Vue 'ref' Attribute
Example
Using the ref attribute to change the text inside the <p> tag:
<div id="app">
<p ref="pEl">Initial text.</p>
<button v-on:click="changeText">Change text</button>
</div>
<script src="https://unpkg.com/vue@3/dist/vue.global.js"></script>
<script type="module">
const app = Vue.createApp({
methods: {
changeText(){
this.$refs.pEl.innerHTML = "Hello!";
}
}
})
app.mount('#app')
</script>
Try it Yourself »
See more examples below.
Definition and Usage
The ref attribute is used to mark elements in <template>, so that they can be accessed from the $refs object inside <script>.
We can use the ref attribute and the $refs object in Vue as an alternative to methods in plain JavaScript like getElementById() or querySelector().
If HTML elements created with v-for have the ref attribute, the resulting DOM elements will be added to the $refs object as an array, like demonstrated in this example:
More Examples
Example 1
The text inside a <p> element is changed.
<template>
<h1>Example</h1>
<p>Click the button to put "Hello!" as the text in the green p element.</p>
<button @click="changeVal">Change Text</button><br>
<p ref="pEl" id="pEl">This is the initial text</p>
</template>
<script>
export default {
methods: {
changeVal() {
this.$refs.pEl.innerHTML = "Hello!";
}
}
};
</script>
<style>
#pEl {
background-color: lightgreen;
display: inline-block;
}
</style>
Example 2
The text from the first <p> tag is copied into the second <p> tag.
<template>
<h1>Example</h1>
<p ref="p1">Click the button to copy this text into the paragraph below.</p>
<button @click="transferText">Transfer text</button>
<p ref="p2">...</p>
</template>
<script>
export default {
methods: {
transferText() {
this.$refs.p2.innerHTML = this.$refs.p1.innerHTML;
}
}
};
</script>
Example 3
A <p> element gets the same content as what's being written in the input field.
<template>
<h1>Example</h1>
<p>Start writing inside the input element, and the text will be copied into the last paragraph by the use of the '$refs' object.</p>
<input ref="inputEl" @input="getRefs" placeholder="Write something..">
<p ref="pEl"></p>
</template>
<script>
export default {
methods: {
getRefs() {
this.$refs.pEl.innerHTML = this.$refs.inputEl.value;
}
}
};
</script>
Example 4
The button reveals the the third list element stored as an array element inside the $refs object.
<template>
<h1>Example</h1>
<p>Click the button to reveal the 3rd list element stored as an array element in the $refs object.</p>
<button @click="getValue">Get the 3rd list element</button><br>
<ul>
<li v-for="x in liTexts" ref="liEl">{{ x }}</li>
</ul>
<pre>{{ thirdEl }}</pre>
</template>
<script>
export default {
data() {
return {
thirdEl: ' ',
liTexts: ['Apple','Banana','Kiwi','Tomato','Lichi']
}
},
methods: {
getValue() {
this.thirdEl = this.$refs.liEl[2].innerHTML;
console.log("this.$refs.liEl = ",this.$refs.liEl);
}
}
};
</script>
<style>
pre {
background-color: lightgreen;
display: inline-block;
}
</style>
Related Pages
Vue Tutorial: Vue Template Refs
Vue Tutorial: Vue v-for Directive
Vue Reference: Vue $refs Object