diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/README.md b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/README.md
index 5501505dbb7e27..72a8479c7ac3d6 100644
--- a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/README.md
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/README.md
@@ -2,4 +2,5 @@
 
 Utilities for building Kibana plugins.
 
-- [State containers](./docs/state_containers/README.md).
+- [State containers](./docs/state_containers).
+- [State syncing utilities](./docs/state_sync).
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_containers/README.md b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_containers/README.md
index 583f8f65ce6b69..ee5ebde9258e6a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_containers/README.md
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_containers/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ your services or apps.
   container you can always access the latest state snapshot synchronously.
 - Unlike Redux, state containers are less verbose, see example below.
 
-
 ## Example
 
 ```ts
@@ -21,11 +20,11 @@ import { createStateContainer } from 'src/plugins/kibana_utils';
 const container = createStateContainer(
   { count: 0 },
   {
-    increment: (state: {count: number}) => (by: number) => ({ count: state.count + by }),
-    double: (state: {count: number}) => () => ({ count: state.count * 2 }),
+    increment: (state: { count: number }) => (by: number) => ({ count: state.count + by }),
+    double: (state: { count: number }) => () => ({ count: state.count * 2 }),
   },
   {
-    count: (state: {count: number}) => () => state.count,
+    count: (state: { count: number }) => () => state.count,
   }
 );
 
@@ -35,7 +34,6 @@ container.transitions.double();
 console.log(container.selectors.count()); // 10
 ```
 
-
 ## Demos
 
 See demos [here](../../demos/state_containers/).
@@ -47,11 +45,11 @@ npx -q ts-node src/plugins/kibana_utils/demos/state_containers/counter.ts
 npx -q ts-node src/plugins/kibana_utils/demos/state_containers/todomvc.ts
 ```
 
-
 ## Reference
 
 - [Creating a state container](./creation.md).
 - [State transitions](./transitions.md).
 - [Using with React](./react.md).
-- [Using without React`](./no_react.md).
+- [Using without React](./no_react.md).
 - [Parallels with Redux](./redux.md).
+- [Syncing state with URL or SessionStorage](../state_sync)
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/README.md b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..acfe6dcf76fe97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# State Syncing Utilities
+
+State syncing utilities are a set of helpers for syncing your application state
+with URL or browser storage.
+
+They are designed to work together with [state containers](../state_containers). But state containers are not required.
+
+State syncing utilities include:
+
+- `syncState` util which:
+  - Subscribes to state changes and pushes them to state storage.
+  - Optionally subscribes to state storage changes and pushes them to state.
+- Two types of storage compatible with `syncState`:
+  - [KbnUrlStateStorage](./storages/kbn_url_storage.md) - Serializes state and persists it to URL's query param in rison or hashed format.
+    Listens for state updates in the URL and pushes them back to state.
+  - [SessionStorageStateStorage](./storages/session_storage.md) - Serializes state and persists it to session storage.
+
+## Example
+
+```ts
+import {
+  createStateContainer,
+  syncState,
+  createKbnUrlStateStorage,
+} from 'src/plugins/kibana_utils/public';
+
+const stateContainer = createStateContainer({ count: 0 });
+const stateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage();
+
+const { start, stop } = syncState({
+  storageKey: '_a',
+  stateContainer,
+  stateStorage,
+});
+
+start();
+
+// state container change is synched to state storage
+// kbnUrlStateStorage updates the URL to "/#?_a=(count:2)"
+stateContainer.set({ count: 2 });
+
+stop();
+```
+
+## Demos Plugins
+
+See demos plugins [here](../../../../../examples/state_containers_examples).
+
+To run them, start kibana with `--run-examples` flag.
+
+## Reference
+
+- [Syncing state with URL](./storages/kbn_url_storage.md).
+- [Syncing state with sessionStorage](./storages/session_storage.md).
+- [Setting up initial state](./initial_state.md).
+- [Using without state containers](./no_state_containers.md).
+- [Handling empty or incomplete incoming state](./empty_or_incomplete_incoming_state.md).
+- [On-the-fly state migrations](./on_fly_state_migrations.md).
+- [syncStates helper](./sync_states.md).
