##ref-components-headref

• NativeBase is built on top of React Native. Hence, the components of NativeBase have respective replacing React Native elements.
• NativeBase has now made it easy for developers, to access the any of its components using ref, along with its associated React Native elements.
• After building your component, you may find yourself wanting to reach out and invoke methods on component instances returned from render().
• This can be achieved from refs. Refs are a great way to send a message to a particular child instance.
• The ref attribute takes a callback function, and the callback will be executed immediately after the component is mounted or unmounted.

Syntax

import React, { Component } from 'react';
import { Container, Header, Content, Button } from 'native-base';
export default class RefExample extends Component {
  render() {
    return (
      <Container>
        <Header />
        <Content>
          <Button ref={ (c) => this._button = c }>
            Click Me
          </Button>
        </Content>
      </Container>
    );
  }
}

• this._button gets you the reference of NativeBase Button.
• this._button._root gets you the reference of NativeBase Button's replacing React Native element i.e., TouchableOpacity.
• This feature is accessible with all of NativeBase components.