React Query vs SWR: Which One's More Popular These Days?
I'm currently deciding on a server state management library for the frontend. I've heard React Query has strong caching strategies, while SWR is said to pair well with Next.js... But I'm building a simple dashboard, so I don't need complex features. Could anyone who has used both give me a recommendation? I'm also curious about the learning curve and debugging difficulty.
9 answers
I built a dashboard using Next.js + SWR, and it was really simple and great. With SWR's mutate function, I easily implemented optimistic updates and the amount of code was significantly reduced. There's almost no learning curve.
I've used both libraries, and for a simple dashboard, I recommend SWR. React Query has so many features that it can actually lead to over-engineering. SWR's code is intuitive and integrates naturally with Next.js.
It's true that React Query is more popular, but the best choice depends on your situation. For simple CRUD like a dashboard, SWR is lightweight and great; if you need complex cache invalidation, React Query is the answer.
I highly recommend React Query. Its caching strategy is really powerful, making data refetching management on dashboards super convenient. There's a bit of a learning curve at first, but the official documentation is well-written, so you can pick it up quickly.
I've used both, and React Query DevTools is much better for debugging. SWR is a bit inconvenient for checking state. Even if it's a dashboard, considering that features might be added later, React Query might be the better choice.
Have you understood the concepts of staleTime and gcTime in React Query? They're key but can be a bit confusing at first. For a dashboard, the default values are usually sufficient, but since SWR is more intuitive, I'd recommend SWR for beginners.
I personally prefer React Query because its TypeScript support is better. If type safety is important in your dashboard, React Query is the better choice; otherwise, SWR is also fine.
Having used both... SWR is great for simple cases, while React Query shines when things scale up. For a dashboard, starting with SWR and migrating later if needed is also a viable approach.
Both are good, but the recent trend seems to lean a bit more toward React Query? However, for a dashboard, you might not even need it—fetch + useState could be enough. Before adopting a library, make sure to first consider whether it's truly necessary.