React Development: Popularity of TanStack Query remains unbroken

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The new edition of the developer survey State of React has been released. Over 3500 developers share their experiences with the JavaScript library React and its ecosystem. The open-source library TanStack Query scores very well in user favor, while the newer React features Server Components and Server Functions are quite unpopular.

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Persistent difficulties with Server Components

Respondents were again asked about their biggest "pain points" in React development. Among the main APIs, forwardRef has been at the top for the umpteenth time. However, forwardRef is no longer necessary since React 19, released at the end of 2024, which is why the React team has marked it as deprecated (obsolete). When dealing with newer APIs, developers primarily complain about difficulties regarding compatibility with React and excessive complexity.

Elsewhere, participants were able to indicate whether they use or have heard of certain features and libraries, and whether they have a positive, negative, or neutral stance towards them. It shows that the newer React Server Components continue to generate little enthusiasm. When evaluating all React APIs, they rank third in negative ratings, followed by Server Functions in fourth place. However, the unpopularity of Server Components and Functions is concerning, according to the study makers, as these new APIs are intended to pave the way for React's next major evolutionary step towards a more complete full-stack framework.

It also shows that both Server Components and Functions are still used relatively rarely compared to other React features: they have only been used by 45 percent and 37 percent of respondents, respectively, which corresponds to ranks 17 and 19. In particular, people who have not yet used them have a negative view of the new features. For example, five percent of Server Functions users rate them negatively, but nine percent of those who have only heard of them do.

In contrast, the APIs <Fragment> and createContext stand out positively: among their users, 54 percent and 48 percent, respectively, have a positive attitude towards the APIs, and only two percent and six percent have a negative attitude. Last year too, these features were in the top 3, with createContext moving up from third to second place, narrowly displacing the hook useState. The most popular feature, <Fragment>, has already been used by 97 percent of respondents.

TanStack Query most popular, Next.js plummets

After TanStack Query overtook Next.js last year, the open-source state management tool defends its title as the most popular library this year. It is followed by Zustand, also an open-source state management tool, and the UI library shadcn/ui ranks third. This achieved second place in this year's JavaScript Rising Stars study, reflecting over 26,000 new GitHub stars in 2025.

Next.js, which was in third place among libraries in the previous year's survey, is now far behind in ninth place. In comparison, 42 percent of TanStack Query users rate this library positively, while only 27 percent of Next.js users view their used library positively. TanStack Start apparently has a particularly good image: among those who have heard of it but do not use it, the positive rating is 23 percent.

Data basis

The online survey State of React 2025 ran from November 19, 2025, to January 13, 2026. A total of 3760 people participated worldwide. The study makers, Devographics, who are also behind State of JavaScript and are not associated with the official React team, point out that, among other things, providers of frameworks and libraries were able to encourage their users to participate. State of React does not claim to be representative of the entire ecosystem. Google and JetBrains, among others, supported the current study as sponsors. The results can be viewed on the project's website.

(mai)