diff --git a/examples/simple/src/customRouteLayout.js b/examples/simple/src/customRouteLayout.js
index de10cb7da71..b18666178d9 100644
--- a/examples/simple/src/customRouteLayout.js
+++ b/examples/simple/src/customRouteLayout.js
@@ -1,12 +1,21 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
-import { useGetList, useAuthenticated, Title } from 'react-admin';
+import {
+    useGetList,
+    useAuthenticated,
+    Datagrid,
+    TextField,
+    Title,
+} from 'react-admin';
+
+const currentSort = { field: 'published_at', order: 'DESC' };
 
 const CustomRouteLayout = () => {
     useAuthenticated();
+
     const { ids, data, total, loaded } = useGetList(
         'posts',
         { page: 1, perPage: 10 },
-        { field: 'published_at', order: 'DESC' }
+        currentSort
     );
 
     return loaded ? (
@@ -16,11 +25,18 @@ const CustomRouteLayout = () => {
             <p>
                 Found <span className="total">{total}</span> posts !
             </p>
-            <ul>
-                {ids.map(id => (
-                    <li key={id}>{data[id].title}</li>
-                ))}
-            </ul>
+            <Datagrid
+                basePath=""
+                currentSort={currentSort}
+                data={data}
+                ids={ids}
+                selectedIds={[]}
+                loaded={loaded}
+                total={total}
+            >
+                <TextField source="id" sortable={false} />
+                <TextField source="title" sortable={false} />
+            </Datagrid>
         </div>
     ) : null;
 };
diff --git a/packages/ra-core/src/controller/details/useCreateContext.tsx b/packages/ra-core/src/controller/details/useCreateContext.tsx
index afef3680630..e8299188d8f 100644
--- a/packages/ra-core/src/controller/details/useCreateContext.tsx
+++ b/packages/ra-core/src/controller/details/useCreateContext.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,27 @@
-import { useContext } from 'react';
+import { useContext, useMemo } from 'react';
+import merge from 'lodash/merge';
+
 import { Record } from '../../types';
 import { CreateContext } from './CreateContext';
 import { CreateControllerProps } from './useCreateController';
 
+/**
+ * Hook to read the create controller props from the CreateContext.
+ *
+ * Mostly used within a <CreateContext.Provider> (e.g. as a descendent of <Create>).
+ *
+ * But you can also use it without a <CreateContext.Provider>. In this case, it is up to you
+ * to pass all the necessary props.
+ *
+ * The given props will take precedence over context values.
+ *
+ * @typedef {Object} CreateControllerProps
+ *
+ * @returns {CreateControllerProps} create controller props
+ *
+ * @see useCreateController for how it is filled
+ *
+ */
 export const useCreateContext = <
     RecordType extends Omit<Record, 'id'> = Omit<Record, 'id'>
 >(
@@ -13,22 +32,59 @@ export const useCreateContext = <
         // @ts-ignore
         CreateContext
     );
-
-    if (!context.resource) {
-        /**
-         * The element isn't inside a <CreateContext.Provider>
-         * To avoid breakage in that case, fallback to props
-         *
-         * @deprecated - to be removed in 4.0
-         */
-        if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
-            console.log(
-                "Create components must be used inside a <CreateContext.Provider>. Relying on props rather than context to get Create data and callbacks is deprecated and won't be supported in the next major version of react-admin."
-            );
-        }
-
-        return props;
-    }
-
-    return context;
+    // Props take precedence over the context
+    return useMemo(
+        () =>
+            merge(
+                {},
+                context,
+                props != null ? extractCreateContextProps(props) : {}
+            ),
+        [context, props]
+    );
 };
+
+/**
+ * Extract only the create controller props
+ *
+ * @param {Object} props props passed to the useCreateContext hook
+ *
+ * @returns {CreateControllerProps} create controller props
+ */
+const extractCreateContextProps = ({
+    basePath,
+    record,
+    defaultTitle,
+    onFailureRef,
+    onSuccessRef,
+    transformRef,
+    loaded,
+    loading,
+    redirect,
+    setOnFailure,
+    setOnSuccess,
+    setTransform,
+    resource,
+    save,
+    saving,
+    successMessage,
+    version,
+}: any) => ({
+    basePath,
+    record,
+    defaultTitle,
+    onFailureRef,
+    onSuccessRef,
+    transformRef,
+    loaded,
+    loading,
+    redirect,
+    setOnFailure,
+    setOnSuccess,
+    setTransform,
+    resource,
+    save,
+    saving,
+    successMessage,
+    version,
+});
diff --git a/packages/ra-core/src/controller/details/useEditContext.tsx b/packages/ra-core/src/controller/details/useEditContext.tsx
index 73493c7c440..b811e7927b3 100644
--- a/packages/ra-core/src/controller/details/useEditContext.tsx
+++ b/packages/ra-core/src/controller/details/useEditContext.tsx
@@ -1,35 +1,91 @@
-import { useContext } from 'react';
+import { useContext, useMemo } from 'react';
+import merge from 'lodash/merge';
+
 import { Record } from '../../types';
 import { EditContext } from './EditContext';
 import { EditControllerProps } from './useEditController';
 
