As a React and Next.js lead, I embarked on a critical proof of concept (PoC) project to explore alternative state management solutions for Eurosport's video player, in preparation for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. Our goal was to replace the existing MobX implementation and ensure a seamless and high-performance video experience for users during this major sporting event. Collaborating closely with my colleague Thibault Boursier, we set out to evaluate the viability of Redux and React's built-in Context API as potential replacements. This case study highlights our approach, findings, and the long-term impact of our PoC on the video player's state management architecture.

As we geared up for the 2020 Summer Olympics, our team recognized the limitations and challenges associated with our current MobX-based state management system in the video player. With the anticipated surge in traffic and the critical importance of delivering a flawless viewing experience during the Olympics, we understood the necessity of exploring alternative solutions that could provide a more robust, efficient, and scalable foundation for managing the video player's state.

To thoroughly evaluate the potential of Redux and Context API in the context of Eurosport's video player, Thibault and I decided to divide the responsibilities of the PoC. I took the lead on investigating Redux, leveraging its powerful features such as a centralized store, reducers, and middleware to manage the complex state interactions within the video player. Meanwhile, Thibault focused on exploring the capabilities of React's Context API, which provides a lightweight and intuitive way to manage state within the component tree of the video player.

Throughout the PoC, we regularly collaborated, sharing insights, discussing challenges, and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. We implemented real-world scenarios and complex state management patterns specific to the video player, assessing how Redux and Context API would handle the unique requirements of delivering a seamless video experience during the Olympics.

Upon completing the PoC, Thibault and I presented our findings to the Eurosport team. We discovered that both Redux and Context API had their merits and could effectively address different aspects of state management within the video player. Redux excelled in handling the complex global state, such as user preferences, video playback settings, and analytics data. On the other hand, Context API shone in managing localized state within specific components of the video player, such as the playback controls and video metadata display.

After careful consideration and discussions with the team, we made the decision to keep both Redux and Context API in parallel, leveraging their strengths for different parts of the video player. By separating the business concerns and assigning them to the most appropriate state management solution, we aimed to optimize performance, maintainability, and developer productivity, ensuring a seamless video experience for Eurosport's users during the Olympics.

Our PoC and the subsequent decision to adopt a parallel state management approach had a significant impact on Eurosport's video player architecture and development practices. The team embraced the use of Redux for managing global video player state, benefiting from its robust ecosystem, middleware support, and dev tools. Additionally, the adoption of Context API for localized state management allowed for cleaner and more focused components within the video player, improving code readability and reusability.

Over time, the React ecosystem continued to evolve, and new state management solutions emerged. Today, I would advocate for exploring libraries like Zustand, which combines the simplicity of hooks with the power of a centralized store. Zustand offers a more lightweight and flexible alternative to Redux, while still providing a scalable and maintainable solution for state management within the video player.

Looking back, I am proud of the collaborative effort and thorough evaluation that Thibault and I undertook during the PoC. Our findings and recommendations laid the foundation for a more resilient and adaptable state management architecture in Eurosport's video player. It's encouraging to know that the team has continued to evolve their state management practices, now leveraging Redux Toolkit to further enhance their Redux implementation.

As a founder, the choice of state management solution for your video player can have a profound impact on its scalability, maintainability, and performance, especially during high-traffic events like the Olympics. By leveraging my expertise in React and Next.js, along with my experience in conducting thorough PoCs and evaluating state management alternatives, I can help you make informed decisions that align with your video player's specific needs. Together, we can design and implement a state management architecture that empowers your team, enhances developer productivity, and ensures a seamless and high-performance video experience for your users. Let's collaborate to build a robust and efficient foundation for your video player's state management, positioning your team for success in the ever-evolving React ecosystem and beyond.