react input cursor jump end

React Input Cursor Jump End

Have you ever typed something into an input field in React and had the cursor jump to the end of the input field? It can be frustrating when you're trying to edit or add more text in the middle of what you've already typed.

This issue can occur when the input field is being updated with new values from a parent component via props. One solution to this problem is to use a ref to control the value of the input field.

Using ref to control input value

    import React, { useRef, useEffect } from 'react';

    function InputField() {
      const inputRef = useRef(null);

      useEffect(() => {
        inputRef.current.value = 'Initial value';
      }, []);

      return (
        
          
        
      );
    }
  

In the above example, we create a ref using the useRef hook and assign it to the input element using the ref prop. We then use an useEffect hook to set the initial value of the input field when the component mounts.

This approach allows us to control the value of the input field without triggering a re-render of the component. This means that the cursor won't jump to the end of the input field when new props are passed in.

Using controlled components

Another solution to this problem is to use controlled components, where the value of the input field is controlled by the state of the component.

    import React, { useState } from 'react';

    function InputField() {
      const [inputValue, setInputValue] = useState('Initial value');

      const handleChange = (event) => {
        setInputValue(event.target.value);
      };

      return (
        
          
        
      );
    }
  

In the above example, we use the useState hook to create a state variable for the input value. We then pass this value to the input element using the value prop, and update the state using the onChange event.

This approach allows us to control the value of the input field and prevent the cursor from jumping to the end of the input field when new props are passed in.

Conclusion

There are multiple ways to solve the issue of the cursor jumping to the end of the input field in React. Using refs or controlled components are two effective solutions to this problem. Choose the approach that works best for your specific use case.