Unidirectional Data Flow

Definitions

1. An application architecture pattern where data flows in a single direction — typically from a central store through the view, with user interactions dispatching actions that update the store, which then re-renders the view. Popularized by Flux and Redux in the React ecosystem, it eliminates the circular update bugs common in two-way data binding frameworks.

   In plain English: A design pattern where data moves in one loop — from storage to screen, then user actions go back to storage — making it easier to track what changed and why.

   Example: "With unidirectional data flow, I can trace any bug by following the action → reducer → state → render chain — there's only one path the data can take."

Related Terms

• Webhook vs. Polling
• Event-Driven Architecture
• blast radius
• Context
• Provider Pattern
• Redux
• State Management
• Zustand