How is useRef different from useState?
useState triggers a re-render when it changes. useRef does not. Use useState for values that should update the UI; use useRef for values that should persist without updating the UI, like DOM references or timer ids.
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More FAQs in useRef in React Explained: Beyond Just Accessing the DOM
useRef returns a mutable object with a current property that persists across renders. Mutating current does not trigger a re-render, which is the key difference from useState.
Accessing DOM elements like focusing an input, and storing mutable values that should persist across renders without triggering re-renders, like a timer id, a previous value, or a flag for whether the component is mounted.
Because useRef does not trigger re-renders. If a value should change the UI, it belongs in useState, not useRef. useRef is for values that persist without driving the UI.
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