Quick Comparison
| TanStack Query | SWR | |
|---|---|---|
| Bundle size | ~13KB | ~4KB |
| DevTools | Excellent | Basic |
| Mutations | Built-in (useMutation) | Manual |
| Pagination | Built-in | Manual |
| Infinite scroll | Built-in | Built-in |
| Offline | Supported | Limited |
When to Use TanStack Query
- Complex data requirements
- You need mutations with optimistic updates
- You want excellent DevTools
- Pagination and infinite scroll
When to Use SWR
- Simple data fetching
- You want the smallest bundle
- Basic caching needs
- Vercel/Next.js projects (SWR is by Vercel)
Verdict
TanStack Query for anything beyond basic fetching. SWR for simple use cases where bundle size matters. TanStack Query’s DevTools alone make it worth the extra KB.