Add experimental docs for Fragment refs (#8010)

* Add experimental docs for Fragment refs

* Update wording

* Address feedback
This commit is contained in:
Jack Pope
2025-10-03 10:35:59 -04:00
committed by GitHub
parent 775d895c98
commit ae584af4da

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@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ title: <Fragment> (<>...</>)
<Intro>
`<Fragment>`, often used via `<>...</>` syntax, lets you group elements without a wrapper node.
`<Fragment>`, often used via `<>...</>` syntax, lets you group elements without a wrapper node.
<Experimental> Fragments can also accept refs, which enable interacting with underlying DOM nodes without adding wrapper elements. See reference and usage below.</Experimental>
```js
<>
@@ -28,6 +30,33 @@ Wrap elements in `<Fragment>` to group them together in situations where you nee
#### Props {/*props*/}
- **optional** `key`: Fragments declared with the explicit `<Fragment>` syntax may have [keys.](/learn/rendering-lists#keeping-list-items-in-order-with-key)
- <ExperimentalBadge /> **optional** `ref`: A ref object (e.g. from [`useRef`](/reference/react/useRef)) or [callback function](/reference/react-dom/components/common#ref-callback). React provides a `FragmentInstance` as the ref value that implements methods for interacting with the DOM nodes wrapped by the Fragment.
### <ExperimentalBadge /> FragmentInstance {/*fragmentinstance*/}
When you pass a ref to a fragment, React provides a `FragmentInstance` object with methods for interacting with the DOM nodes wrapped by the fragment:
**Event handling methods:**
- `addEventListener(type, listener, options?)`: Adds an event listener to all first-level DOM children of the Fragment.
- `removeEventListener(type, listener, options?)`: Removes an event listener from all first-level DOM children of the Fragment.
- `dispatchEvent(event)`: Dispatches an event to a virtual child of the Fragment to call any added listeners and can bubble to the DOM parent.
**Layout methods:**
- `compareDocumentPosition(otherNode)`: Compares the document position of the Fragment with another node.
- If the Fragment has children, the native `compareDocumentPosition` value is returned.
- Empty Fragments will attempt to compare positioning within the React tree and include `Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_IMPLEMENTATION_SPECIFIC`.
- Elements that have a different relationship in the React tree and DOM tree due to portaling or other insertions are `Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_IMPLEMENTATION_SPECIFIC`.
- `getClientRects()`: Returns a flat array of `DOMRect` objects representing the bounding rectangles of all children.
- `getRootNode()`: Returns the root node containing the Fragment's parent DOM node.
**Focus management methods:**
- `focus(options?)`: Focuses the first focusable DOM node in the Fragment. Focus is attempted on nested children depth-first.
- `focusLast(options?)`: Focuses the last focusable DOM node in the Fragment. Focus is attempted on nested children depth-first.
- `blur()`: Removes focus if `document.activeElement` is within the Fragment.
**Observer methods:**
- `observeUsing(observer)`: Starts observing the Fragment's DOM children with an IntersectionObserver or ResizeObserver.
- `unobserveUsing(observer)`: Stops observing the Fragment's DOM children with the specified observer.
#### Caveats {/*caveats*/}
@@ -35,6 +64,8 @@ Wrap elements in `<Fragment>` to group them together in situations where you nee
- React does not [reset state](/learn/preserving-and-resetting-state) when you go from rendering `<><Child /></>` to `[<Child />]` or back, or when you go from rendering `<><Child /></>` to `<Child />` and back. This only works a single level deep: for example, going from `<><><Child /></></>` to `<Child />` resets the state. See the precise semantics [here.](https://gist.github.com/clemmy/b3ef00f9507909429d8aa0d3ee4f986b)
- <ExperimentalBadge /> If you want to pass `ref` to a Fragment, you can't use the `<>...</>` syntax. You have to explicitly import `Fragment` from `'react'` and render `<Fragment ref={yourRef}>...</Fragment>`.
---
## Usage {/*usage*/}
@@ -208,3 +239,92 @@ function PostBody({ body }) {
```
</Sandpack>
---
### <ExperimentalBadge /> Using Fragment refs for DOM interaction {/*using-fragment-refs-for-dom-interaction*/}
Fragment refs allow you to interact with the DOM nodes wrapped by a Fragment without adding extra wrapper elements. This is useful for event handling, visibility tracking, focus management, and replacing deprecated patterns like `ReactDOM.findDOMNode()`.
```js
import { Fragment } from 'react';
function ClickableFragment({ children, onClick }) {
return (
<Fragment ref={fragmentInstance => {
fragmentInstance.addEventListener('click', handleClick);
return () => fragmentInstance.removeEventListener('click', handleClick);
}}>
{children}
</Fragment>
);
}
```
---
### <ExperimentalBadge /> Tracking visibility with Fragment refs {/*tracking-visibility-with-fragment-refs*/}
Fragment refs are useful for visibility tracking and intersection observation. This enables you to monitor when content becomes visible without requiring the child Components to expose refs:
```js {19,21,31-34}
import { Fragment, useRef, useLayoutEffect } from 'react';
function VisibilityObserverFragment({ threshold = 0.5, onVisibilityChange, children }) {
const fragmentRef = useRef(null);
useLayoutEffect(() => {
const observer = new IntersectionObserver(
(entries) => {
onVisibilityChange(entries.some(entry => entry.isIntersecting))
},
{ threshold }
);
fragmentRef.current.observeUsing(observer);
return () => fragmentRef.current.unobserveUsing(observer);
}, [threshold, onVisibilityChange]);
return (
<Fragment ref={fragmentRef}>
{children}
</Fragment>
);
}
function MyComponent() {
const handleVisibilityChange = (isVisible) => {
console.log('Component is', isVisible ? 'visible' : 'hidden');
};
return (
<VisibilityObserverFragment onVisibilityChange={handleVisibilityChange}>
<SomeThirdPartyComponent />
<AnotherComponent />
</VisibilityObserverFragment>
);
}
```
This pattern is an alternative to Effect-based visibility logging, which is an anti-pattern in most cases. Relying on Effects alone does not guarantee that the rendered Component is observable by the user.
---
### <ExperimentalBadge /> Focus management with Fragment refs {/*focus-management-with-fragment-refs*/}
Fragment refs provide focus management methods that work across all DOM nodes within the Fragment:
```js
import { Fragment, useRef } from 'react';
function FocusFragment({ children }) {
const fragmentRef = useRef(null);
return (
<Fragment ref={(fragmentInstance) => fragmentInstance?.focus()}>
{children}
</Fragment>
);
}
```
The `focus()` method focuses the first focusable element within the Fragment, while `focusLast()` focuses the last focusable element.