+/**
+ * Hook to read the edit controller props from the CreateContext.
+ *
+ * Mostly used within a <EditContext.Provider> (e.g. as a descendent of <Edit>).
+ *
+ * But you can also use it without a <EditContext.Provider>. In this case, it is up to you
+ * to pass all the necessary props.
+ *
+ * The given props will take precedence over context values.
+ *
+ * @typedef {Object} EditControllerProps
+ *
+ * @returns {EditControllerProps} edit controller props
+ *
+ * @see useEditController for how it is filled
+ *
+ */
 export const useEditContext = <RecordType extends Record = Record>(
     props?: Partial<EditControllerProps<RecordType>>
 ): Partial<EditControllerProps<RecordType>> => {
-    // Can't find a way to specify the RecordType when CreateContext is declared
+    // Can't find a way to specify the RecordType when EditContext is declared
     // @ts-ignore
     const context = useContext<EditControllerProps<RecordType>>(EditContext);
 
-    if (!context.resource) {
-        /**
-         * The element isn't inside a <EditContext.Provider>
-         * To avoid breakage in that case, fallback to props
-         *
-         * @deprecated - to be removed in 4.0
-         */
-        if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
-            console.log(
-                "Edit components must be used inside a <EditContext.Provider>. Relying on props rather than context to get Edit data and callbacks is deprecated and won't be supported in the next major version of react-admin."
-            );
-        }
-        // Necessary for actions (EditActions) which expect a data prop containing the record
-        // @deprecated - to be removed in 4.0d
-        return {
-            ...props,
-            record: props.record || props.data,
-            data: props.record || props.data,
-        };
-    }
-
-    return context;
+    // Props take precedence over the context
+    return useMemo(
+        () =>
+            merge(
+                {},
+                context,
+                props != null ? extractEditContextProps(props) : {}
+            ),
+        [context, props]
+    );
 };
+
+/**
+ * Extract only the edit controller props
+ *
+ * @param {Object} props props passed to the useEditContext hook
+ *
+ * @returns {EditControllerProps} edit controller props
+ */
+const extractEditContextProps = ({
+    basePath,
+    data,
+    record,
+    defaultTitle,
+    onFailureRef,
+    onSuccessRef,
+    transformRef,
+    loaded,
+    loading,
+    redirect,
+    setOnFailure,
+    setOnSuccess,
+    setTransform,
+    resource,
+    save,
+    saving,
+    successMessage,
+    version,
+}: any) => ({
+    basePath,
+    // Necessary for actions (EditActions) which expect a data prop containing the record
+    // @deprecated - to be removed in 4.0d
+    data: record || data,
+    record: record || data,
+    defaultTitle,
+    onFailureRef,
+    onSuccessRef,
+    transformRef,
+    loaded,
+    loading,
+    redirect,
+    setOnFailure,
+    setOnSuccess,
+    setTransform,
+    resource,
+    save,
+    saving,
+    successMessage,
+    version,
+});
diff --git a/packages/ra-core/src/controller/details/useShowContext.tsx b/packages/ra-core/src/controller/details/useShowContext.tsx
index cbd5badfaef..a74e3e46365 100644
--- a/packages/ra-core/src/controller/details/useShowContext.tsx
+++ b/packages/ra-core/src/controller/details/useShowContext.tsx
@@ -1,35 +1,71 @@
-import { useContext } from 'react';
+import { useContext, useMemo } from 'react';
+import merge from 'lodash/merge';
+
 import { Record } from '../../types';
 import { ShowContext } from './ShowContext';
 import { ShowControllerProps } from './useShowController';
 
