---
title: "Agent Skill to React18 String Refs"
platform: "Promptally"
canonical_url: "https://app.promptally.dev/p/skill-react18-string-refs"
modality: "SKILL"
category: "Frontend & Motion Design"
compatible_models: [Universal / Model Agnostic]
access_tier: "Free Public Artifact (No Auth Required)"
license: "MIT"
---

# Agent Skill to React18 String Refs

**Summary:** Agent Skill to React18 String Refs is a verified SKILL blueprint on Promptally in Frontend & Motion Design optimized for leading AI models. Provides exact migration patterns for React string refs (ref="name" + this.refs.name) to React.createRef() in class components. Use this skill whenever migrating string ref usage - including single element refs, multiple refs in a component, refs in lists, callback refs, and refs passed to child components. Always use this skill before writing any ref migration code - the multiple-refs-in-list pattern is particularly tricky and this skill prevents the most common mistakes. Use it for R. Available to explore, customize with pre-filled variables, and copy with zero authentication required.

## Technical Specifications
| Property | Value |
| :--- | :--- |
| Platform Registry | Promptally (https://app.promptally.dev) |
| Modality | SKILL |
| Category | Frontend & Motion Design |
| Compatible Engines | Universal / Model Agnostic |
| Dynamic Variables | None (Static Blueprint) |
| Approx. Token Length | 526 |
| Access Tier | Free Public Artifact (No Auth Required) |
| License | MIT |

### Pre-Filled Template & Production Source

````md
---
name: react18-string-refs
description: 'Provides exact migration patterns for React string refs (ref="name" + this.refs.name) to React.createRef() in class components. Use this skill whenever migrating string ref usage - including single element refs, multiple refs in a component, refs in lists, callback refs, and refs passed to child components. Always use this skill before writing any ref migration code - the multiple-refs-in-list pattern is particularly tricky and this skill prevents the most common mistakes. Use it for React 18.3.1 migration (string refs warn) and React 19 migration (string refs removed).'
---

# React 18 String Refs Migration

String refs (`ref="myInput"` + `this.refs.myInput`) were deprecated in React 16.3, warn in React 18.3.1, and are **removed in React 19**.

## Quick Pattern Map

| Pattern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Single ref on a DOM element | [→ patterns.md#single-ref](references/patterns.md#single-ref) |
| Multiple refs in one component | [→ patterns.md#multiple-refs](references/patterns.md#multiple-refs) |
| Refs in a list / dynamic refs | [→ patterns.md#list-refs](references/patterns.md#list-refs) |
| Callback refs (alternative approach) | [→ patterns.md#callback-refs](references/patterns.md#callback-refs) |
| Ref passed to a child component | [→ patterns.md#forwarded-refs](references/patterns.md#forwarded-refs) |

## Scan Command

```bash
# Find all string ref assignments in JSX
grep -rn 'ref="' src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\."

# Find all this.refs accessors
grep -rn "this\.refs\." src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\."
```

Both should be migrated together - find the `ref="name"` and the `this.refs.name` accesses for each component as a pair.

## The Migration Rule

Every string ref migrates to `React.createRef()`:

1. Add `refName = React.createRef();` as a class field (or in constructor)
2. Replace `ref="refName"` → `ref={this.refName}` in JSX
3. Replace `this.refs.refName` → `this.refName.current` everywhere

Read `references/patterns.md` for the full before/after for each case.

````

## Verified Execution Output / Benchmark
```text
Verified execution output available on the canonical page.
```

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