Context API for global UI state

Maya Patel Jan 2026
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import React, { createContext, useContext, useState, useEffect, ReactNode } from 'react'
import { User } from '@/types'
import api from '@/services/api'

interface AuthContextType {
  user: User | null
  loading: boolean
  login: (email: string, password: string) => Promise<void>
  logout: () => void
  isAuthenticated: boolean
}

const AuthContext = createContext<AuthContextType | undefined>(undefined)

export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
  const [user, setUser] = useState<User | null>(null)
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true)

  useEffect(() => {
    const token = localStorage.getItem('authToken')
    if (token) {
      fetchCurrentUser()
    } else {
      setLoading(false)
    }
  }, [])

  const fetchCurrentUser = async () => {
    try {
      const { data } = await api.get<User>('/auth/me')
      setUser(data)
    } catch (error) {
      localStorage.removeItem('authToken')
    } finally {
      setLoading(false)
    }
  }

  const login = async (email: string, password: string) => {
    const { data } = await api.post<{ user: User; token: string }>('/auth/login', {
      email,
      password,
    })
    localStorage.setItem('authToken', data.token)
    setUser(data.user)
  }

  const logout = () => {
    localStorage.removeItem('authToken')
    setUser(null)
  }

  return (
    <AuthContext.Provider
      value={{
        user,
        loading,
        login,
        logout,
        isAuthenticated: !!user,
      }}
    >
      {children}
    </AuthContext.Provider>
  )
}

export function useAuth() {
  const context = useContext(AuthContext)
  if (context === undefined) {
    throw new Error('useAuth must be used within an AuthProvider')
  }
  return context
}
1 file · typescript Explain with highlit

While React Query handles server state, I use Context API for client-side UI state like theme, sidebar visibility, or current user. Each context lives in its own file with a custom hook for consuming it. The context provider wraps the app at a high level and provides both state and updater functions. I avoid putting too much in context—only truly global state belongs here. For component-local state that's shared with a few children, prop drilling or composition is clearer. The useReducer hook works well for complex state transitions within a context. This pattern gives centralized state management without Redux's boilerplate for simple use cases.