+- [Helpers for Data plugin (syncing TimeRange, RefreshInterval and Filters)](./data_plugin_helpers.md).
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/data_plugin_helpers.md b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/data_plugin_helpers.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..a6abf19c584017
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/data_plugin_helpers.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Helpers for syncing state with data plugins (TimeRange, RefreshInterval and Filters)
+
+```ts
+// TODO: Waiting for
+// https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/55977
+// https://github.com/elastic/kibana/pull/56128
+```
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/empty_or_incomplete_incoming_state.md b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/empty_or_incomplete_incoming_state.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..22163d6f51ead2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/empty_or_incomplete_incoming_state.md
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+# Handling empty or incomplete incoming state
+
+Users have direct access to storages where we sync our state to.
+For example, in the URL, a user can manually change the URL and remove or corrupt important data which we expect to be there.
+URLs may also be programmatically generated, increasing the risk for mistakes which application can't handle.
+
+`syncState` doesn't handle such edge cases passing input from storage to the state container as is.
+It is up to the application to handle such scenarios.
+
+Consider the following example:
+
+```ts
+// window.location.href is "/#?_a=(count:0"
+const defaultState = { count: 0 }; // default application state
+
+const stateContainer = createStateContainer(defaultState);
+const stateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage();
+
+const { start, stop } = syncState({
+  storageKey: '_a',
+  stateContainer,
+  stateStorage,
+});
+
+start();
+
+// At this point, state and storage are in sync
+// state: {count: 0}
+// storage: {count: 0}
+
+// Now user changes the URL manually to "/#?_a=(corrupt:0)",
+// triggering a state update with {corrupt: 0}
+```
+
+The application could, for example, handle this gracefully, by using simple composition during setup:
+
+```ts
+const { start, stop } = syncState({
+  storageKey: '_a',
+  stateContainer: {
+    ...stateContainer,
+    set: state => stateContainer.set({ ...defaultState, ...state }),
+  },
+  stateStorage,
+});
+```
+
+In this case, the corrupt value will not get into state, preventing misshaped state.
+
+To help application developers remember such edge cases,
+`syncState` util sets a constraint,
+that setter to state container should be able to handle `null` value (see [IStateSyncConfig](../../public/state_sync/types.ts)).
+Incoming `null` value from state storage usually means that state is empty (e.g. URL without `storageKey` query param).
+So when using `syncState` util applications are required to at least handle incoming `null`.
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/initial_state.md b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/initial_state.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..306c9313178f35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/initial_state.md
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# Setting up initial state
+
+The `syncState` util doesn't do any initial state syncing between state and storage.
+Consider the following scenario:
+
+```ts
+// window.location.href is "/#?_a=(count:2)"
+const defaultState = { count: 0 }; // default application state
+
+const stateContainer = createStateContainer(defaultState);
+const stateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage();
+
+const { start, stop } = syncState({
+  storageKey: '_a',
+  stateContainer,
+  stateStorage,
+});
+
+start();
+
+// Now the storage and state are out of sync
+// state: {count: 0}
+// storage: {count: 2}
+```
+
+It is up to the application to decide, how initial state should be synced and which state should take precedence, depending on the specific use case.
+
+Questions to consider:
+
+1. Should default state take precedence over URL?
+2. Should URL take precedence?
+3. Do we have to do any state migrations for what is coming from the URL?
+4. If URL doesn't have the whole state, should we merge it with default one or leave it behind?
+5. Is there any other state loading in parallel (e.g. from a `SavedObject`)? How should we merge those?
+6. Are we storing the state both in the URL and in the `sessionStorage`? Which one should take precedence and in which case?
+
+A possible synchronization for the state conflict above could look like this:
+
+```ts
+// window.location.href is "/#?_a=(count:2)"
+const defaultState = { count: 0 }; // default application state
+
+const urlStateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage();
+
+const initialStateFromUrl = urlStateStorage.get('_a');
+
+// merge the default state and initial state from the url and use it as initial application state
+const initialState = {
+  ...defaultState,
+  ...initialStateFromUrl,
+};
+
+const stateContainer = createStateContainer(initialState);
+
+// preserve initial application state in the URL
+if (!initialStateFromUrl) {
+  urlStateStorage.set('_a', initialState, { replace: true });
+}
+
+const { start, stop } = syncState({
+  storageKey: '_a',
+  stateContainer,
+  stateStorage: urlStateStorage,
+});
+
+start();
+
+// Now the storage and state are in sync
+// state: {count: 2}
+// storage: {count: 2}
+```
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/no_state_containers.md b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/no_state_containers.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..ad78774435825e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/no_state_containers.md
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+# Using state syncing utilities without state containers
+
+It is possible to use `syncState` utility even if your app is not using [state containers](../state_containers).
