Understanding Forward Refs in React

Introduction

In React, forward refs provide a mechanism to pass a ref from a parent component to a child component, enabling the parent to access the child’s DOM node or a specific instance. This is particularly useful when you want to create reusable components that allow their consumers to interact with underlying DOM elements.

This blog will explore the concept of forward refs, how they work, and common use cases.

What are Forward Refs?

By default, refs cannot be passed through a component. When you try to pass a ref to a child component, it is treated as a regular prop, and the parent loses access to the DOM node of the child.

React’s forwardRef function addresses this limitation by explicitly forwarding the ref from the parent to the child component.

How to Use Forward Refs

The React.forwardRef function allows you to create components that accept refs and pass them down.

Syntax

const MyComponent = React.forwardRef((props, ref) => {
  return <div ref={ref}>{props.children}</div>;
});

Example: Simple Forward Ref

import React, { useRef } from 'react';

const…