useChildRef

useChildRef is a React hook for getting or creating a child ref.

Usage

• If props.children has a ref, childRef will be that ref.

• If props.children does not have a ref, childRef will be the newly created ref.

• If props.children cannot have a ref, childRef will be undefined. For example, any of your custom components without a forwardRef cannot have a ref.

import useChildRef from 'use-child-ref'

export default function IAmUsingChildRef(props: { children: JSX.Element }) {
  const [child, childRef] = useChildRef(props.children)

  return child
}

Rules

• You must return child from the hook, not props.children, for the new ref to work.

  const [child, childRef] = useChildRef(props.children)
    
  return child

• props.children must be one element.

  // Good
  export function ParentComponent() {
    return (
      <IAmUsingChildRef>
        <div></div>
      </IAmUsingChildRef>
    )
  }
  
  // Bad
  export function ParentComponent() {
    return (
      <IAmUsingChildRef>
        <div></div>
        <div></div>
      </IAmUsingChildRef>
    )
  }

• Use forwardRef with your custom component if you want to give access to an element in the component via ref.

  import { forwardRef } from 'react'
  
  export const WithoutRefAccess = () => {
    return <h1></h1>
  }
  
  export const WithRefAccess = forwardRef((props, ref) => {
    return <h1 ref={ref}></h1>
  })
  
  export const IAmUsingChildRef = (props: { children: JSX.Element }) => {
    const [child, childRef] = useChildRef(props.children)
  
    console.log('childRef: ', typeof childRef)
  
    return child
  }
  
  export const ParentComponent = () => {
    return (
      <>
        <IAmUsingChildRef>
          {/* childRef: undefined */}
          <WithoutRefAccess></WithoutRefAccess>
        </IAmUsingChildRef>
  
        <IAmUsingChildRef>
          {/* childRef: object */}
          <WithRefAccess></WithRefAccess>
        </IAmUsingChildRef>
      </>
    )
  }

Example: Hide Component

Sometimes it's so necessary for legacy third-party code :)

import useChildRef from 'use-child-ref'

export default function Hide(props: { children: JSX.Element; hide: boolean }) {
  const [child, childRef] = useChildRef<HTMLElement>(props.children)

  useLayoutEffect(() => {
    if (childRef?.current) {
      childRef.current.style.display = props.hide ? 'none' : ''
    }
  }, [props.hide])

  return child
}