The useRef hook in React is used in several scenarios where you need to maintain a mutable reference to a value or a DOM element across component renders without causing re-renders. Here are some specific situations when you might use useRef:
Accessing DOM Elements: useRef is commonly used to directly access a DOM element in your component. For example, you might use it to focus an input element or to read the size or position of an element on the screen[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20].
Storing Mutable Values: If you need to keep track of a value that changes over time but does not impact the rendering of your component, useRef is a suitable choice. This is because changes to a ref's .current property do not trigger re-renders. This can be useful for values like timers, intervals, or any external mutable state[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20].
Preserving Values Between Renders: useRef can be used to hold onto data across renders if you want to prevent re-initialization of a variable on every render. This is particularly useful for preserving the previous state of a variable or the previous props a component received[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20].
Implementing Instance Variables: Refs can act like instance variables in class components. They can be used to store a mutable value that is tied to the lifecycle of a component but does not influence the view layer directly[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20].
Managing Focus, Text Selection, or Media Playback: useRef is useful for managing UI elements that require direct interaction, such as focusing inputs, selecting text, or controlling media playback (play, pause, etc.)[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][...
