My take on the modern React stack (2026)

I've been working with React for a while now, and I've started to get a bettter idea of the tools I like working with.

Here's roughly what I'd reach for when starting a new project today:

• Next.js + Typescript

• Tailwind CSS + shadcn/ui

• Fetch / TanStack Query

• Zustand

• React Hook Form + Zod

• Jest + Playwright

This isn't a definitive list or a recommendation. React moves so quickly that this is already probably outdated and the right tools always depend on what you're building.

React, Vite or Next.js

React and Typescript would be my starting point.

For a straightforward React application, I'd use Vite.

I like Next.js when the project benefits from a larger framework like server-side rendering, static generation, file based routing, SEO, image optimisation or server side features.

State

If needing more than local state, Zustand is my first choice. I prefer it over Redux because there's less boilerplate and it feels much simpler to set up and work with.

Data

For simple API requests, I'd use the built-in Fetch API.

When an application has more server state to deal with (caching, refetching, loading states, syncing data), TanStack is best.

Forms

For forms, I opt for React Hook Form + Zod.

I like Zod in particular because it works nicely with Typescript. You can define a schema and infer the corresponding Typescript type from it, rather than maintaining the same structure in two places.

Styling

Tailwind CSS is my preference for new projects. I find it quicker to build with and like having the styling close to the component I'm working on.

I'd still use SCSS when a project already has an established SCSS setup.

Testing

Jest for unit and component testing. Playwright for end to end testing.

Design Systems

shadcn/ui is my first choice if opting for a design system. I like that the components are added directly to the project rather than being locked behind a package, so they're easy to customise.

MUI and Ant design are other complete design systems to consider.

Takeaway

Again, these are just the tools I'd probably reach for right now based on what I've enjoyed working with and found useful.

This will probably change. New tools come along all the time and every application is different.