+/**
+ * Hook to read the show controller props from the ShowContext.
+ *
+ * Mostly used within a <ShowContext.Provider> (e.g. as a descendent of <Show>).
+ *
+ * But you can also use it without a <ShowContext.Provider>. In this case, it is up to you
+ * to pass all the necessary props.
+ *
+ * The given props will take precedence over context values.
+ *
+ * @typedef {Object} ShowControllerProps
+ *
+ * @returns {ShowControllerProps} create controller props
+ *
+ * @see useShowController for how it is filled
+ *
+ */
 export const useShowContext = <RecordType extends Record = Record>(
     props?: Partial<ShowControllerProps<RecordType>>
 ): Partial<ShowControllerProps<RecordType>> => {
-    // Can't find a way to specify the RecordType when CreateContext is declared
+    // Can't find a way to specify the RecordType when ShowContext is declared
     // @ts-ignore
     const context = useContext<ShowControllerProps<RecordType>>(ShowContext);
 
-    if (!context.resource) {
-        /**
-         * The element isn't inside a <ShowContext.Provider>
-         * To avoid breakage in that case, fallback to props
-         *
-         * @deprecated - to be removed in 4.0
-         */
-        if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
-            console.log(
-                "Show components must be used inside a <ShowContext.Provider>. Relying on props rather than context to get Show data and callbacks is deprecated and won't be supported in the next major version of react-admin."
-            );
-        }
-        // Necessary for actions (EditActions) which expect a data prop containing the record
-        // @deprecated - to be removed in 4.0d
-        return {
-            ...props,
-            record: props.record || props.data,
-            data: props.record || props.data,
-        };
-    }
-
-    return context;
+    // Props take precedence over the context
+    return useMemo(
+        () =>
+            merge(
+                {},
+                context,
+                props != null ? extractShowContextProps(props) : {}
+            ),
+        [context, props]
+    );
 };
+
+/**
+ * Extract only the show controller props
+ *
+ * @param {Object} props props passed to the useShowContext hook
+ *
+ * @returns {ShowControllerProps} show controller props
+ */
+const extractShowContextProps = ({
+    basePath,
+    record,
+    data,
+    defaultTitle,
+    loaded,
+    loading,
+    resource,
+    version,
+}: any) => ({
+    basePath,
+    // Necessary for actions (EditActions) which expect a data prop containing the record
+    // @deprecated - to be removed in 4.0d
+    record: record || data,
+    data: record || data,
+    defaultTitle,
+    loaded,
+    loading,
+    resource,
+    version,
+});
diff --git a/packages/ra-core/src/controller/useListContext.ts b/packages/ra-core/src/controller/useListContext.ts
index 3d059246ff4..4e7b8601ecc 100644
--- a/packages/ra-core/src/controller/useListContext.ts
+++ b/packages/ra-core/src/controller/useListContext.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { useContext } from 'react';
+import { useContext, useMemo } from 'react';
+import merge from 'lodash/merge';
 
