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How to use refs in React with Typescript

February 16, 2025

๐Ÿ“‚ Categories: Typescript
๐Ÿท Tags: Reactjs
How to use refs in React with Typescript

Managing nonstop DOM manipulation successful Respond tin beryllium difficult, however generally it’s indispensable for duties similar focusing an enter tract, scrolling to a circumstantial component, oregon integrating with 3rd-organization libraries. That’s wherever refs travel into drama. Successful this station, we’ll dive heavy into however to efficaciously usage refs successful Respond with TypeScript, making certain kind condition and maintainable codification. We’ll screen assorted ref sorts, usage instances, and champion practices for incorporating them into your tasks.

Knowing Respond Refs

Refs supply a manner to entree DOM components oregon Respond constituent situations created inside the render technique. They enactment arsenic a span betwixt your Respond codification and the underlying DOM construction, permitting for crucial modifications that complement Respond’s declarative attack.

Piece Respond encourages managing UI updates done government and props, refs are indispensable once nonstop DOM entree is unavoidable. Deliberation of eventualities similar controlling direction, matter action, oregon triggering animations that necessitate exact manipulation past Respond’s reconciliation rhythm.

See utilizing refs for nonstop DOM manipulation, measuring DOM components, oregon managing direction, matter action, and media playback. Debar utilizing refs for thing that tin beryllium carried out declaratively with government and props.

Creating and Accessing Refs with TypeScript

TypeScript provides a bed of kind condition, making certain that your refs are accurately typed and stopping runtime errors. Fto’s research however to make and entree refs utilizing antithetic approaches.

Utilizing createRef

The createRef relation from Respond is the modular manner to make refs. With TypeScript, you tin specify the kind of the component oregon constituent the ref volition component to, enhancing codification readability and maintainability. Present’s however it appears:

import Respond, { createRef, useRef } from 'respond'; interface MyComponentProps { // ... another props } const MyComponent: Respond.FC<MyComponentProps> = () => { const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null); const handleClick = () => { if (inputRef.actual) { inputRef.actual.direction(); } }; instrument ( <div> <enter kind="matter" ref={inputRef} /> <fastener onClick={handleClick}>Direction Enter</fastener> </div> ); }; export default MyComponent; 

Callback Refs

Different attack is utilizing callback refs, which supply much power complete once the ref is fit. This tin beryllium utile successful definite conditions, however the useRef hook is mostly most well-liked for its simplicity and little verbose syntax.

Communal Usage Instances for Refs

Refs are versatile instruments for dealing with circumstantial interactions and integrations. Fto’s analyze any applicable situations.

Managing Direction, Matter Action, and Media Playback

Refs are invaluable for controlling enter direction, deciding on matter inside a textarea, oregon manipulating media playback. These actions sometimes necessitate nonstop DOM action.

Integrating with 3rd-Organization Libraries

Once running with 3rd-organization libraries that necessitate nonstop DOM entree, refs enactment arsenic a span to link your Respond parts with these libraries.

Triggering Crucial Animations

Piece Respond offers declarative animation libraries, refs tin beryllium adjuvant for integrating with crucial animation APIs oregon dealing with circumstantial animation necessities.

Champion Practices and Issues

Once utilizing refs, it’s important to travel champion practices to guarantee codification choice and debar possible points.

  • Usage refs sparingly. Prioritize Respond’s declarative attack every time imaginable.
  • Debar accessing the ref’s actual worth successful the render methodology. This tin pb to surprising behaviour.

Knowing these champion practices volition pb to much maintainable and predictable codification.

FAQ

Q: What is the quality betwixt createRef and useRef?

A: Piece some make refs, useRef is most well-liked inside useful elements due to the fact that it persists the ref worth betwixt renders. createRef creates a fresh ref case with all render.

By knowing however to usage refs efficaciously with TypeScript successful Respond, you tin unlock better power complete your elements piece sustaining kind condition and codification readability. Retrieve to usage refs judiciously, prioritize Respond’s declarative attack, and travel champion practices for predictable and maintainable codification. Cheque retired these sources for much accusation: Respond’s authoritative documentation connected Refs, TypeScript Documentation, and w3Schools Respond Refs Tutorial. Besides, research much precocious Respond ideas present.

  1. Place once nonstop DOM manipulation is essential.
  2. Take the due ref kind: useRef oregon callback ref.
  3. Entree the ref’s actual worth to work together with the DOM component.
  • Refs supply a span betwixt Respond codification and the DOM.
  • TypeScript enhances kind condition once utilizing refs.

[Infographic depicting antithetic ref varieties and their utilization]

Question & Answer :
I’m utilizing Typescript with Respond. I’m having problem knowing however to usage refs truthful arsenic to acquire static typing and intellisense with regard to the respond nodes referenced by the refs. My codification is arsenic follows.

import * arsenic Respond from 'respond'; interface AppState { number: figure; } interface AppProps { steps: figure; } interface AppRefs { stepInput: HTMLInputElement; } export default people TestApp extends Respond.Constituent<AppProps, AppState> { constructor(props: AppProps) { ace(props); this.government = { number: zero }; } incrementCounter() { this.setState({number: this.government.number + 1}); } render() { instrument ( <div> <h1>Hullo Planet</h1> <enter kind="matter" ref="stepInput" /> <fastener onClick={() => this.incrementCounter()}>Increment</fastener> Number : {this.government.number} </div> ); }} 

If youโ€™re utilizing Respond sixteen.three+, the urged manner to make refs is utilizing Respond.createRef().

people TestApp extends Respond.Constituent<AppProps, AppState> { backstage stepInput: Respond.RefObject<HTMLInputElement>; constructor(props) { ace(props); this.stepInput = Respond.createRef(); } render() { instrument <enter kind="matter" ref={this.stepInput} />; } } 

Once the constituent mounts, the ref propertyโ€™s actual place volition beryllium assigned to the referenced constituent/DOM component and assigned backmost to null once it unmounts. Truthful, for illustration, you tin entree it utilizing this.stepInput.actual.

For much connected RefObject, seat @apieceofbart’s reply oregon the PR createRef() was added successful.


If youโ€™re utilizing an earlier interpretation of Respond (<sixteen.three) oregon demand much good-grained power complete once refs are fit and unset, you tin usage โ€œcallback refsโ€.

people TestApp extends Respond.Constituent<AppProps, AppState> { backstage stepInput: HTMLInputElement; constructor(props) { ace(props); this.stepInput = null; this.setStepInputRef = component => { this.stepInput = component; }; } render() { instrument <enter kind="matter" ref={this.setStepInputRef} /> } } 

Once the constituent mounts, Respond volition call the ref callback with the DOM component, and volition call it with null once it unmounts. Truthful, for illustration, you tin entree it merely utilizing this.stepInput.

By defining the ref callback arsenic a certain methodology connected the people arsenic opposed to an inline relation (arsenic successful a former interpretation of this reply), you tin debar the callback getting referred to as doubly throughout updates.


Location utilized to beryllium an API wherever the ref property was a drawstring (seat Akshar Patel’s reply), however owed to any points, drawstring refs are powerfully discouraged and volition yet beryllium eliminated.


Edited Whitethorn 22, 2018 to adhd the fresh manner of doing refs successful Respond sixteen.three. Acknowledgment @apieceofbart for pointing retired that location was a fresh manner.