Use Ref in React Functional Components

Create ReactJS Project

Create new folder named LearnReactJSWithRealApps and select to this folder in Visual Studio Code

Open Terminal windows in Visual Studio Code and use commands below:

npm install create-react-app@latest
npx create-react-app myapp

Create New Component

Open App.js file in src folder and create new component as below:

import React, { useRef } from 'react';

function App() {

  const refUsername = useRef();
  const refKeyword = useRef();
  const refPassword = useRef();
  const refDescription = useRef();

  let search = (e) => {
    console.log('Keyword: ' + refKeyword.current.value);
  }

  let save = (e) => {
    console.log('Username: ' + refUsername.current.value);
    console.log('Password: ' + refPassword.current.value);
    console.log('Username: ' + refDescription.current.value);
  }

  return (
    <div>

      <fieldset>
        <legend>Demo 1</legend>
        <form method="post">
          <input type="text" ref={refKeyword} placeholder="Input keyword..." />
          <input type="button" value="Search" onClick={search} />
        </form>
      </fieldset>

      <fieldset>
        <legend>Demo 2</legend>
        <form method="post">
          Username <input type="text" ref={refUsername} />
          <br />
          Password <input type="password" ref={refPassword} />
          <br />
          Description
          <br />
          <textarea cols="20" rows="5" ref={refDescription}></textarea>
          <br />
          <input type="button" value="Save" onClick={save} />
        </form>
      </fieldset>

    </div>
  );
};

export default App;

Add Component to Entry File

Open index.js file in src folder and add new component to this file as below:

import React from 'react';
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom';
import './index.css';
import App from './App';
import * as serviceWorker from './serviceWorker';

ReactDOM.render(<App />, document.getElementById('root'));

serviceWorker.unregister();

Structure of Project

Run Application

In Terminal windows in Visual Studio Code and type: npm start,
program will open url http://localhost:3000 on browser

Output

Click buttons to call onSubmit events

Output on Console Log

Keyword: pmk
Username: acc1
Password: pw123
Username: Description acc1