forwardRef/createRef

Check the Hooks section for useRef.

createRef:

import { createRef, PureComponent } from "react";

class CssThemeProvider extends PureComponent<Props> {
  private rootRef = createRef<HTMLDivElement>(); // like this
  render() {
    return <div ref={this.rootRef}>{this.props.children}</div>;
  }
}

forwardRef:

import { forwardRef, ReactNode } from "react";

interface Props {
  children?: ReactNode;
  type: "submit" | "button";
}
export type Ref = HTMLButtonElement;

export const FancyButton = forwardRef<Ref, Props>((props, ref) => (
  <button ref={ref} className="MyClassName" type={props.type}>
    {props.children}
  </button>
));

Side note: the ref you get from forwardRef is mutable so you can assign to it if needed.

This was done on purpose. You can make it immutable if you have to - assign React.Ref if you want to ensure nobody reassigns it:

import { forwardRef, ReactNode, Ref } from "react";

interface Props {
  children?: ReactNode;
  type: "submit" | "button";
}

export const FancyButton = forwardRef(
  (
    props: Props,
    ref: Ref<HTMLButtonElement> // <-- here!
  ) => (
    <button ref={ref} className="MyClassName" type={props.type}>
      {props.children}
    </button>
  )
);

If you are grabbing the props of a component that forwards refs, use ComponentPropsWithRef.

Generic forwardRefs

Option 1 - Wrapper component

type ClickableListProps<T> = {
  items: T[];
  onSelect: (item: T) => void;
  mRef?: React.Ref<HTMLUListElement> | null;
};

export function ClickableList<T>(props: ClickableListProps<T>) {
  return (
    <ul ref={props.mRef}>
      {props.items.map((item, i) => (
        <li key={i}>
          <button onClick={(el) => props.onSelect(item)}>Select</button>
          {item}
        </li>
      ))}
    </ul>
  );
}

Option 2 - Redeclare forwardRef

// Redeclare forwardRef
declare module "react" {
  function forwardRef<T, P = {}>(
    render: (props: P, ref: React.Ref<T>) => React.ReactElement | null
  ): (props: P & React.RefAttributes<T>) => React.ReactElement | null;
}

// Just write your components like you're used to!
import { forwardRef, ForwardedRef } from "react";

interface ClickableListProps<T> {
  items: T[];
  onSelect: (item: T) => void;
}

function ClickableListInner<T>(
  props: ClickableListProps<T>,
  ref: ForwardedRef<HTMLUListElement>
) {
  return (
    <ul ref={ref}>
      {props.items.map((item, i) => (
        <li key={i}>
          <button onClick={(el) => props.onSelect(item)}>Select</button>
          {item}
        </li>
      ))}
    </ul>
  );
}

export const ClickableList = forwardRef(ClickableListInner);

Option 3 - Call signature

// Add to `index.d.ts`
interface ForwardRefWithGenerics extends React.FC<WithForwardRefProps<Option>> {
  <T extends Option>(props: WithForwardRefProps<T>): ReturnType<
    React.FC<WithForwardRefProps<T>>
  >;
}

export const ClickableListWithForwardRef: ForwardRefWithGenerics =
  forwardRef(ClickableList);