+The `state` which is passed into `syncState` function should implement this simple interface:
+
+```ts
+export interface BaseStateContainer<State extends BaseState> {
+  get: () => State;
+  set: (state: State | null) => void;
+  state$: Observable<State>;
+}
+```
+
+For example, assuming you have a custom state manager, setting up syncing state with the URL could look something like this:
+
+```ts
+// my_state_manager.ts
+import { Subject } from 'rxjs';
+import { map } from 'rxjs/operators';
+
+export class MyStateManager {
+  private count: number = 0;
+
+  updated$ = new Subject();
+
+  setCount(count: number) {
+    if (this.count !== count) {
+      this.count = count;
+      this.updated$.next();
+    }
+  }
+
+  getCount() {
+    return this.count;
+  }
+}
+```
+
+```ts
+// app.ts
+import { syncState, createKbnUrlStateStorage } from 'src/plugins/kibana_utils/public';
+import { MyStateManager } from './my_state_manager';
+
+const myStateManager = new MyStateManager();
+
+syncState({
+  get: () => ({ count: myStateManager.getCount() }),
+  set: state => state && myStateManager.setCount(state.count),
+  state$: myStateManager.updated$.pipe(map(() => ({ count: myStateManager.getCount() }))),
+});
+```
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/on_fly_state_migrations.md b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/on_fly_state_migrations.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..65d1bce588eed3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/on_fly_state_migrations.md
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# On-the-fly state migrations
+
+When retrieving initial state from storage we shouldn't forget about possible outdated state.
+Consider the scenario, where user launches application from a bookmarked link, which contains outdated state.
+
+Similar to [handling initial state](./initial_state.md) example, applications could handle migrations during Initialization.
+
+```ts
+import { migrate } from '../app/state_helpers';
+const urlStateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage();
+const initialStateFromUrl = urlStateStorage.get('_a');
+
+// merge default state and initial state and migrate it to the current version
+const initialState = migrate({
+  ...defaultState,
+  ...initialStateFromUrl,
+});
+
+const stateContainer = createStateContainer(initialState);
+```
+
+It is also possible to apply migrations for any incoming state, similar to [handling empty or incomplete state](./empty_or_incomplete_incoming_state.md).
+
+Imagine an edge case scenario, where a user is working in your application, and then pastes an old link for the same application, containing older state with a different structure.
+Since no application remount will happen, we need to transition to a new state on-the-fly, by applying necessary migrations.
+
+```ts
+import { migrate } from '../app/state_helpers';
+
+const urlStateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage();
+const initialStateFromUrl = urlStateStorage.get('_a');
+
+// merge default state and initial state and migrate them to current version if needed
+const initialState = migrate({
+  ...defaultState,
+  ...initialStateFromUrl,
+});
+
+const stateContainer = createStateContainer(initialState);
+const { start, stop } = syncState({
+  storageKey: '_a',
+  stateContainer: {
+    ...stateContainer,
+    set: state => stateContainer.set(migrate({ ...defaultState, ...state })),
+  },
+  stateStorage,
+});
+```
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/storages/README.md b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/storages/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..8cfffa31350f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/storages/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# State Storage
+
+Two types of storage compatible with `syncState`:
+
+- [KbnUrlStateStorage](./kbn_url_storage.md) - Serialises state and persists it to URL's query param in rison or hashed format (similar to what AppState & GlobalState did in legacy world).
+  Listens for state updates in the URL and pushes updates back to state.
+- [SessionStorageStateStorage](./session_storage.md) - Serializes state and persists it to session storage.