 import ListContext from './ListContext';
 import { ListControllerProps } from './useListController';
@@ -7,9 +8,14 @@ import { Record } from '../types';
 /**
  * Hook to read the list controller props from the ListContext.
  *
- * Must be used within a <ListContext.Provider> (e.g. as a descendent of <List>
+ * Mostly used within a <ListContext.Provider> (e.g. as a descendent of <List>
  * or <ListBase>).
  *
+ * But you can also use it without a <ListContext.Provider>. In this case, it is up to you
+ * to pass all the necessary props (see the list below).
+ *
+ * The given props will take precedence over context values.
+ *
  * @typedef {Object} ListControllerProps
  * @prop {Object}   data an id-based dictionary of the list data, e.g. { 123: { id: 123, title: 'hello world' }, 456: { ... } }
  * @prop {Array}    ids an array listing the ids of the records in the list, e.g. [123, 456, ...]
@@ -91,26 +97,75 @@ const useListContext = <RecordType extends Record = Record>(
     props?: any
 ): ListControllerProps<RecordType> => {
     const context = useContext(ListContext);
-    if (!context.resource) {
-        /**
-         * The element isn't inside a <ListContext.Provider>
-         *
-         * This may only happen when using Datagrid / SimpleList / SingleFieldList components
-         * outside of a List / ReferenceManyField / ReferenceArrayField -
-         * which isn't documented but tolerated.
-         * To avoid breakage in that case, fallback to props
-         *
-         * @deprecated - to be removed in 4.0
-         */
-        if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
-            console.log(
-                "List components must be used inside a <ListContext.Provider>. Relying on props rather than context to get List data and callbacks is deprecated and won't be supported in the next major version of react-admin."
-            );
-        }
-        return props;
-    }
-    // @ts-ignore
-    return context;
+    // Props take precedence over the context
+    return useMemo(
+        () =>
+            merge(
+                {},
+                context,
+                props != null ? extractListContextProps(props) : {}
+            ),
+        [context, props]
+    );
 };
 
 export default useListContext;
+
+/**
+ * Extract only the list controller props
+ *
+ * @param {Object} props Props passed to the useListContext hook
+ *
+ * @returns {ListControllerProps} List controller props
+ */
+const extractListContextProps = ({
+    basePath,
+    currentSort,
+    data,
+    defaultTitle,
+    displayedFilters,
+    filterValues,
+    hasCreate,
+    hideFilter,
+    ids,
+    loaded,
+    loading,
+    onSelect,
+    onToggleItem,
+    onUnselectItems,
+    page,
+    perPage,
+    resource,
+    selectedIds,
+    setFilters,
+    setPage,
+    setPerPage,
+    setSort,
+    showFilter,
+    total,
+}) => ({
+    basePath,
+    currentSort,
+    data,
+    defaultTitle,
+    displayedFilters,
+    filterValues,
+    hasCreate,
+    hideFilter,
+    ids,
+    loaded,
+    loading,
+    onSelect,
+    onToggleItem,
+    onUnselectItems,
+    page,
+    perPage,
+    resource,
+    selectedIds,
+    setFilters,
+    setPage,
+    setPerPage,
+    setSort,
+    showFilter,
+    total,
+});
diff --git a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/list/datagrid/Datagrid.tsx b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/list/datagrid/Datagrid.tsx
index be0ac217b5a..05f506a4765 100644
--- a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/list/datagrid/Datagrid.tsx
+++ b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/list/datagrid/Datagrid.tsx
@@ -62,6 +62,43 @@ import { ClassesOverride } from '../../types';
  *         <EditButton />
  *     </Datagrid>
  * </ReferenceManyField>
+ *
+ *
+ * @example Usage it outside of a <List> or a <ReferenceManyField>.
+ *
+ * const currentSort = { field: 'published_at', order: 'DESC' };
+ *
+ * export const MyCustomList = (props) => {
+ *     const { ids, data, total, loaded } = useGetList(
+ *         'posts',
+ *         { page: 1, perPage: 10 },
+ *         currentSort
+ *     );
+ *
+ *     return (
+ *         <Datagrid
+ *             basePath=""
+ *             currentSort={currentSort}
+ *             data={data}
+ *             ids={ids}
+ *             selectedIds={[]}
+ *             loaded={loaded}
+ *             total={total}
+ *             setSort={() => {
+ *                 console.log('set sort');
+ *             }}
+ *             onSelect={() => {
+ *                 console.log('on select');
+ *             }}
+ *             onToggleItem={() => {
+ *                 console.log('on toggle item');
+ *             }}
+ *         >
+ *             <TextField source="id" />
+ *             <TextField source="title" />
+ *         </Datagrid>
+ *     );
+ * }
  */
 const Datagrid: FC<DatagridProps> = React.forwardRef((props, ref) => {
     const classes = useDatagridStyles(props);