Understanding ref in React: Why and When to Use It

n React, ref is a powerful tool that allows you to directly interact with a specific DOM element or component, bypassing React's usual declarative approach. This becomes especially useful when you need to perform a task that React's state and props might not handle as seamlessly.

For example, you might want to focus an input field when a button is clicked or trigger animations on a specific element. Using ref, you can "select" the element and perform the desired task directly.

Why Do We Use ref in React?

Direct Access to DOM Elements:
In most cases, React manages the DOM for us. However, there are times when we need to manipulate an element directly, such as:

• Focusing an input field.

• Scrolling to a specific section of a page.

• Triggering animations or accessing element properties like height or width.