Reactide vs Redux DevTools
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A desktop IDE for building React web apps, with a live simulator and component tree.
Open source · MIT
Browser extension that lets you inspect and time-travel through Redux state changes.
The short answer
Choose Reactide if you need…
- Developers who build React apps and want the editor, preview, and terminal in one window
- Developers who want to inspect component hierarchy and props/state visually
- Developers who already use Create React App or webpack-based projects
- People comfortable running npm commands and editing a config file
Choose Redux DevTools if you need…
- JavaScript developers debugging Redux state in a web app
- Teams who want to inspect action history while developing React or other Redux-based front ends
- Developers building Electron apps who want the extension installed via electron-devtools-installer
Side-by-side
| Reactide | Redux DevTools | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 10.5k | 13.4k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Beginner |
| How you get it | Clone and build from source | Install the browser extension |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 4 years ago | 3 years ago |
What each one is
Reactide
Reactide is a cross-platform desktop application for writing React web apps. It bundles a live-reloading browser simulator, a visual component tree that shows props and state, and an integrated terminal, so developers don't have to keep switching between an editor, a browser, and a server. The README says it is in active development.
Redux DevTools
Redux DevTools Extension is a browser add-on for developers who use Redux, a state management library for JavaScript apps. Once your store is wired to it, the extension shows each action dispatched and how the state changed in response, so you can debug what your app is doing. The README also describes an npm package for wiring it into code and a separate remote option for other environments.
Best for
Reactide
- Developers who build React apps and want the editor, preview, and terminal in one window
- Developers who want to inspect component hierarchy and props/state visually
- Developers who already use Create React App or webpack-based projects
- People comfortable running npm commands and editing a config file
Redux DevTools
- JavaScript developers debugging Redux state in a web app
- Teams who want to inspect action history while developing React or other Redux-based front ends
- Developers building Electron apps who want the extension installed via electron-devtools-installer
Strengths
Reactide
- Purpose-built for React, with a simulator and component tree aimed at that workflow
- Live reloading shown in the README keeps the edit-and-preview loop in one place
- Open source under the MIT license
Redux DevTools
- Simple setup: a single line adds the enhancer to a basic Redux store
- Installable from Chrome Web Store and Mozilla Add-ons, with a documented build-from-source path
- Has a remote option (remote-redux-devtools) for browsers and non-browser environments the extension does not cover
Not ideal for
Reactide
- People who are not writing React, since the tooling is specific to React apps
- Teams needing a stable, supported release: the README describes the project as in active development and the latest release is labeled beta
- Developers who need a full-featured general code editor, since the README does not describe editing features beyond the terminal, simulator, and component tree
Redux DevTools
- People who do not use Redux, since the extension is built around Redux stores
- Anyone expecting the active project to be here: the README says development moved to github.com/reduxjs/redux-devtools, so issues and PRs belong there
- Teams that must avoid shipping debug tooling to production without extra setup, since the README advises restricting it with the logOnlyInProduction import
Trade-offs
Reactide
- Last code push in the metadata is January 2023, and the release is a beta, so maintenance status is unclear
- Setup requires manual steps: editing reactide.config.js and running npm commands
- The README is truncated and gives few details on editing features or supported platforms beyond Electron builds
Redux DevTools
- The README says this repository is no longer the home of the project, so it may not receive new development here
- Wiring it up requires editing your store code, and the README notes ESLint and TypeScript adjustments may be needed
- Using it in production needs extra configuration, such as setting NODE_ENV in your bundler
Getting started
Reactide
Check out the 3.0 release branch
git checkout 3.0-releaseInstall dependencies
npm installRedux DevTools
Build the Chrome extension from source
npm i && npm run build:extensionBuild the Firefox extension from source
npm i && npm run build:firefoxFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Reactide and Redux DevTools?
Reactide: A desktop IDE for building React web apps, with a live simulator and component tree. Redux DevTools: Browser extension that lets you inspect and time-travel through Redux state changes. Reactide suits developers who build react apps and want the editor, preview, and terminal in one window, while Redux DevTools suits javascript developers debugging redux state in a web app.
Are Reactide and Redux DevTools free?
Reactide: Free and open source. Redux DevTools: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Reactide or Redux DevTools?
Redux DevTools is easier to get started with (rated beginner); Reactide is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Reactide or Redux DevTools more popular?
Redux DevTools has more GitHub stars (13.4k) than Reactide (10.5k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Reactide and Redux DevTools?
Other options people compare them with include Electron React Boilerplate, Redux DevTools, Redux Toolkit.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.