Routing Libraries

React Router

De facto standard for React application routing:

import { BrowserRouter, Routes, Route } from 'react-router-dom';
 
function App() {
  return (
    <BrowserRouter>
      <Routes>
        <Route path="/" element={<Home />} />
        <Route path="/about" element={<About />} />
      </Routes>
    </BrowserRouter>
  );
}

3. Styling Libraries

Styled Components

CSS-in-JS solution for dynamic styling:

import styled from 'styled-components';
 
const Button = styled.button`
  background: ${props => props.primary ? 'blue' : 'gray'};
  color: white;
  padding: 10px 20px;
`;

4. HTTP Client Libraries

Axios

Promise-based HTTP client with interceptors:

import axios from 'axios';
 
const api = axios.create({
  baseURL: 'https://api.example.com',
});
 
api.get('/users').then(response => {
  console.log(response.data);
});

5. Server State Management

React Query

Handles server state, caching, and synchronization:

import { useQuery } from 'react-query';
 
function Users() {
  const { data, isLoading } = useQuery('users', fetchUsers);
  
  if (isLoading) return <div>Loading...</div>;
  return <UserList users={data} />;
}

6. Form Libraries

React Hook Form

Performant, easy-to-use form library:

import { useForm } from 'react-hook-form';
 
function MyForm() {
  const { register, handleSubmit } = useForm();
  
  const onSubmit = (data) => console.log(data);
  
  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit(onSubmit)}>
      <input {...register('name')} />
      <button type="submit">Submit</button>
    </form>
  );
}

7. Animation Libraries

Framer Motion

Production-ready motion library:

import { motion } from 'framer-motion';
 
function AnimatedComponent() {
  return (
    <motion.div
      animate={{ rotate: 360 }}
      transition={{ duration: 2 }}
    >
      Spinning Box
    </motion.div>
  );
}

8. Testing Libraries

Jest + React Testing Library

Comprehensive testing solution:

import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
import App from './App';
 
test('renders learn react link', () => {
  render(<App />);
  const linkElement = screen.getByText(/learn react/i);
  expect(linkElement).toBeInTheDocument();
});

9. Utility Libraries

Lodash

Reliable utility functions:

import { debounce, throttle } from 'lodash';
 
const debouncedSearch = debounce(searchFunction, 300);

10. Component Development

Storybook

UI component development environment:

// Button.stories.js
export default {
  title: 'Components/Button',
  component: Button,
};
 
export const Primary = {
  args: {
    primary: true,
    label: 'Button',
  },
};

When to Use These Libraries

✅ Recommended for:

Large-scale applications requiring state management
Applications with complex routing needs
Projects requiring consistent styling approaches
Applications with extensive form handling
Teams prioritizing testing and documentation

❌ Consider avoiding when:

Building simple static websites
Working on prototypes or proof-of-concepts
Team lacks experience with additional tools
Performance is critical and bundle size matters

Key Benefits

Enhanced Productivity — Pre-built solutions for common problems
Community Support — Large ecosystems with extensive documentation
Best Practices — Libraries often implement proven patterns
Maintainability — Standardized approaches across projects

Choosing the right libraries depends on project requirements, team expertise, and long-term maintenance considerations. Start with core libraries and add others as needed.

Want more articles to prepare for interviews? Subscribe to EasyAdvice, bookmark the site and improve yourself every day 💪