More Hooks

useRef holds a value that survives re-renders but doesn't cause one when it changes. Its main job is pointing at a DOM element:

const inputRef = useRef(null);

<input ref={inputRef} /> <button onClick={() => inputRef.current.focus()}> Search </button>

After render, inputRef.current is the real <input>. Use it for focus, scrolling, measuring, or third-party libraries.

Refs also store values like a timer id or the previous value. Don't read or write ref.current during render — only in effects and handlers.