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/storages/kbn_url_storage.md b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/storages/kbn_url_storage.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..3a31f5a326edb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/storages/kbn_url_storage.md
@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+# Kbn Url Storage
+
+`KbnUrlStateStorage` is a state storage for `syncState` utility which:
+
+- Keeps state in sync with the URL.
+- Serializes data and stores it in the URL in one of the supported formats:
+  1. [Rison](https://github.com/w33ble/rison-node) encoded.
+  2. Hashed URL: In URL we store only the hash from the serialized state, but the state itself is stored in `sessionStorage`.
+     See kibana's advanced option for more context `state:storeInSessionStorage`
+- Takes care of listening to the URL updates and notifies state about the updates.
+- Takes care of batching URL updates to prevent redundant browser history records.
+
+### Basic Example
+
+With state sync utility:
+
+```ts
+import {
+  createStateContainer,
+  syncState,
+  createKbnUrlStateStorage,
+} from 'src/plugins/kibana_utils/public';
+
+const stateContainer = createStateContainer({ count: 0 });
+const stateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage();
+
+const { start, stop } = syncState({
+  storageKey: '_a',
+  stateContainer,
+  stateStorage,
+});
+
+start();
+
+// state container change is synced to state storage
+// in this case, kbnUrlStateStorage updates the URL to "/#?_a=(count:2)"
+stateContainer.set({ count: 2 });
+
+stop();
+```
+
+Or just by itself:
+
+```ts
+// assuming url is "/#?_a=(count:2)"
+const stateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage();
+
+stateStorage.get('_a'); // returns {count: a}
+stateStorage.set('_a', { count: 0 }); // updates url to "/#?_a=(count:0)"
+```
+
+### Setting URL format option
+
+```ts
+const stateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage({
+  useHash: core.uiSettings.get('state:storeInSessionStorage'), // put the complete encoded rison or just the hash into the URL
+});
+```
+
+### Passing [history](https://github.com/ReactTraining/history) instance
+
+Under the hood `kbnUrlStateStorage` uses [history](https://github.com/ReactTraining/history) for updating the URL and for listening to the URL updates.
+To prevent bugs caused by missing history updates, make sure your app uses one instance of history for URL changes which may interfere with each other.
+
+For example, if you use `react-router`:
+
+```tsx
+const App = props => {
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const stateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage({
+      useHash: props.uiSettings.get('state:storeInSessionStorage'),
+      history: props.history,
+    });
+
+    //....
+  });
+
+  return <Router history={props.history} />;
+};
+```
+
+### Url updates batching
+
+`kbnUrlStateStorage` batches synchronous URL updates. Consider the example.
+
+```ts
+const urlStateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage();
+
+urlStateStorage.set('_a', { state: 1 });
+urlStateStorage.set('_b', { state: 2 });
+
+// URL hasn't been updated yet
+setTimeout(() => {
+  // now URL is actually "/#?_a=(state:1)&_b=(state:2)"
+  // and 2 updates were batched into 1 history.push() call
+}, 0);
+```
+
+For cases, where granular control over URL updates is needed, `kbnUrlStateStorage` provides these advanced apis:
+
+- `kbnUrlStateStorage.flush({replace: boolean})` - allows to synchronously apply any pending updates.
+  `replace` option allows to use `history.replace()` instead of `history.push()`. Returned boolean indicates if any update happened
+- `kbnUrlStateStorage.cancel()` - cancels any pending updates
+
+### Sharing one `kbnUrlStateStorage` instance
+
+`kbnUrlStateStorage` is stateful, as it keeps track of pending updates.
+So if there are multiple state syncs happening in the same time, then one instance of `kbnUrlStateStorage` should be used to make sure, that the same update queue is used.
+Otherwise it could cause redundant browser history records.
