react-doctor/no-string-refs

Disallow legacy string refs like ref='node': use createRef, useRef, or callback refs.

Validation prompt

Confirm the detector match and collect the required evidence before deciding whether an edit is warranted.

Fires on string-literal ref attributes (<div ref="hello" />) and on this.refs.<name> member reads: the legacy string-ref API removed in React 19. With noTemplateLiterals: true it also flags template-literal refs like ref={hello}.

Suppress when: an uppercase custom component <Foo ref="hello" /> where the consumer treats ref as a plain string identifier rather than a React ref: rare but possible since the rule does not distinguish DOM elements from components.

Evidence boundary

The diagnostic proves only that the detector’s modeled source pattern matched. It does not prove runtime impact, product intent, rendered failure, or that one remediation is correct.

Establish the environment, repository policy, exceptions, and required rendered or runtime evidence before deciding the occurrence.

Record one outcome:

• Confirmed failure: The required evidence establishes the violation.
• Rejected: A documented exception or false-positive predicate applies.
• Needs evidence: Named evidence can still be collected.
• Unavailable: Required evidence cannot be collected in this run.
• Waived with evidence: An authorized, scoped exception applies to an established failure.
• Observation: The review records an optional tradeoff without claiming a defect.

A waiver records its scope, authority, evidence, and review condition. It is not a pass or false positive.

Default severity is registry metadata. Use the occurrence’s JSON severity after repository configuration when ordering real findings.

Fix prompt

Apply this candidate correction only after the required evidence confirms the risk.

In class components, store the ref via createRef: this.helloRef = createRef() in the constructor, ref={this.helloRef} on the JSX, this.helloRef.current to read. In function components use useRef(null) and accept ref as a normal prop (React 19+) or wrap with forwardRef (React 16-18). Callback refs (ref={(el) => { this.hello = el }}) also work. See https://oxc.rs/docs/guide/usage/linter/rules/react/no-string-refs.html and https://react.dev/reference/react/createRef

Repository-wide copy prompt

Use this repository-wide prompt only after validating each occurrence. For one occurrence, use the guidance above.