How to Use React.forwardRef with a Function Declaration Instead of Arrow Function

Learn how to properly forward refs in React using traditional function declarations instead of arrow functions. Improve your debugging process with clearer code!
---
This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/64691089/ asked by the user 'John Winston' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/14026062/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/64691209/ provided by the user 'Prateek Thapa' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/8106255/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: How to forward ref a function declaration instead of arrow function?

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l...
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
Understanding React.forwardRef

In the world of React, forwardRef is a powerful feature that allows you to pass refs down to child components. This is particularly useful when you need direct access to a child's DOM element or a class component instance. While the official React documentation primarily showcases forwardRef with arrow functions, you might prefer using traditional function declarations for cleaner debugging and code readability.

The Problem: Using Arrow Functions

Here's a typical example from the React documentation where forwardRef is utilized with an arrow function:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

While this approach works perfectly, using arrow functions can make debugging harder as they are often anonymous and don’t carry a name. This can lead to confusion in error messages or during stack tracing.

The Solution: Using Function Declarations

To avoid the downsides of anonymous functions, you can use traditional JavaScript function declarations. This way, your functions will have names and be easier to track in debugging scenarios.

Here's How You Can Do It:

Define Your Function: Create a function that accepts props and ref as parameters. Within this function, return the desired JSX.

Use React.forwardRef: Pass your function directly to React.forwardRef() to create the enhanced component that supports refs.

Example Code

Here is how the above steps translate into code:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Breakdown of the Solution

Function Definition: The Button function is defined with props and ref. It returns a button JSX element, making use of the ref for direct access.

Forwarding the Ref: React.forwardRef(Button) creates a new component called FancyButton that can be used like a regular React component but also supports refs.

Benefits of Using Function Declarations

Clearer Stack Traces: Named function declarations will appear with their names in error messages, making it easier to diagnose issues.

Improved Readability: For teams or future developers reviewing the code, named functions can be more descriptive of their purpose compared to anonymous functions.

Conclusion

Using React.forwardRef with traditional function declarations is not only possible but can also enhance your React application's readability and maintainability. By following the structure outlined above, you can achieve the same functionality as with arrow functions while making your code easier to debug.

Feel free to try this approach in your own projects and see how it streamlines both your code and your debugging process!