+
+```ts
+// wrong:
+
+const { start, stop } = syncStates([
+  {
+    storageKey: '_a',
+    stateContainerA,
+    stateStorage: createKbnUrlStateStorage(),
+  },
+  {
+    storageKey: '_b',
+    stateContainerB,
+    stateStorage: createKbnUrlStateStorage(),
+  },
+]);
+
+// better:
+
+const kbnUrlStateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage();
+const { start, stop } = syncStates([
+  {
+    storageKey: '_a',
+    stateContainerA,
+    stateStorage: kbnUrlStateStorage,
+  },
+  {
+    storageKey: '_b',
+    stateContainerB,
+    stateStorage: kbnUrlStateStorage,
+  },
+]);
+
+// the best:
+
+import { createBrowserHistory } from 'history';
+const history = createBrowserHistory();
+const kbnUrlStateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage({ history });
+const { start, stop } = syncStates([
+  {
+    storageKey: '_a',
+    stateContainerA,
+    stateStorage: kbnUrlStateStorage,
+  },
+  {
+    storageKey: '_b',
+    stateContainerB,
+    stateStorage: kbnUrlStateStorage,
+  },
+]);
+
+<Router history={history} />;
+```
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/storages/session_storage.md b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/storages/session_storage.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..cfefc6688f09dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/storages/session_storage.md
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Session Storage
+
+To sync state from state containers to `sessionStorage` use `createSessionStorageStateStorage`.
+
+```ts
+import {
+  createStateContainer,
+  syncState,
+  createSessionStorageStateStorage,
+} from 'src/plugins/kibana_utils/public';
+
+const stateContainer = createStateContainer({ count: 0 });
+const stateStorage = createSessionStorageStateStorage();
+
+const { start, stop } = syncState({
+  storageKey: '_a',
+  stateContainer,
+  stateStorage,
+});
+
+start();
+
+// state container change is synced to state storage
+// in this case, stateStorage serialises state and stores it in `window.sessionStorage` by key `_a`
+stateContainer.set({ count: 2 });
+
+stop();
+```
+
+You can also use `createSessionStorageStateStorage` imperatively:
+
+```ts
+const stateStorage = createSessionStorageStateStorage();
+
+stateStorage.set('_a', { count: 2 });
+stateStorage.get('_a');
+```
+
+**Note**: external changes to `sessionStorageStateStorage` or `window.sessionStorage` don't trigger state container updates.
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/sync_states.md b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/sync_states.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..9a040cb9ba405b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/docs/state_sync/sync_states.md
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# Sync states utility
+
+In case you need to sync multiple states or one state to multiple storages, there is a handy util for that.
+It saves a bit of boilerplate by returning `start` and `stop` functions for all `syncState` configs at once.
+
+```ts
+import {
+  createStateContainer,
+  syncStates,
+  createKbnUrlStateStorage,
+  createSessionStorageStateStorage,
+} from 'src/plugins/kibana_utils/public';
+
+const stateContainer = createStateContainer({ count: 0 });
+const urlStateStorage = createKbnUrlStateStorage();
+const sessionStorageStateStorage = createSessionStorageStateStorage();
+
+const { start, stop } = syncStates([
+  {
+    storageKey: '_a',
+    stateContainer,
+    stateStorage: urlStateStorage,
+  },
+  {
+    storageKey: '_a',
+    stateContainer,
+    stateStorage: sessionStorageStateStorage,
+  },
+]);
+
+start(); // start syncing to all storages at once
+
+stop(); // stop syncing to all storages at once
+```
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/public/state_sync/state_sync.test.ts b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/public/state_sync/state_sync.test.ts
index c55c60f9b0f890..1a172d76926cc5 100644
--- a/src/plugins/kibana_utils/public/state_sync/state_sync.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana_utils/public/state_sync/state_sync.test.ts
@@ -151,6 +151,28 @@ describe('state_sync', () => {
 
       stop();
     });
+
+    it('storage change with incomplete or differently shaped object should notify state and set new object as is', () => {
+      container.set({ todos: [{ completed: false, id: 1, text: 'changed' }] });
+      const { stop, start } = syncStates([
+        {
+          stateContainer: container,
+          storageKey: '_s',
+          stateStorage: testStateStorage,
+        },
+      ]);
+      start();
+
+      const differentlyShapedObject = {
+        different: 'test',
+      };
+      (testStateStorage.get as jest.Mock).mockImplementation(() => differentlyShapedObject);
+      storageChange$.next(differentlyShapedObject as any);
+
+      expect(container.getState()).toStrictEqual(differentlyShapedObject);
+
+      stop();
+    });
   });
 
   describe('integration', () => {