Topic 13418 min readStructured Tutorial
React useRef Hook Examples - Practical Tutorial
Quick Answer
The React useRef hook allows you to create a mutable reference that persists across component renders without causing re-renders. It is commonly used to access DOM elements directly and to store mutable values that don't trigger updates.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the purpose and behavior of the useRef hook in React.
- Learn how to use useRef to access and manipulate DOM elements.
- Explore how useRef can store mutable values without causing re-renders.
Introduction to useRef Hook
The useRef hook is a powerful feature in React that lets you create a mutable reference to a value or a DOM element.
Unlike state, changing a useRef value does not cause the component to re-render, making it useful for storing values that don't affect UI output.
“useRef is like a box that can hold a mutable value in its current property.”
